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ANTI-CHEATBefore we jump into the seasonal updates, here’s a quick progress check-in on anti-cheat. We’ve been focusing on many iterative improvements across an array of efforts including internal cheat detection, automated detections, and third party solutions. Our ongoing work against teaming has continued to have a positive impact on bad behaviour, primarily in Ranked.
We’ve also ramped up efforts combating bot activity performed by automating certain devices, and a decrease in nefarious bot activity should already be noticeable in your matches by the time you read this. This population may be small, but their actions can still disrupt your time in the Outlands and we’re continuing to target actions against these players to ensure that every match is worthwhile.
There’ve also been a plethora of improvements that we’re looking to actively update ranging from bug/exploit fixes to hardening existing prevention measures; we hope to share more on these in the future. Finally, we wanted to thank you for the feedback on our mid-season addition of Report Action Feedback. Please continue to submit in-game reports as they do work both in identifying cheaters and the impact they’re having in your matches.
AUDIOAs part of our ongoing efforts to improve audio reliability, we have implemented a system that will allow us to improve how we diagnose audio issues for our PC players. We will now look out for common symptoms of audio issues (ex. footstep audio events being dropped excessively) throughout your matches.
When we detect an abnormally large amount of these situations with in-game audio, we will occasionally offer you the option of uploading a detailed report containing everything our audio engine did throughout the course of your match. Since the scope of this diagnostic information is limited to our audio systems, the uploaded data is completely anonymous; the recording is purely game related audio, and does not contain voice chat nor any information that can be tracked back to you.
MATCHMAKINGThis season, we’re tackling matchmaking quality through region population management, leveraging skill values in Ranked, and by increasing queue wait times for high-skilled lobbies.
Population management comes in the form of a system improvement that allows auto-merging of players into higher population regions to expand the pool of available players for closer skill matchmaking. Since the available pool on each platform, in each region, and at any time of day can vary quite a bit, we are testing ways to get those players together without sacrificing too much latency. The next two major changes this season focus on matchmaking quality in Ranked.
The first change is how players are reset each season: initial Rank and tier placement is based on the player’s tracked skill value and not how much RP they had at the end of the season. This will group like-skilled players together, even if they haven’t played in a while. Players new to Ranked will receive their initial placement based on their performance in Apex so far.
The second change is part of our seasonal tuning for matchmaking which this time around means asking our Platinum, Diamond, and Masters (including Predator) players to wait a bit longer while we try to find them opponents that are closer to their RP value. Skill and RP aren’t the same thing, but they are closer than they have been in the past.
LTM: ARENASArenas returns at the start of the season to test your skill and cunning in a round-based 3v3 Deathmatch. Experience the classic mode with the latest weapons and Legends. Prepare a loadout at the start of each round, fight your opponents in intense squad battles, and learn your opponents’ weaknesses to prevail. On May 20th prepare yourself for a refresh that puts the focus on firepower over heals, trying out new weapons, getting around the maps in exciting new ways, and boosting those Care Packages. Be sure to come back half way through the season to check out our 1v1 variant—“Arenas: Duels.” Welcome back to Arenas, Legends.
read the rest of the patch notes here:
https://www.ea.com/games/apex-legends/apex-legends/news/prodigy-patch-notes
