Apex Legends Devs Refuse To “Straight Up Add Power” Despite Calls For Legend’s Buff

Apex Legends Season 5 just launched a couple of days back, introducing fresh additions and multiple changes to the game. Apart from Loba, new map locations, and a season quest, Fortune’s Favor also brought a much-awaited rework for Mirage, weapons and loot updates, and a bunch of bug fixes. Apex underwent a massive revamp.

Social media rumblings suggest Mirage received a buff long before the new season went live on May 12. As a result, Lifeline fans were hopeful of a slight buff too. But a developer at Respawn has now squashed the idea of a major buff for the Combat Medic.

Apex Legends dev says Lifeline doesn’t need a buff

On May 14, Lead Game Designer at Respawn Entertainment, Carlos Pineda, explained the current situation with the support legend in a series of tweets. According to him, she’s in “a complicated spot” and agreed, “she’s lost some of her shine.” While mentioning different categories like pick rate, win rate, and kill-death ratio, he insists she still maintains top tier ratings and remains a fan-favorite, despite opposing claims.

“So, in that sense, she does not need a buff at all. But I get it – everyone wants her to be unique, and I agree she’s lost some of her shine due to the other legend buffs.” The lead game designer further explained that adding raw power to Lifeline would see her surging those metrics even further.

Instead, they are “looking for a Sidegrade.” It will make her stand out from other legends, and at the same time, not give her too much powered. “That kind of design is much harder than just cranking numbers or even just adding a new thing she can do,” Pineda added.

Reminding fans that Respawn is working on Lifeline, he asked them to keep their faith and remain calm. “In the meantime, you can feel better about picking Lifeline, knowing you’re still in good hands,” the dev concluded.

Respawn looking to keep things balanced

Supporting teammates and providing them with gear is the cornerstone of Lifeline’s gameplay. Her D.O.C Drone heals all nearby allies, whereas she projects a small shield when reviving others, barring them from damage. Moreover, she has increased access to some supply bins now. Her ultimate power acts as a source of high-tier loot items.

Lifeline doesn’t necessarily need raw power input. Rather, she needs more intricate balancing acts to make her stand out for her unique features.

With Loba joining the roster, Mirage getting reworked, and others like Bloodhound, Crypto, Caustic, Octane also receiving minor buffs, Lifeline mains could feel a bit lackluster. With other legends fitting the squad more appropriately, her character may seem redundant. She might not receive a significant buff, but some smaller, more calculated, and balanced changes.

Respawn remain committed to maintaining communications with their player base and focused on keeping Apex Legends a balanced battleground.