After two Apex Legends pros were hacked mid-tournament, Respawn rolls out the "first of a layered series of updates" designed to protect players

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There's no update on when the tournament finals might resume

Apex Legends
(Image credit: Respawn/EA)

Apex Legends' developers have deployed the "first of a layered series of updates" designed to protect players from hacks after two professional players fell victim to foul play mid-tournament over the past weekend.

Last week saw the Apex Legends regional finals take place, but things didn't go as planned for the North American group. Two pro players were hacked mid-game, with one being given an aimbot and the other the ability to see players through walls and terrain. The match was swiftly abandoned, and a voluntary cheat watchdog warned other Apex Legends players off playing other EA games.

Now, developer Respawn Entertainment has finally responded. In the statement below, the developer writes that player security is its highest priority, so the tournament was immediately paused over the past weekend. Respawn has now deployed the "first of a layered series of updates" designed to "create a secure experience for everyone."

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"We are working. The team on this is some of the most talented I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with," added Respawn security developer Conor Ford on Twitter. "All I can say is that the care and love shown from parties involved makes me thankful for the co-workers and devs on this game."

The official Apex Legends eSports body has also responded to the Respawn statement. "We are still actively working with our partners at EA and Respawn and remain committed to ensuring the security and competitive integrity of Apex Legends tournaments," the organization says on Twitter.

"At this time, we do not anticipate any changes to the Split 1 Playoffs. We will have more information to share on the Challenger Circuit and the NA Regional Finals soon. We appreciate your patience," the body concludes. Right now at least, there aren't any official scheduled Apex Legends eSports events yet to come - the Regional Finals were the culmination of the Year 4 Pro League.

At the time of writing, there hasn't been any update from the voluntary cheat watchdog to recommend Apex Legends players return to the game or steer clear of other EA-developed games. Nothing has changed on the Easy Anti-Cheat front, at least - EAC said at the time of the hack that there were no vulnerabilities with its software, and it hasn't changed that stance since.

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Hirun Cryer
Hirun Cryer
Freelance Writer

Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.