Apex Legends players wanted to know, and after a few years, Respawn Entertainment listened. Season 16 marks the official introduction of the long-awaited Team Deathmatch mode, which will be available as a limited-time mode on the playlist.
In six-vs-six combat, Team Deathmatch pits two teams of three players, and the first team to win two rounds wins the match. Like in Control, players can't enter the mode with squads larger than three players, at least during its initial run.
Team Deathmatch's more limited team size means it's too small for stages such as Hammond Labs, Barometer, and Lava Siphon, which host Control. Instead, Team Deathmatch matches take place on maps created specifically for the now-defunct Arenas mode, with Habitat-4, Skull Town, and Party Crasher in rotation for Season 16.
Although Team Deathmatch is a limited-time mode, it will not be a rare sight like Gun Run or Control. Players may experience it through a special, permanent playlist, which will also be released in season 16.
In Apex Legends, will Team Deathmatch be permanent?
With the release of season 16, team Deathmatch will go through a three-week exclusivity period. Players can access the permanent Mixtape playlist on March 7, including popular limited-time modes such as Team Deathmatch, Control, and Gun Run.
The Mixtape playlist aims to provide players with a lower-pressure environment to practice, and it also provides an alternative to the high-stakes, 60-man battle royale mode. In the Mixtape playlist, dying is significantly less harmful than in battle royale (even in Team Deathmatch), and there is a smaller emphasis on scavenging gear.
The Mixtape playlist is intended to serve as a training ground, but it also serves as a welcome change of pace for players who have experienced battle royale fatigue or who were previously dissatisfied with the battle royale mode.