Respawn Entertainment fires back at fans angered by Iron Crown event

Apex Legends fans are mad at Respawn Entertainment.

The studio is facing severe backlash from the Apex community after one developer took part in a heated discussion on Reddit. Responding to backlash over the Iron Crown event, a verified Respawn team member posting under the name DKO5 seemed to lose his cool and made comments that reflected his frustration.

At one point during the discourse, he jokingly referred to many of the community as “freeloaders”, stating that most Apex players don’t actually spend any money on the game. Though he was attempting to explain why there needed to be monetization in place, the phrasing rubbed some the wrong way.

In another comment, DKO5 mused about the days when gamers weren’t “ass-hats” to developers, adding that he refused to engage with “temper tantrums.” One poster in particular was even singled out, with DKO5 stating “I’ve found the dick I was talking about.”

Apex Legends Iron Crown controversy 

While Apex Legends’ Iron Crown event was well received for bringing solo mode and some key balance changes, many fans took issue with Respawn’s relative stinginess with new cosmetics. Completionists griped regarding the exorbitant sum required to unlock all of the new skins, and how they were hidden within luck-based loot boxes designed to force players to hand over cash.

In response, Respawn issued an apology on Reddit and promised to update the game. For the last week of the event, players will be able to purchase individual skins for $20 worth of in-game currency. That did little to soothe the disgruntled fans.

Like many other game developers, Respawn has an increasingly sour relationship with players. For years, industry workers have been subjected to everything from standard internet toxicity to threats of violence. Respawn has tried to combat this by being as transparent with fans as possible, but that friendliness has opened the door for even more hostility.

The non-stop aggression doesn’t always roll off developers’ back, something Respawn community manager Jay “Jayfresh” Frechette discussed while interacting in the same thread. In his comment, he questioned why developers could be subject to personal attacks and insults, but weren’t able to defend themselves in the same way without being called immature.

No official apology has been made regarding the comments and it’s unclear if one can be expected. The Iron Crown event concludes on August 27.