We are never bringing back solos! Oh yeah, that is exactly what Respawn told the entire community in January of this year. Apex Legends is a squad-based game, and that’s why solos mode won’t come back is what we heard from the developer. But, here we are today, Apex Legends Season 21 brings back the solos mode with a fresh coat of paint, so let’s talk about it.
Apex Legends Solos Mode is Back and Better!
Okay, first things first, Solos mode is not being added to the game permanently. Instead, Solos will take over the Duos playlist for a limited time, and that time period is six weeks. This means you’ll be able to jump into the Apex games alone for the first half of Season 21.
Solos is returning to Apex Legends after nearly five years. The first time we got to experience Solos mode was back in Season 2 with the Iron Crown Collection event. The game has evolved a lot since then, with EVO shields, legend reworks, upgrades, and whatnot. So, Respawn wants to experiment with Solos mode once again!
What’s New in Solos Mode in Season 21
As shared by Mike Button, the Events Lead for Apex Legends, the new iteration of Solos mode has three key new features. First, you no longer need to scour for loot and attachments. You will come across fully-kitted weapons up for grabs when you land.
This is paired with auto-healing that gets activated when you’re out of combat or when you take out an enemy. There will still be healing items, both medkits and syringes, available to loot.
The second and most important addition is the brand-new “Battle Sense” mechanic. As Mike told us in an online press event, you don’t have teammates in this mode who can communicate where the enemies are. So, to help you with that, the game detects nearby enemies for you and sends you a ping on-screen with an audio cue.
Now, it doesn’t tell you where the enemy is cus that would be too much hand-holding. But, at least, you can be on high alert when this ping shows up.
Finally, the game is not over when you’re taken out by an enemy for the first time. Every player has one more chance to prove their might, thanks to the Respawn Token. If you get killed in the first four rounds of the game, say during a hot drop, you will respawn, your death box will be marked on the map, and you can go from there (again).
If you are just too good at the game, you might be able to save your Respawn Token until the fourth ring closes in. The Respawn Token is converted to EVO, helping you level up your shield and unlock legend upgrades.
Other minor adjustments like granting more EVO points from harvesters, scanning world packages, etc., reducing the player count to 50, and adjusting ring sizes, among other things, are also in store to elevate the Solos experience.
Why is Respawn Testing Solos Mode Again?
Okay, finally, let’s address the elephant in the room. Respawn did say Solos is never coming, so why are we here talking about it now? Well, as revealed by the devs in an online press event, the growing demand from the players and a desire to explore the concept again is why it’s being reintroduced in Upheaval.
The learnings from previous LTMs, Mixtape, and player behavior have led to helpful additions like respawn tokens, auto-healing, and more. The reason for the extended takeover duration is that the devs wish to collect more player feedback to further tune the Solos mode and possibly have it come back as a permanent mode in the future.
