Since season 5 launched, I've nestled Apex Legends into my evening routine. For weeks I've dutifully logged on each night to work through my daily challenges, racking up damage, playing matches with specific legends, and working my way through the—now more lenient—12 assists and eliminations challenge. Securing victories feels far more comfortable than previous seasons, and I'm certain that the hours I've invested have paved the way to several personal improvements. But as I soar past tier 75 on the battle pass, I'm starting to feel a little burnt out.
I can usually sink a few hours into Apex while blissfully ignoring the clock. Until recently, its daily tasks even challenged me to step out of my comfort zone. I've improved my skills and overall game awareness by switching to legends I'd usually avoid. I've gained a deeper understanding of the entire roster, which has taught me how to outsmart others in the arena. Some objectives have also encouraged me to loosen up when searching supply bins, and I'm now more open to picking up different guns. I've drifted through various weapon phases, from swearing by the devastating R-99/Prowler duo, to experimenting with riskier options like the Mastiff. I've even found time to test out Apex's sniper rifles more thoroughly, although this has only proved that I'm still useless with anything that isn't an AWP from CS:GO.
Having initially bought the battle pass to incentivise playing more regularly, it's certainly served its purpose. Knowing that I have unfinished tasks is enough to coax me into another match, even after I've peaked for the night and know I don't have the energy for another win. The promise of one more battle pass level, or a few thousand points, is just too tempting, but I'm at the point where I actually feel bad when I miss out on XP. Completing these challenges has started to feel more like a chore over the last week or so, and I'm beginning to lose my enthusiasm.
I'm aware that my predicament is entirely my own fault. I could just stop playing, but I've come too far and I'm too stubborn to take a break. I think the reason I'm struggling right now is because I still really enjoy playing Apex Legends, but my optimal session is likely around five matches short of what the battle pass demands each night. Playing 12 games isn't something I look forward to anymore, and I'm just tanking my K/D stats to get it over with when it crops up. Occasionally I'll get lucky and complete my four dailies in a handful of matches, which frees me up to work on some of the more awkward weekly checklists. I'm grateful that a number of these tasks just seem to complete themselves over time, but I can't help but sweat over my slow progress with some of the trickier ones.
Taking battle pass progression this seriously is out of character for me. Ordinarily I'll play until I'm bored and move onto another game. Thankfully there are still five weeks to go, which gives me plenty of time to claim the shiny Wingman skins that await at tier 100 and 110. I've managed to earn enough Apex Coins to pay for the next battle pass but I'm seriously considering sitting the next season out for a well-earned rest. In addition to the other games I check in with on a daily basis, Hearthstone and Warzone to name a few, I feel like I just don't have time to keep up with these relentless quests.
