Apex Legends players & pros alike outraged as Respawn remove tap strafing entirely

Respawn are removing one of Apex Legends’ most popular movement tricks, tap strafing, in an upcoming patch. However, the decision has been universally condemned by pros and casuals alike, including ImperialHal, Albralelie, iiTzTimmy, Rogue, and more.

Tap strafing opened up a world of possibilities for Apex Legends players. Basically, it allowed players to redirect their momentum mid-air, cutting around corners quickly and bamboozling your foes.

Combined with Pathfinder grapples and Octane pads, and you could completely break ankles.

However, Respawn is nipping the tap strafe tech in the bud; in the upcoming Apex Legends 10.1 patch, tap strafing will be removed.

“Our reasoning: It’s inaccessible, lacks readability [and] counterplay, and is exacerbated by movement abilities. The next patch notes will include a more detailed note about this,” the developers said on Twitter.

However, just as soon as it was announced, Respawn faced a huge wave of criticism from pros and casuals alike.

“Actually [the] sh*ttiest decision ever made,” Twitch star Christian ‘Nokokopuffs’ Feliciano said.

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“What a f**ked up day,” fellow streamer Timmy ‘iiTzTimmy’ An added.

Timmy, who is known for his incredible aim and movement tech, posted a montage of his best plays on his Twitter with the tag #SaveTapStrafing, which has since gone viral in the Apex community.

With tap strafing being a PC-only tech, players have called on Respawn to balance out the tap strafe change with a nerf to aim assist.

“Mouse and keyboard is really losing the battle with controller. We have had the ability to outplay taken away from us, against another keyboard player, against a close range controller player,” former pro Tanner ‘Rogue’ Trebb said.

“Hey guys I think this thing called aim assist lacks accessibility to PC players, lacks large counterplay as it has up to 60% of aimbot, and is exacerbated by using certain weapons. It is very readable but we should look into also changing this,” streamer BirnoOCE said.

“Another skilled mechanic removed from the game again to favor the casuals. Why am I not surprised,” TSM pro Phillip ‘ImperialHal’ Dosen said.

The tap strafe nerfs comes after developers reined in mechanics like bunnyhop healing. With limited movement tech left in the game ⁠— outside of the basic pads and grapples ⁠⁠— some players have floated jumping to other popular titles.

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“Welp, what little fun movement outside of a pathfinder grapple we had left is gone. May as well just play Tarkov, Warzone, or Splitgate,” Mac ‘Albralelie’ Beckwith said.

“Really didn’t think you guys would do it especially after how much flak you got for removing bhop healing.”

“Movement is a very important element in Apex, please don’t remove it,” popular VTuber ‘ShibuyaHAL’ said.

“Probably the worst decision you guys have made in some time, completely killing the little bit of movement skill that remained within the game,” SCARZ Europe pro Dan ‘rpr’ Ušić added.

With the community fighting against tap strafing’s removal, there’s a possibility Respawn has a change of heart on the issue.

If not though, the movement tech will be disappearing in just a matter of days.