5 things we want from Apex Legends in 2026

Apex Legends is about to reach its seventh birthday, and as we transition into 2026, there are plenty of aspects of the battle royale that could be improved to offer a smoother gameplay experience.

Cheating remains a problem across all platforms, while some fans want to see more game modes that offer a third-person perspective. Here are five improvements and additions we’d like to see in Apex Legends throughout the next year.

There are five things we think Respawn should focus on in 2026, including cosmetics, anti-cheat measures, and legend buffs.

Apex Legends is a first-person shooter, and that’ll always be its main point of perspective. However, third-person is present in some secondary game modes, and we think it should become a standard option in Battle Royale in 2026.

First off, cosmetics are significantly more valuable if you can view your character from third-person, as otherwise your unique outfits are only ever seen by other players. Adding more reasons to collect cosmetics can add a sense of meaning to a game, especially since Apex releases a new Battle Pass every few months.

A third-person option would likely require an entirely separate queue, but it might attract players from games like Fortnite or Marvel Rivals who prefer third-person perspectives, so the payoff would likely be worth it, as it could potentially double the player base. More permanent secondary modes may also achieve this goal.

Alongside preemptive bans for gamers suspected of using cheats, the detection methods in Apex Legends were also greatly improved using new technologies in 2025. Although progress has been made, many Apex fans want to see even more protections in place to prevent cheating, such as requiring players to sign up using a phone number or other limited identification factor to prevent cheaters from creating second accounts.

Respawn could also implement a system that allows players to collect rewards if they can reliably prove they lost Ranked Points due to cheating, creating a fairer atmosphere overall. 

The ALGS Open in May 2025 brought 160 teams together for a week of battle royale action, many of which weren’t particularly well-known before the event. Up-and-coming athletes had a prime opportunity to showcase their talents and prepare for the 2025 season, and EA hosting more tournaments like the ALGS Open would expand the esports scene.

More open competitions tell interested gamers that they have a shot at stardom within the Apex esports community if they put in the hard work to become the best player around. Hopefully, every talented Apex Legends player will have a chance to test their mettle against the best FPS athletes in the world, even if that means that competitions last a bit longer.

An esports tab does wonders for helping interested players dive headfirst into the competitive scene. In games like VALORANT and Siege X, the esports menu provides a basic rundown of upcoming tournaments and the most notable teams in their respective games, making the transition from gamer to viewer easier.

Esports is a rapidly growing industry, and Apex Legends has one of the most lively competitive scenes in the gaming industry, so an esports tab on the main menu seems like a logical next step. Additionally, informing the general player base about esports may also help attract new competitors to the scene.

After nearly seven years of futuristic fun, it’s time for a major upgrade to Apex Legends’ core systems. A full-fledged sequel isn’t necessary for a free-to-play shooter like Apex, but instead, a gigantic update that offers a large variety of improvements over the original. It would be great to see updates for character models and the reward system, while a few legend reworks wouldn’t hurt either.

Cosmetics and other in-game items would need to be transferred to the hypothetical “Apex Legends 2” for gamers to make the switch, though that would be the easiest part. Respawn’s biggest priority with a sequel would be keeping the spirit of the game while improving the Apex Legends gameplay, movement, and even lighting.

If Apex Legends gets a sequel similar to Siege X in 2026, then it’d also be nice if Respawn released a few new legends and modes simultaneously. Otherwise, it would feel more like an update than an actual continuation of the franchise.

Whether you’ve been an Apex Legends fan for years or just picked up the hobby in 2026, there are likely a few things on your wishlist as we head into a brand-new year. The esports community could use some further promotion, but many players also want to see a faithful continuation of the title via a light sequel.

Every year, Respawn introduces a plethora of balancing updates and new features, and 2026 could be the perfect time to reinvent the first-person shooter since the Nintendo Switch 2 has just released and Apex is reaching its seventh birthday. Hopefully, 2026 will offer the upgrades necessary for Apex Legends to rise to the top of the free-to-play charts on every platform.