Apex Legends has seen significant turmoil this week as players were shocked to find their ranks unexpectedly reset on Monday, despite the season 22 being in its early stages. The disruption occurred when the ranked split for the Shockwave season abruptly ended, triggering a partial reset of the ranks players had achieved during the first week of the season. This sudden change led Respawn Entertainment to take drastic action, including disabling ranked mode entirely. As if that weren’t frustrating enough for players, the takeover of the new Revival game mode continued, locking E-District as the sole map available for play. Consequently, aside from facing bots or participating in rotating non-battle royale modes, players were left with little choice but to play Revival on E-District.
Fortunately, some of these issues have begun to ease. As of Tuesday, the initial Revival mode takeover has ended, allowing for the return of Trios and Quads in battle royale matches. A normal map rotation is also back, giving players a much-needed respite from the repetitive E-District map. Non-battle royale modes such as Team Deathmatch and Control remain active, though Solos and Duos are still absent.
Apex Legends ranked mode is still offline
Despite these improvements, the ranked mode remains unavailable. Players attempting to access it are greeted with a “Ranked not initialized. Try restarting” message, a problem that has persisted since Monday. Respawn Entertainment acknowledged the issue yesterday, stating they are actively working on a fix, but so far, a solution has not been rolled out.
In a statement, Respawn explained, “We’re still working on a fix to restore Ranks and RP to players. We’ll let you know as soon as it’s ready to deploy, but in the meantime, Ranked will remain unavailable for affected accounts to prevent them from losing further progress. Thank you for your patience.”
Some players have reportedly managed to bypass the lock on ranked mode, but given the current situation, it’s unlikely that any quality matches are being played. Moreover, any progress made—or lost—during this period will almost certainly be reset once the ranked mode is reactivated and the issue is fully resolved.
Apex Legends Update brings fixes, but ranked issue persists
In an effort to address some of the ongoing issues, Respawn did release an update today. However, the brief patch notes for this hotfix made it clear that ranked mode fixes were not included and that work on resolving the ranked issues is still in progress.
This situation has been particularly frustrating for the Apex Legends community, which had high expectations for the new season. The abrupt rank reset and subsequent disabling of ranked mode have left many players disillusioned, especially those who had invested significant time and effort in climbing the ranks during the early days of the Shockwave season.
What players can do while waiting for ranked mode
While the ranked mode remains offline, players still have several gameplay options to explore in Apex Legends. The return of Trios and Quads in battle royale mode, along with the reintroduction of a rotating map pool, offers a more traditional Apex experience. Additionally, non-battle royale modes like Team Deathmatch and Control provide alternative ways to enjoy the game.
For those looking to stay sharp while waiting for the ranked mode to return, here are a few suggestions:
- Experiment with different legends: With the ranked grind temporarily halted, now is a great time to experiment with legends you might not typically play. This can help you develop new strategies and become more versatile when ranked mode eventually returns.
- Master the new map rotation: The return of the normal map rotation presents an opportunity to refine your strategies across different maps. Take this time to learn the ins and outs of each map, including the best drop spots and key areas for engagements.
- Practice in non-battle royale modes: Modes like Team Deathmatch and Control offer fast-paced action that can help you improve your aiming and movement skills. These modes also provide a different style of gameplay that can be refreshing and challenging.
- Team up with friends: Playing with a coordinated squad can make any mode more enjoyable. Use this downtime in ranked mode to team up with friends and practice your teamwork and communication, which will be crucial when ranked mode is restored.
As the Apex Legends community waits for the ranked mode to be fixed, these activities can help keep the gameplay experience engaging. However, the pressure is on Respawn Entertainment to resolve these issues quickly, as the ranked mode is a core aspect of the game that many players are eager to return to.
The situation remains fluid, and players are advised to stay updated on official channels for news on when ranked mode will be restored. Until then, the normal battle royale modes and non-battle royale options will have to suffice for Apex Legends enthusiasts.
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