When Solo mode came to Apex Legends a few months ago, lots of fans rejoiced. In any FPS, and especially a battle royale game, there are always going to be those lone wolf players for whom teamwork does not make the dream work. Soon, starting on November 5, Apex will try splitting the difference between its regular three-person squads and the canonical loneliest number with a limited-time Duos mode.
At the moment, other details on Duos mode are sparse. The announcement teaser shows Crypto and Mirage dropping in on World’s Edge, which implies that Duos will stick to the newer of Apex Legends’ two maps. When Respawn introduced Solos mode for a limited time in August, the total player count in a match was still Apex’s standard 60. We’ll probably find out whether Duos will pit 30 teams of two against each other when the mode debuts.
Duos is following hot on the heels of Apex’s ongoing Fight or Fright event, which introduced the limited-time Shadowfall mode. So far, Apex has let the player base go back to regular and ranked playlists for a few weeks between limited-time events. Assuming there’s not a follow-up to Fight or Fright coming on November 5, this will be the first time Apex has launched a limited-time mode without tying it into an accompanying character-themed or cosmetic collection event.
This quick turnaround could suggest that Apex will receive updates and events on a faster cadence moving forward. Earlier this year, Respawn co-founder and CEO Vince Zampella said the developer would focus on large, seasonal updates for Apex Legends so as to not “overwork the team and drop the quality of the assets.” Still, on EA’s recent earnings call, Apex was identified as the publisher’s primary shooter title for the next year. With a growing team and increased expectations from EA, perhaps Apex will cycle through these limited-time modes more frequently to keep players engaged throughout its longer seasons.
Until November 5 comes along and replaces it with Duos, players can still compete in Shadowfall and try to collect some spooky skins that came along with it. USG’s guide section has you covered on Apex Legends’ third season of content, Halloween items, and more.
