Cover-Credits:
Apex Legends Season 13 underwent some drastic changes and Respawn is making even further changes for Season 14 which has made a lot of players unhappy. Entry points for ranked mode are being increased by 5 RP (Ranked Points) throughout all ranks and the diminishing value of kills and assists is being removed completely.
It could potentially enable a much more aggressive playstyle where teams play for kills instead of placements, making games end too quickly. With Season 14 dropping on 9th August, only time will tell if the changes are for the better or worse but initial impressions of pro players are not looking good.
Why pro players feel Season 14 will be ruined by the new changes
FURIA’s Jacob "HisWattson" McMillin feels that the new ranked season “is ruined” because of the new changes and a lot of other pro players share his sentiment. HisWattson has been the number one Predator player for the majority of Season 13 and he was also the MVP of the recent ALGS championship. The removal of the diminishing returns on Ranked Points for kills and assists is a major concern for a lot of players.
Currently, you get full ranked points (RP) for your first few kills and the value diminishes for each additional kill. Prior to Season 13 there was a limit of six kills/assists and getting more kills beyond that was not really valuable. In Season 13, some adjustments were made to the ranked system to help players earn even more points but the entry costs of matches were increased significantly and the rank tiers were broadened, requiring players to earn more RP to climb each rank.
In Season 14, there will be no limit on how many kills or assists are awarded full points, which is concerning for players. Kings Canyon, which is one of the maps that will feature next season’s ranked mode, is notorious for third parties and it was also home to the “Revtane” meta where a large number of teams ran Revenant and Octane and pushed into enemy teams.
Other changes to the game include nerfs to Arc Stars and Valkyrie, which most players have welcomed. Valkyrie has been an oppressive part of the competitive meta and ranked mode for several months and changes to her kit have been received positively so far.
