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Respawn Entertainment has announced a significant transition for Apex Legends, migrating its game servers to Amazon GameLift on AWS. This strategic shift aims to enhance the gaming experience by addressing critical factors such as ping times and lag, with a goal of minimizing disputes over gameplay experiences.
As part of a long-term commitment to improve the technology behind Apex Legends, Electronic Arts’ Respawn has officially moved its server operations to Amazon’s robust infrastructure. This collaboration is expected to grant Respawn greater flexibility in tackling region-specific issues, ultimately leading to a more reliable and consistent gaming experience for players worldwide.
It is important to recognize that each player’s online experience may vary; therefore, the impact of this migration will differ among users. Nevertheless, the new setup equips Respawn with enhanced tools to identify and rectify specific obstacles within the gaming network.
Early indications suggest that this transition has already made a positive impact. Respawn has reported a decrease in game server performance issues, including rubber banding and inaccuracies with hit detection. Although these problems affected a minor segment of overall matches, the reduction signifies meaningful progress toward improving gameplay.
In appreciation of the player community during this transition, Respawn has planned special in-game events. From April 17 to April 24, players can enjoy 1.5 times experience points (XP) from all sources and double XP when playing in parties. Additionally, from April 18 to April 20, players will receive Double Battle Pass Stars for completing weekly challenges.
Reason for the Migration
Apex Legends made its debut in 2019, quickly establishing itself as a favorite within the gaming community.
In a statement, Apex Legends principal technical director Rob LaCruise elaborated on the capabilities of Amazon GameLift on AWS compared to previous technologies. He indicated that the decision to switch was based on a belief that AWS provided superior player-facing performance when compared to other options. Furthermore, many first-person shooter (FPS) games utilize AWS services, which further strengthens the rationale for this migration.
Concerning server performance issues, LaCruise explained that factors such as packet loss and latency can heavily influence player experience, sometimes resulting in frustrating lag behavior like rubber banding. With the resources available through AWS, Respawn aims to systematically address these complications to enhance overall gameplay satisfaction.
LaCruise mentioned that the transition was meticulously planned for several months to ensure a smooth execution, allowing the team to migrate all players within just 10 days. He expressed optimism about the direct benefits players will see moving forward.
“We can now leverage AWS’s global infrastructure for continuous optimization of server and network performance,” LaCruise stated. “This new platform offers us more options and flexibility, enhancing our ability to serve the player community.”
Source
venturebeat.com