Apex Legends testing slows that scale with player speed

Respawn Entertainment is reportedly testing a system in Apex Legends that scales movement slow effects based on a player’s current speed, according to insider HYPERMYST. The proposed mechanic would apply larger slow penalties to players who are moving at higher velocities and smaller penalties to those walking or running.

Under the concept, slow strength would be tied to a player’s velocity rather than using a single fixed value for all affected players. Players sprinting or using mobility abilities would receive a greater reduction to their movement speed when hit by slowing attacks, while players at normal movement pace would see a milder slowdown.

The feature is described as an experimental change and has not been deployed to live servers. Respawn has not provided a timeline or official confirmation, and the studio could decide not to implement the system after testing.

Developers have previously raised concerns that current slow effects affect a wide range of Legends. The reported scaling aims to concentrate penalties on Legends that reach unusually high speeds, making slows a more direct counter to mobility-heavy playstyles without applying the same penalty to all players.

In practice, a Legend using a dash, sprint burst or similar mobility tool to reposition quickly would be slowed more strongly if struck, while a player simply running or walking would experience a smaller reduction. Supporters of the idea say it could balance interactions between slow abilities and fast-moving characters.

Respawn has emphasized that movement should remain a core element of Apex Legends. Any change would require tuning to avoid weakening mobility across the board while preserving intended ability interactions.

Because the concept is still experimental, details may change during testing and no launch date has been set.