Respawn returns tap strafing to Apex Legends, quelling player fears

For several minutes of unbridled terror, there was little to no tap strafing in Apex Legends. No 180s. No dancing around controller players. No movement compilation videos set to soothing music. Nothing.

Amidst the cries against the change, Respawn acted quickly, and Apex players should now be able to tap strafe to their hearts’ content in the game once again.

The trouble began when without warning, tap strafing seemed to be nerfed, or removed from the game entirely, or was completely unaffected, depending on your game and server status. For some reason, the ability to tap strafe was indeed removed completely for some, while others could still tap strafe in 90-degree turns, and still others remained able to tap strafe just like they once were.

Many players assumed it was an intentional nerf to tap strafing and were quick to register their displeasure with Respawn for making the decision to take the movement technique out of the game without making so much as an announcement about it. Respawn, however, was just as quick to respond, telling players that it was looking to “sort this one out.”

Following such a quick fix to the issue, it appears that the “shadow nerf” really was just a bug, as several people guessed due to the inconsistent nature of the changes to tap strafing. All told, the game went only a couple of hours without the movement tech.

While the devs have previously talked about removing tap strafing from Apex, they have yet to do so, despite the change seeming close at times. Given how quickly Repawn was to fix the issue with tap strafing, it appears that it sees the value of it for the game, or at least how it aids in making the game’s movement some of the most fluid in the battle royale and first-person shooter genres.