Apex Legends Reverts Movement Nerf After Fan Backlash

Apex Legends Reverses Controversial Tap-Strafing Adjustment

Responding to significant player feedback, Apex Legends developers, Respawn Entertainment, have reversed a recent nerf to the tap-strafing movement technique. This adjustment, initially implemented in the Season 23 mid-season update (released January 7th), introduced an unintended negative impact on the mechanic.

The mid-season update, which included substantial balance changes for Legends and weapons, also subtly altered tap-strafing by adding a "buffer." This made the advanced maneuver, crucial for quick directional changes mid-air, significantly less effective. While Respawn's intention was to counter automated movement exploits at high frame rates, the community largely felt the change went too far.

Respawn acknowledged the community's concerns, stating the alteration had unforeseen consequences and negatively affected gameplay. They affirmed their commitment to addressing automated workarounds and undesirable play styles, but emphasized their intention to preserve skillful movement techniques like tap-strafing. This reversal has been met with widespread approval from the Apex Legends community.

The impact of this reversal remains to be seen. While the exact number of players affected by the initial nerf is unknown, the reversion may attract players who had temporarily stopped playing due to the change.

This development follows the recent launch of the Astral Anomaly Event, introducing new cosmetic items and a revamped Launch Royale LTM. Respawn's responsiveness to player feedback suggests further adjustments may be forthcoming in response to other community concerns.