Apex Legends PS5 and Xbox Series X update launches without key next-gen features

A player in Apex Legends PS5 and Xbox Series X version

(Image credit: EA)

The next-gen update for Apex Legends is being rolled out today (March 29), launching the native PS5 and Xbox Series X version of Respawn’s battle royale shooter. While the patch introduces several new features, it’s left many fans disappointed for overlooking several key features of the next-gen hardware.

The update, which goes live on March 29, will let you play Apex Legends at 4K resolutions with HDR at 60 fps. It also adds higher resolution shadows and a greater level of detail to distances, meaning more objects on the screen will be rendered at a higher quality.

However, several features that can only be achieved on next-gen hardware aren’t included in the update, and will be rolled out in future patches, according to an official blog post.

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Support for 120 fps will be introduced down the line, which means players who want to take advantage of their 120hz TVs or monitors for buttery smooth gameplay will have to wait. Similarly, support for the DualSense’s adaptive triggers and haptic feedback will be coming later.

Players fighting across an Apex Legends map — (Image credit: Respawn Entertainment)

Unspecified “visual improvements” and the equally vague “audio improvements” will also be introduced in future updates. There’s nothing to suggest when these additional patches will release or how they’ll be staggered.

Xbox Series S users, however, won’t be able to enjoy all the new features. The console’s limited hardware will only support 60 fps and HDR, meaning you’ll need to grab an Xbox Series X to take full advantage of Apex Legends’ new options.

Players have been waiting a long time for the next-gen version of Apex Legends to launch. The meager offerings here, which don’t take full advantage of the PS5 and Xbox Series X’s powerful hardware, are likely to leave many fans underwhelmed. Until the full slate of features rolls out, there won’t be a huge difference between playing the game on next-gen consoles compared to the PS4 or Xbox One, which already run at a fairly reliable 60 fps.

This update launches alongside the Warriors Collection event, a two-week event that reintroduces the 9 vs. 9 game mode Control alongside changes to the Caustic Treatment area on King's Canyon, adds a new Arena map called Drop-Off, and introduces 24 new limited-time cosmetic items. Lots to dig into.

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Callum is TechRadar Gaming’s News Writer. You’ll find him whipping up stories about all the latest happenings in the gaming world, as well as penning the odd feature and review. Before coming to TechRadar, he wrote freelance for various sites, including Clash, The Telegraph, and Gamesindustry.biz, and worked as a Staff Writer at Wargamer. Strategy games and RPGs are his bread and butter, but he’ll eat anything that spins a captivating narrative. He also loves tabletop games, and will happily chew your ear off about TTRPGs and board games.