If you’ve ever queued up with three of your best Apex Legends buddies and stared at the lobby screen wondering why you can’t all join the same squad, you’ve probably asked does Apex Legends have quads as a permanent game mode. I’ve been there too, after dragging three friends into downloading the game for the first time, only to realize we had to split into two separate trios or drop into random fill lobbies to play together. I once spent 20 minutes trying to figure out a workaround to get four of us in the same lobby before I realized quads were only available during events back then. In this guide, we’ll break down exactly what quad modes exist in Apex, how you can access them when they’re available, and tips for making the most of 4-person squad play when you get the chance.
Does Apex Legends Have Quads as a Permanent Play Mode?
The short answer is no, quads are not available as a permanent game mode in Apex Legends as of the latest game update. The permanent rotation only includes solos (on occasion), duos, trios, ranked duos, ranked trios, and mixtape modes for casual 3v3 play. You won’t see quads sitting in the main mode select menu 365 days a year, no matter what platform you play on.
That doesn’t mean you can never play quads, though. Respawn Entertainment regularly adds 4-person quad lobbies as a limited-time mode tied to in-game events. I’ve noticed quads almost always make an appearance during the annual Anniversary Event, plus mid-season summer events and holiday events like the Holo-Day Bash, usually running for 1 to 3 weeks at a time. The most recent quad run lasted for three weeks during the 2024 Anniversary Event, and had some of the highest casual mode engagement numbers of any limited-time mode that year.
Respawn has also run unannounced quad test weekends a handful of times to gather player feedback on potential permanent implementation. These tests are usually only advertised a few days in advance on official Apex social media channels, so it’s worth checking the mode select menu every few weeks if you’re eager to play quads. You will not find quads in the permanent game mode rotation outside of limited-time event windows.
What to Expect From Apex Legends Quad Lobbies
If you’ve never played Apex quads before, you might assume it’s just standard trios with an extra teammate tacked on, but that’s not the case. Respawn adjusts multiple parts of the match structure to accommodate 4-person teams, so the mode feels distinct from both duos and trios. The core rules of battle royale still apply: you drop from the dropship, loot the map, fight other teams, and try to be the last squad standing, but there are key differences that change how you play.
Quad lobbies have 80 total players per match, compared to the standard 60 players in trios lobbies. That means 20 total squads per match, up from the 20 squads in trios, so you’ll run into other teams far more often, especially in the early game when most squads are still looting their drop POIs. The loot pool is also adjusted to support more players per team, so you’ll find more healing items, ammo, and common to rare attachments across the map, even in lower-tier loot zones.
Some of the most noticeable differences between quads and trios include:
- 20 total squads per match, for a total of 80 players in every lobby, leading to more frequent team fights
- Increased loot spawn rates for shield cells, syringes, and all ammo types to prevent teams from running out of supplies mid-fight
- Shorter ring closure times in the first two circles to push more teams into encounters faster and reduce slow looting phases
- Higher average kill counts per match, since there are 20 extra players to take down across the course of the game
Third partying is far more common in quads than it is in trios, simply because there are more teams on the map. You’ll want to avoid lingering around after a fight for too long, because there’s a very high chance another squad heard the gunfire and is already heading your way to clean up. Respawn rules for quads are identical to trios, so you can still collect teammate banners and use respawn beacons to bring them back if they get eliminated early.
Tips for Winning More Apex Legends Quad Matches
Winning quad matches takes a slightly different approach than winning trios, because you have an extra teammate to coordinate with and more teams to fight off. These tips come from hundreds of quad matches I’ve played with both friends and random fill teammates, and they’ve helped me cut my win time in half in the mode.
First, balance your team composition before you drop. You don’t need four offensive fraggers to win quads, in fact, that’s one of the easiest ways to get wiped early. You want a mix of roles: one support character (Lifeline, Newcastle, or Loba) to handle loot distribution and mid-fight heals, one recon character (Bloodhound, Seer, or Valkyrie) to scout enemy positions and track nearby teams, and two offensive characters (Wraith, Octane, or Bangalore) to lead pushes and take down enemies. Never run a team with no support or no recon character in quads, you’ll get out-looted and out-scouted by every other organized squad.
Second, split up your looting and assign roles as soon as you drop. Don’t have all four players looting the same small building, that wastes valuable time and leaves you completely vulnerable if another squad drops on the same POI. Assign one player to watch for incoming teams as soon as you land, one player to hunt for respawn beacons and shield batteries, and the other two to loot nearby buildings and mark high-tier loot for the rest of the team. This approach cuts your looting time in half and ensures you’re never caught off guard by an early push.
Third, always keep an eye out for third parties during every fight. It’s easy to get tunnel vision when you’re focused on taking down an enemy squad, but there’s almost always another team nearby waiting to jump in when both of you are low on heals and ammo. Always leave one player on overwatch during every team fight to watch for incoming third parties, it’s the easiest way to avoid getting wiped mid-engagement. If your overwatch player calls out another team nearby, finish off the remaining players of the squad you’re fighting as fast as possible, or fall back to a better position to take on the new threat.
If you’re playing with random fill teammates, use the in-game ping system aggressively. You don’t need voice chat to coordinate effectively if you’re pinging enemy positions, loot, and where you want to move next. Most random players will follow pings if you’re clear about what you want the team to do.
Will Quads Ever Be a Permanent Apex Legends Mode?
This is one of the most common questions in the Apex community right now, and Respawn has addressed it a few times in official developer streams and blog posts. The team says they regularly test quads during limited-time events to measure player engagement, queue times, and overall feedback across all skill levels and platforms. The biggest barrier to adding quads as a permanent mode right now is queue time health, especially for lower skill tier players and people who play during off-peak hours. Adding another permanent mode would split the player base even further, leading to longer wait times for duos, trios, and mixtape modes too.
Recent community polls show that nearly 60% of regular Apex players say they want permanent quads added to the game, but Respawn has said they won’t add the mode permanently until they’re sure it won’t hurt the overall experience for players who prefer smaller squad sizes. Respawn prioritizes game mode additions based on player engagement data, so playing limited-time quads when they run is the best way to show you want the mode permanently. The higher the engagement numbers are for limited-time quad runs, the more likely Respawn is to consider adding it to the permanent rotation.
Even if quads never become permanent, Respawn has confirmed they will keep running the mode as a limited-time option every few months for the foreseeable future. You won’t have to wait more than a couple of months on average to get a chance to play quads with your friends, as long as you keep an eye on the mode select menu during event windows.
At the end of the day, if you’ve been asking does Apex Legends have quads, the short answer is no, not permanently, but you can play the mode regularly during limited-time events throughout the year. It’s a chaotic, high-energy twist on standard Apex gameplay that’s perfect for playing with a big group of friends, and worth jumping into whenever it pops up in the mode rotation. Next time you see quads live in the lobby, grab three of your friends, put the tips we covered to use, and you’ll be racking up wins in no time.