Apex Legends' No-Fill Matchmaking Explained

The Chaos Theory Collection Event is underway in Apex Legends, and a number of new Takeovers, tools, and settings have been introduced to the game. Recent updates to Apex Legends have brought fans new Legends, updates to favorite weapons, and just a touch of controversy. Now, the Chaos Theory Collection Event is bringing a new mode that pits solo Legends against complete teams.

The new feature, called No-Fill Matchmaking, allows players to opt in for solo play — but why would a Legend choose to do such a thing? EA has stated that choosing to go it alone to warm up for team play, meet weekly goals, and challenge oneself is reason enough to opt in for No-Fill Matchmaking. 

Overall, adding the option to play solo or with a team provides gamers with more versatility in how they play Apex Legends, as well as more strategic choices in the arena. No-Fill Matchmaking isn't mandatory, though, and the default setting will still be Fill Matchmaking, which pairs up queued Legends with Duos or Trios.

To opt in to No-Fill Matchmaking, players must uncheck the box that now appears beside "Fill Matchmaking" before each match. Unselecting the box allows players to go into the match without a party, skipping the line so to speak to battle on their own. 

In its Chaos Theory Collection Event announcement, EA stated that it believes that "at its best, Apex Legends is a game about teamplay. But we're launching this No-Fill matchmaking as an option for solo players because we think it gives a lot of creative opportunities for you to play the game your way." 

Of course, there are some specific rules regarding No-Fill Matchmaking. EA shared, "We only allow six potential No-Fill players in any match, and the feature isn't available in Ranked." EA explained that it didn't want No-Fill Matchmaking to "greatly disrupt" usual play or change the entire Apex Legends system. For now, there will be a limit on how many players can enter a match solo, and players won't be able to play Ranked matches unless they're part of a team. That being said, No-Fill Matchmaking still allows for players to experiment on their own and perfect their technique before playing in the big leagues against other teams.