Apex Legends dev hints at third-person mode return with future changes

Calum Patterson
Lifeline running across grass in Apex Legends third person mode

Third-person mode has come and gone in Apex Legends, as the Grand Soirée Arcade keeps moving. But, there’s a chance it could come back, and Respawn has explained some tweaks they will make if so.

Limited-time modes (LTMs) have been rotated for two-day slots throughout the event. Among them are Kings Canyon Night, Gold Rush duos and some kind of mode involving dummies (we’re not quite sure how this one will work yet).

The most anticipated though was probably the Third-Person Mode, which put a completely new spin on the otherwise always first-person battle royale.

Third person mode in apex legends
Third-person mode was a hit with players – but is it coming back?

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In fact, it was new territory for Respawn generally, whose other shooter games, Titanfall and Titanfall 2, have also been exclusively first-person. Much of the team also previously developed Call of Duty games, another first-person shooter.

With Apex Legends though, there is some more creative freedom with the LTMs, and the developers have been making the most of it. Third-person was a hit with fans, who have already been calling for it to be made a permanent option.

Changes coming to 3rd person in Apex Legends

However, it’s not without its issues. Because Apex was only designed with first-person in mind, there are some instances where the mechanics don’t quite work. One example, given by Reddit user u/XtraDmg, is when Pathfinder is crouched, the crosshair for aiming is obstructed by its arm.

Pathfinder in Apex Legends croaching behind green bush
The player couldn’t see where they were aiming in third-person mode, due to Pathfinder’s character model.

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Acknowledging the problem, and others which have been raised by players, Respawn developer Rayme Vinson gave some insight.

“Yeah, totally fair. If we ever bring [third-person mode] back it’ll have a lot of this jank cleared out first,” he responded on Reddit.

Players were overjoyed to know this popular LTM could potentially come back at all, with some immediately asking for it to be a mainstay. “Please make it a permanent feature, where players can choose their favorite playstyle,” another fan requested.

It sounds like Respawn have more plans for third-person mode.

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This isn’t the only issue that Respawn plan to fix if they bring third-person back though. Another fairly major bug would completely ruin players’ aim, if shooting near Caustic’s gas.

Rayme also confirmed that this too would be fixed, if third-person “comes around again.” Unfortunately, there’s no indication of when that could be, but there’s every chance it makes a comeback in Season 4.

The new season is only a matter of weeks away, set to start on February 4, Apex Legends’ one-year anniversary.

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About The Author

Calum is Dexerto's Managing Editor, based in Scotland. Joining Dexerto in 2017, Calum has years of experience covering esports, gaming and online entertainment, and now leads the team to deliver the best coverage in these areas. An expert on all things Twitch and gaming influencers, he's also an expert in popular shooters like Apex Legends, CS2 and Call of Duty. You can contact Calum at calum.patterson@dexerto.com.