Looks like Caustic might be the next Apex Legends character to be nerfed

Caustic
(Image credit: Respawn)

Apex Legends fans may have seen more of Caustic than usual since the release of Apex Legends Season 8, but don't worry – developer Respawn has noticed, too.

In a Reddit AMA held over the weekend, Respawn's Associate Live Balance Designer, John Larson, admitted that Caustic is now "undeniably strong" and said that the recent changes to Caustic gas which permits teammates to "play in gas with relatively no repercussions" had had a big impact on the game, giving Caustic "the highest win rate in matches that last longer than 20 minutes".

"Good question. I think ever since the change to gas allowed teammates to play in gas with relatively no repercussions, there was a lot of unrealized potential that was quickly tapped into within the past couple of months," Larson said, responding to a question about Caustic's current dominance. 

"Caustic is undeniably strong and has the highest win rate in matches that last longer than 20 minutes. Caustic plays a unique role as a defensive legend that can act offensively in certain scenarios, and we have to make sure we tweak him in a way that removes frustration without hurting how it feels to play as Caustic.

"Long story short, we hear the community feedback, as a player, I feel it's valid, the data backs up that he's strong, and he'll be getting some attention in the near future," Larson added.

The Apex Legends Nintendo Switch release date has been confirmed for March 9, complete with full cross-play compatibility and 30 free Battle Pass levels.

Apex Legends on the Switch will also launch with the latest season – Mayhem – which went live earlier this week, adding its 16th new Legend Fuse to the Apex Games, as well as a dramatically changed Kings Canyon map. Get an early look at it with the Apex Legends season 8 trailer

Apex Legends is celebrating its two-year anniversary with a special Collection Event, featuring a returning game mode and exclusive items. The event, which kicks off on February 9, was announced in a special video which shows off all the things we can expect to see from the anniversary celebration.

Hungry for more Apex Legends? Developer Respawn Entertainment recently introduced a free Black Lives Matter badge for your characters to wear.

Vikki Blake
Weekend Reporter, 12DOVE

Vikki Blake is 12DOVE's Weekend Reporter. Vikki works tirelessly to ensure that you have something to read on the days of the week beginning with 'S', and can also be found contributing to outlets including the BBC, Eurogamer, and GameIndustry.biz. Vikki also runs a weekly games column at NME, and can be frequently found talking about Destiny 2 and Silent Hill on Twitter.