I would like to provide feedback regarding the new legend, Axle. His introduction has created more negative gameplay experiences overall, and I strongly hope Respawn considers a hotfix nerf for him.
There are several reasons for this. I’ll highlight a few key points:
First, Axle is the first legend whose tactical ability (Q) can directly accelerate teammates and help them push or reposition quickly. Prior to this, similar mobility-enhancing abilities—such as those from Ash, Octane, Pathfinder, or Valkyrie—were typically tied to ultimate abilities rather than tactical ones. This makes Axle’s Q disproportionately impactful given its availability.
Second, the Nitro Gates created by Axle can only be removed by dealing damage to them. However, since enemy Nitro Gates have no negative effects on opposing players and instead provide a movement speed boost, there is almost no incentive to destroy them during fights or rotations. As a result, they often remain on the map, leading to an excessive number of Nitro Gates scattered everywhere and legends constantly moving at extremely high speeds.
Third, building on the previous point, the speed provided by Nitro Gates is simply too high. In Apex Legends, most movement abilities previously allowed players to track targets without needing to adjust their mouse sensitivity. However, Nitro Gates disrupt this balance, making it extremely difficult—especially for mouse-and-keyboard players—to track enemies effectively. This issue is further amplified by the game’s already complex audio system, making it very hard to identify where enemies are approaching from when they use Nitro Gates.
Movement speed is a critical factor in any FPS game, and I hope Respawn treats any changes to it—now and in the future—with great caution. Based on the feedback I’ve gathered so far, many players share strong concerns specifically about Axle’s tactical ability, the Nitro Gate.
I would suggest considering the following adjustments to Axle’s Q ability:
1. Reduce its duration, or introduce a timer so Nitro Gates disappear after a certain period, or limit the number of uses (e.g., each gate disappears after being used once).
2. Reduce the acceleration or overall speed boost provided by Nitro Gates.
3. Prevent downed players from using Nitro Gates.
As Apex players, we genuinely want to see the game continue to grow and improve. We appreciate the developers creating unique and interesting legends to attract more players. However, we hope Respawn takes this feedback seriously and makes timely adjustments to improve the overall gameplay experience.