Respawn Entertainment has activated a matchmaking test in Apex Legends that increases maximum queue times for Plat+ players. Apex Legends is Respawn’s free-to-play battle royale, and Plat+ is the ranked bracket that covers Platinum and every tier above it. The developer announced the test on October 9, 2026 in a Steam community post titled “Apex Legends: Latest Update – 10/09/2026.” The change applies on all platforms and in all regions, and Respawn labeled the change a test in the announcement.
How the Queue Time Increase Scales by Rank Tier
The queue time increase scales with Rank tier, so each higher tier receives a longer increase than the tier below it. Masters players could expect a maximum increase of approximately 30 seconds. The increase is a maximum, so actual waits can still fall below that ceiling. The developer did not specify the exact increase for tiers below Masters, nor did it say how many tiers the test covers. Respawn did not attach a date for when it will publish results from the test.
Why the Matchmaker Waits Longer
Respawn activated the test to produce tighter skill bands in high-skill matches, which pair players against opponents closer to their own rank. The second stated goal is less spill-over of high-rank players into mid-rank matches. To reach those outcomes, the matchmaker now spends more time prioritizing the tightest possible lobbies before it expands the search. A longer queue window gives the system more time to group players at closer skill levels before accepting a wider range of participants.
Duration, Feedback, and Recent Matchmaking Changes
The test will run until the end of the current Apex Legends season, or until Respawn has collected enough data, and the developer did not attach a specific calendar end date. Respawn asks players to keep sending feedback on whether they are experiencing tighter matchmaking.
The matchmaking test follows other recent changes to how Apex Legends assembles its lobbies. Apex Legends also started a separate cross-play matchmaking test on US-West servers earlier in the week, and the two changes arrived within days of each other. When EA Javelin Anticheat went live in Apex Legends, Respawn flagged matchmaking issues around that time.
