You can now do Private matches in Apex Legends! If you want to play a Battle Royale or Arenas match where you can control who you are up against, then this is probably good news for you.
Apex Legends matchmaking for any mode is public and you can’t control who you compete against in the rest of your lobby, it was the only way to play matches until now. Now you can join other private matches or create your own and invite the players you want to fight.
Without further ado, we’ll show you how to make a private match in Apex Legends, if you get progress and XPand how to join another private match also.
On this page:
How many players do I need to make a private match in Apex Legends?
To be able to make a private match, you must have the minimum number of players required for the chosen mode. We have listed the requirements below:
- battle royale – You need 30 players in the session to be able to start a private Battle Royale session.
- Arenas – You only need 6 players in a session to start a private Arena match, which makes it more suitable for those of you who only want to play with a few friends.
How to make a private match in Apex Legends
Making a private match is an easy way to ensure you can decide who joins your session with you, and once you know you have enough players you can start organizing your squads.
Here’s how to create a private game in Apex Legends in a few simple steps.
Enter the Private Match screen
To start a private match, click on the “Modes” option in the lower left corner of your screen. This is where you switch between Battle Royale, Arenas, and Ranked modes.
When you are on the mode selection screen, look at the bar at the top of your screen. There should be an option for ‘Private Match’. If you don’t see this, you may need to update your version of Apex Legends.
Note: Crossplay must be enabled for you to use this feature.
Click on the “Private Match” option, then select “Create Match” to create your own.
Invite other players to your private game
Once you have started making your match, you will need to invite players to join you. You cannot start a private solo match.
To invite other players, go to the “Lobby” screen for your private match. In the upper right corner of the screen (it will be very small), you should see ‘Join Code: ******’.
Click on the “Reveal” option next to the starred section to reveal the code. Then send this code to any player you want to join your match.
Decide on your mode and settings
Once you are in the private match menu, click on the “Settings” option in the bar at the top of the screen as this is where you can change specific details for your match.
You can choose the mode you want, current options are Battle Royale or Arenas mode, then you can decide which map you want to use for your match. The mode you choose to play will determine which maps you can choose from.
You can also change the following options:
- Chat options – You can decide who can talk during matches.
- Renaming Teams – Enable this option and players can change their team name.
- Self-assigned teams – You can choose if players can assign themselves a team or if you will do it for them.
- Aim assist – Toggle if your match has Aim Assist or not.
- Anonymous mode – Enabling this option means that player names will be invisible to everyone during the match.
When you’re happy with your settings, click “Apply” to save them to your match. You can now start assigning players to their teams (or skip to match start if auto-assignment is enabled.)
Assign teams and start the match
To assign players to their teams, click on the “Lobby” option at the top of your screen and it will take you to a screen that looks like this:
If self-assignment is disabled, the easiest way for you to assign someone to a team is to click on their name in the box to the left, then click and drag their name to the team in which you want. Simply drop their name into the desired team box and they will be assigned there.
Start your game
Once you’re happy with your settings and teams, just stay on your home screen and click on the guest control to start your match. This can be found in the lower left corner of the lobby screen.
How to Join a Private Match in Apex Legends
If you don’t want to match, but want to join a private match in Apex Legends, you need to have the join code.
Once you have the login code, head to the main screen and click on the “Modes” option in the lower left corner of the screen. Select the “Private Match” option at the top of your screen.
Then simply insert your join code in the “Join Match” box to enter a private match someone else has created.
Do I get XP and progress in private games in Apex Legends?
Unfortunately no, you don’t get XP or progress if you play in a private match in Apex Legends. If it’s XP and progression you’re after, we recommend sticking to regular public matches for now.
If you want to know which legends are the best to use this season, check out our Apex Legends tier list where we dig deep into which legends are the best picks for each mode and why.
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