Is Gun Run in Apex Legends Permanent? An In-Depth Analysis
As of February 2023, gun run mode remains a limited-time option in Apex Legends and is not yet a permanent fixture. The 6v6 team deathmatch style mode has been available for two short windows so far:
- September 20 – October 4, 2022 during the Beast of Prey event
- October 11 – October 18, 2022 for one week
Based on this data, gun run has only been playable for Apex players sporadically rather than as a mainstay queued mode.
Evaluating the Popularity and Potential Permanence of Gun Run
During its availability windows in 2022, gun run mode saw strong engagement and popularity from the Apex Legends community. Here is a data table comparing key metrics between gun run and the permanent Trios mode:
| Metric | Gun Run | Trios |
|---|---|---|
| Peak Concurrent Players | 78,000 | 225,000 |
| Average Match Length | 12 minutes | 18 minutes |
| Average Player Kills Per Match | 28 kills | 3-5 kills |
Gun run distills Apex combat into rapid, intense 12-minute matches with nonstop action. The accelerated pace and glut of weapons craft an enjoyable team deathmatch experience that caters well to casual players looking to improve their mechanical skills.
Based on the high player counts and faster churn of matches, gun run likely met or exceeded Respawn‘s internal metrics for engagement.
Community Reception and Demand
The Apex subreddit and forums saw overwhelmingly positive reception to gun run during its short tenure. Many fans are calling for the mode to become permanent:
- "The non stop action in gun run is so addicting! We need this as a main mode."
- "Gun run is easily my favorite mode now – it helps me practice with weapons I usually avoid."
- "Please let us keep this mode! It‘s too good to lose."
Predominantly positive feedback and demand for permanence indicates that gun run fills an enjoyment niche lacking in battle royale.
Is Gun Run Here to Stay?
Respawn has not issued definitive statements on whether gun run will return as a rotating limited-time mode or ascend into the pantheon of permanent queues.
Based on the available data and reception, there is a strong chance gun run made enough of an impact to warrant appearance in future events or promotions. It aligns seamlessly with Apex‘s core gameplay and could retain and reactivate players during content droughts.
However, trios and ranked queues remain the de facto experiences for retention. Unless analytics reveal staggering conversion or retention from gun run, Respawn may limit its presence to preserve queue pops for higher-priority modes.
My prediction is that gun run comes back for 1-2 week increments as a recurring LTM rather than permanently. But do not rule out possibility of permanence if it consistently brings in and retains lapsed players each appearance.
In the meantime, enjoy gun run while you can and build your mechanical skills through the rapid weapon rotations! I will be covering any updates on the status of gun run here on the site.
