While during a Q&A session for Apex Legends, DBLTAP asked whether Respawn Entertainment was looking into loadouts in coming seasons. This feature would help players deal with the problem of using "stand-in" weapons for a long period of time. Senior Design Director Evan Nikolich shared his thoughts on the matter.
"Not right now. The core BR experience... we believe the RNG of the weapon scramble is core to the BR experience. This makes us different from our competitors who do have loadout selection. That's not to say we're not exploring it. We're definitely exploring it. Like the loadouts in Control. That's definitely something that vibes with people. There are things to explore there in terms of like, what can we do to help to personalize the weapon behavior a bit more, and maybe add a bit more determinism. But that's something further down the road. For us right now, the focus is staying with the core loop of the weapon acquisition."
While it may not be the answer players want right now, it does show the philosophical differences held at Respawn. The idea of RNG has been a core element of battle royales since their inception, but other games have tried removing that element. For Warzone, players are able to earn a loadout after a short amount of time, as long as they find enough cash. This allows for players to have the "scramble" that Nikolich mentioned toward the beginning of the game, making for a classic BR experience. but after a short time, players will essentially unlock their favorite or preferred weapons.
Hopefully, Respawn can see the value of such a feature and make it a priority. The loadouts in Control are a step in the right direction and the introduction of smart loot in the new IMC Armories is also a similar thought process.
Apex Legends: Saviors arrives May 10.
