Precision Tuning: Apex Legends Releases New August 2025 Update

Following the launch of Season 26: Showdown, Respawn Entertainment is continuing its commitment to a balanced and competitive meta with a new update for Apex Legends. This latest patch, released on August 25, 2025, introduces a series of targeted nerfs to the new RE-45 Elite and makes significant adjustments to the spawn rate of EVO Harvesters. The update, while not as expansive as a mid-season patch, is a clear indication that the development team is closely monitoring the game’s balance and is ready to make swift changes to address community concerns.

The new update is a direct response to feedback from players who found the RE-45 Elite, a new variant of the popular pistol that fires a three-round burst, to be overpowered. While the gun was an exciting addition to the game’s new “Elite Weapons” system, its effectiveness at close range was seen as an unfair advantage, leading to it becoming a must-have item in many competitive loadouts.

The RE-45 Elite Nerf: What’s Changing?

The RE-45 Elite, introduced at the start of Season 26, swaps its light ammo for energy ammo and features a spin-up mechanic similar to the Havoc. The gun quickly became a fan favorite, but its high damage output and fast firing rate made it a dominant force on the battlefield. To address this, Respawn has implemented several key nerfs:

• Magazine Size Reduction: The base and all tiers of the RE-45 Elite’s magazine size have been reduced by 3. This seemingly small change will have a significant impact on its sustained damage, forcing players to reload more often and reducing its overall effectiveness in extended gunfights.
• Increased Recoil: Both the horizontal and vertical recoil of the pistol have been increased. This change makes the weapon harder to control, requiring a higher level of skill to land consecutive shots and rewarding players with better aim control.
• Reduced Projectile Size: The projectile size of the RE-45 Elite has been reduced to match other pistols. This change is subtle but crucial, as it makes the hitboxes of the bullets smaller, ensuring that shots must be more accurate to connect.

These changes aim to bring the RE-45 Elite in line with other close-range weapons and restore balance to the weapon meta. This quick turnaround from Respawn demonstrates their commitment to a healthy, competitive environment.

EVO Harvester Adjustments

In addition to the weapon changes, the update also includes important adjustments to the spawn rate of EVO Harvesters on all maps. These harvesters, which provide players with a significant amount of EVO, have been a key part of the Season 26 meta.

• Increased Spawn Rate: The spawn rate of EVO Harvesters has been increased from an average of ~7 per map to ~10 per map. This change makes it easier for squads to find and level up their EVO Shields.
• Reduced Clustered Spawns: Respawn has reduced the likelihood of multiple Harvesters spawning in a single Point of Interest (POI). This change encourages players to spread out and explore the map, rather than congregating in a single area to farm EVO.

These changes will create a more balanced and distributed approach to EVO progression, which is a major pillar of Apex Legends‘ gameplay.

Looking Ahead: The Ongoing Evolution of Apex Legends

This August 25 update, along with a previous bug fix update on August 13 that addressed issues with Caustic and other Legends, shows that Respawn is proactively managing the game in real-time. This is a crucial strategy for a live-service game, as it keeps the meta fresh and ensures that players don’t have to wait for months for a fix to a broken or overpowered element.

As Season 26 continues, players can expect more tweaks and changes as the developers continue to refine the new “Elite Weapons” system, the “Wildcard” game mode, and the various Legend balance adjustments that were introduced at the start of the season. The latest patch for Apex Legends may be small, but it’s a powerful statement about the game’s ongoing health and the developers’ dedication to its passionate community.