Apex Legends dev responds to request for controller remapping on console

Being able to remap buttons is important in any FPS shooter, particularly if you have a certain layout you prefer to use. However, for those playing Apex Legends on console this can be a frustrating issue. 

Apex Legends’ Season 10 update is well underway and many players are currently enjoying all the new content. While Respawn continuously looks for ways to improve the performance of its popular BR title, there are still a few issues that mainly impact the console crowd.

One of the biggest complaints among players is the lack of customizable controller options. In fact, PC is the only system that gives complete freedom when it comes to remapping buttons for specific roles. This can obviously lead to some rather annoying problems on console, especially when the same button is used for multiple inputs. 

Apex Legends controller remapping

“The limitations around controller buttons are definitely frustrating,” says Respawn’s RobotHavGunz. “There’s never a perfect way to map 16 buttons to the nearly infinite options offered by MKB. We try not to have options for everything, because that introduces UX issues of its own, but in some cases where it’s clearly interfering with utility, I think it’s warranted.”

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One of the most common controller problems comes from when players need to revive a teammate, only to end up opening a nearby door instead. Downed teammates can also interfere with the reloading of guns, making for some particularly aggravating deaths. 

“I’m a console player myself, and I can say we’re definitely aware of many of the common controller button frustrations,” said RobotHavGunz. “It’s a constant debate between interfering with learned behavior and working to tune usability.”

Unlike keyboard and mouse, controllers have very limited options when it comes to customization. These constraints aren’t always a bad thing as they do help with creating muscle memory, but there obviously times where remapping buttons would alleviate a lot of issues.

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“Core interactions in terms of controller functionality are not something we take lightly,” explained RobotHavGunz. “We tread very, very carefully, since a lot of players have muscle memory built up over thousands of hours that we don’t want to mess up. That’s not to say we won’t change anything out of a fear of upsetting the status quo, just that it’s a pretty high bar to clear.”

Whether Respawn will allow console players to completely remap their controller inputs in the future remains to be seen, but for now, you’ll need to take extra care when reviving near a door or reloading next to a downed allied player.