Respawn Entertainment recently announced changes to the battle pass system in Apex Legends, which will be implemented starting from season 22. The most notable change is that each season will now feature two premium battle passes, each priced at $10. Players will no longer be able to purchase these battle passes using Apex Coins, as they can only be bought with real money. Additionally, the Premium Battle Pass Bundle has been replaced by the Premium+ option, which costs $20 per battle pass and includes 10 unlocked ranks, 2 exclusive Legendary skin variants, 10 Exotic Shards, and access to all Legends for the duration of the Battle Pass.
These changes have been made to make the battle pass more valuable and attainable for players, according to a blog post on the Apex Legends website. However, the shift to real-world currency means that players who wish to purchase both premium battle passes in a season will now have to spend $40, compared to the previous $30 for the Premium Battle Pass Bundle. This change may not sit well with players who were used to using Apex Coins earned from previous seasons to invest in new battle passes.
The decision to move away from using in-game currency to purchase battle passes is part of a larger trend in the gaming industry, where many games have increased the price of in-game currencies and season passes in response to inflation. Companies like EA, which heavily rely on microtransactions for revenue, have seen significant profits from these changes. In fact, EA reported a net income of $800 million in 2023, highlighting the lucrative nature of in-game purchases for gaming companies.
Overall, while the changes to the battle pass system in Apex Legends may offer some benefits to players in terms of quicker and more plentiful rewards, the increased cost of purchasing battle passes with real money may deter some players. It remains to be seen how the community will react to these changes and whether they will ultimately be perceived as a positive or negative development in the game.