If you’re downloading Apex Legends for the first time or weighing whether to pick it up for group game nights, one of the first questions you might search is does apex legends have multiplayer. Respawn Entertainment’s popular battle royale was built from the ground up for social play, but the range of available multiplayer modes might surprise you if you only know it for its 60-person lobbies. We’re covering every available mode, crossplay rules, squad limits, and even common pitfalls to avoid when queueing with friends below.
Does Apex Legends Have Multiplayer Modes for Every Playstyle?
The short answer is yes, nearly every part of Apex Legends is built for multiplayer, and there is no dedicated single-player campaign available at time of writing. You will always play with or against real human players, even if you queue solo for casual matches. The game offers a mix of permanent, rotating, and limited-time modes to fit every preference, from slow, strategic matches to fast, chaotic 10-minute brawls.
Permanent multiplayer modes available year-round include:
- Battle Royale Trios: The default core mode, with 20 squads of 3 players fighting to be the last team standing on rotating large-scale maps
- Battle Royale Duos: A more intimate take on BR, with 30 teams of 2 players competing for the coveted champion spot
- Team Deathmatch: 6v6 fast-paced combat on small, close-quarters maps, with the first team to hit 30 kills winning the round
- Control: 9v9 objective-based mode where teams fight to capture and hold three points on the map to earn points over a 15-minute match
- Gun Run: 3v3 skill-based mode where every kill upgrades your weapon, with the first player to get a kill with the final melee weapon winning for their entire team
You can also play ranked versions of both Battle Royale and the casual Mixtape modes if you want to test your skills against players of similar ability. Ranked mode has separate skill tiers for each mode, so you can climb the ladder in Battle Royale without worrying about your Team Deathmatch rank being affected. Even if you choose to queue without squad fill, you will still face off against 57 other real players in Battle Royale lobbies.
Crossplay Support for Apex Legends Multiplayer Sessions
Apex Legends offers full crossplay support across all supported platforms, including PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch. Crossplay is enabled by default, so you don’t have to adjust any settings to play with friends on other devices. All you need to do is add your friends to your EA friends list using their public EA ID, and you can invite them to your squad no matter what platform they play on.
Full cross-progression was rolled out in 2023, which means all your skins, rank progress, legend unlocks, and in-game currency carry over across every platform you play on. That means you can play on your Switch when you’re traveling, then switch to your PC when you’re at home without losing any of your progress. You can turn off crossplay in your settings if you only want to play against other players on the same platform as you, but that will significantly increase queue times, especially for less popular modes outside of peak play hours.
Most players don’t run into any issues when setting up Apex Legends multiplayer crossplay sessions, but there are a few common hiccups to watch for. If you play with a mix of controller and mouse-and-keyboard players, your lobbies will be matched to the highest input skill tier in your squad. So if you’re a controller player on console queuing with a mouse-and-keyboard PC friend, expect to face tougher, more accurate opponents than you would in a console-only lobby.
Tips for Smooth Multiplayer Sessions With Friends
If you’re new to Apex Legends multiplayer, stick to casual modes for your first 10 to 15 matches to learn the maps, characters, and gun mechanics before jumping into ranked play. It’s far less stressful to learn the ropes in a casual Team Deathmatch match than it is to get wiped by a pred tier squad in your first ranked Battle Royale game. Coordinate with your squad to pick legend characters that complement each other, like a support legend to heal the team and a recon legend to scan for enemy positions.
Make sure everyone has their EA accounts linked properly before queueing, as this is the number one cause of friend request errors and lobby invite issues. Double check that your friends have their privacy settings set to allow invites from friends, and restart your game if you don’t see an invite pop up. If you want to play only with your friend group and no random teammates, you can turn off squad fill in the mode selection menu before you queue.
You can also create private custom lobbies for free if you want to host a custom tournament, scrim, or casual game night with just your friend group. Private lobbies support up to 60 players for Battle Royale, and you can adjust settings like circle speed, loot rarity, and respawn rules to make the match more fun for your group. I’ve hosted several private lobby tournaments for my friend group in the past, and they’re always a huge hit even for players who are brand new to the game.
Common Multiplayer Limitations and What to Watch For
As fun as Apex Legends multiplayer is, it’s not perfect, and there are a few limitations you should be aware of before you download the game. There is no offline single-player mode at all, so you can’t play the game if you don’t have a stable internet connection. Even practice modes require an internet connection to access, so it’s not a good pick if you’re looking for a game you can play on long trips without Wi-Fi.
Another small frustration with Apex Legends multiplayer is that some limited time modes require specific squad sizes, so you may have to split up your group if you want to play a rotating 2v2 or 1v1 mode. These modes only stay in the game for a few weeks at a time, so it’s a temporary issue, but it’s something to keep in mind if you’re planning a game night with a large group. Competitive ranked modes also have squad size limits, so you can only queue for ranked Battle Royale with a maximum of two other friends.
Like most competitive online games, Apex Legends occasionally has issues with toxic random teammates. If you get paired with a player who is yelling, insulting your team, or intentionally throwing the game, you can mute them immediately and report them after the match. Respawn is pretty strict about punishing toxic players, so reports do lead to temporary or permanent bans for repeated offenders. You can also avoid randoms entirely by queuing with a full pre-made squad of friends.
At the end of the day, the answer to does apex legends have multiplayer is a resounding yes, and it’s easily one of the best parts of the game. Whether you prefer slow, strategic battle royale matches or fast, chaotic team deathmatch rounds, there’s a multiplayer mode for every type of player. The crossplay support, regular mode updates, and low barrier to entry make it a perfect pick for group game nights, even if some of your friends are brand new to the genre. Next time you’re looking for a game to play with your crew, give Apex Legends a spin – you might just find your new go-to multiplayer experience.