Respawn Entertainment is taking another swing at Apex Legends matchmaking, and one of the biggest talking points from its latest update is the continued use of bots in some unranked lobbies. Apex Legends is built around fast movement, gun skill, and brutal third parties. So understandably, the word “bots” will always raise eyebrows. However, Respawn is assuring players that bots are not coming to Ranked.
The new matchmaking update focuses on several long-running player complaints, including long queue times, uneven lobby skill, sweaty matches, poor teammate quality, and the disadvantage solo players often face against premade squads. Respawn said these five pain points are now guiding its matchmaking work across both Ranked and Unranked modes.
Apex Legends Bots Are Being Tested in Lower-Skill Unranked Lobbies
According to Respawn, bots have been tested in lower-skill unranked lobbies for Duos and Public Trios. The goal is not to replace real players across the entire game, but to help the matchmaker create fairer games when the player pool is limited or when filling a lobby would otherwise force lower-skill players into matches against much stronger opponents.
Respawn says the test showed positive results in lower-skill matches, especially during off-hours. In those situations, a small number of bots can help reduce extreme skill mismatches and allow newer or lower-skill players to get into more reasonable games without waiting forever in the queue. Respawn has previously explained that bots are being used in lower-skill Unranked Trios to stop those players from having to “look up” into higher-skill buckets just to fill a lobby.
Respawn says bots only work in lobbies where they can meaningfully participate. Outside new-player or lower-skill environments, the studio admits bots struggle to keep up and can make the match experience worse.
Ranked Will Not Have Bots
The most important detail for competitive players is simple: Apex Legends Ranked is safe for now.
Respawn directly stated that there are no plans to add bots to Ranked. The reasoning is pretty straightforward. Ranked is supposed to measure skill between human players, and adding AI opponents would clash with the competitive vision of Apex. Respawn has also said in previous matchmaking discussions that bots do not fit in Ranked because competitive Apex is about determining the most skilled human players.
The bot test is part of a much bigger matchmaking push. Respawn says players have been consistently frustrated by matches that feel too sweaty, lobbies with wide skill gaps, and situations where casual players are thrown into games against veterans.
It is also tied to Apex’s onboarding problem. Apex Legends is not an easy game to learn in 2026. Between movement tech, legend abilities, rotations, armor swaps, and experienced players who have been grinding for years, new players can get deleted before they understand what happened. Respawn sees bots as one way to make the early experience less punishing.
Respawn Is Also Changing Queue Times and Ranked Matchmaking
Bots are only one part of the latest matchmaking update. Respawn also increased the matchmaking search window from 30 seconds to 60 seconds before the system starts loosening skill restrictions. The studio says this led to better match quality and fewer skill mismatches without significantly increasing queue times, and the change was implemented globally on May 7, 2026.
Ranked is also getting major attention. Later in Season 29, players in Diamond and above will be placed into a solo-queue-only Ranked test, meaning they will not be able to squad up as a premade during that period. Respawn says this is meant to address the long-running imbalance between solo players and coordinated three-stacks at higher ranks.
Respawn has also moved Ranked map rotations from 24 hours to 4.5 hours after a successful test, giving players more map variety during normal play sessions. On top of that, Respawn is actively testing stricter Ranked premade limits, reducing squad-up range from two tiers to one tier in an effort to stop wide-rank squads from creating messy lobbies.
Apex Legends Matchmaking Is Clearly Still a Work in Progress
The latest update shows that Respawn knows Apex Legends matchmaking remains one of the biggest pain points in the game. The studio is trying to balance fast queues, fair lobbies, solo player experience, teammate quality, and match intensity. That is not an easy system to fix, especially in a live service battle royale with multiple skill brackets, regions, modes, and party sizes.
Bots in unranked lobbies may end up being helpful for new and lower-skill players, but Respawn will need to be careful. If players feel like public matches are becoming artificial, the backlash could be loud. But if bots stay limited to the right lobbies and help protect newer players from getting farmed, the change could make Apex healthier in the long run.
