Apex Legends‘ ranked solo queue was meant to start June 9 and conclude on June 23, but it surprised most when Respawn Entertainment delayed it for the entirety of season 29’s first split. Whether you’re a fan of this idea or against it, the test is fast-approaching with its new date (that’s hopefully set in stone this time). Exclusive to Diamond, Masters, and Preds, the solo queue test was confirmed by ApexLiveComms on June 24. The new dates for the Diamond+ solo-queue-only test will start on June 30 and end July 13, or once enough data is gathered. đź“‹TESTING:The previously announced Diamond+ solo-queue-only test will start on June 30th at 10am PT and run until July 13th, or until we have gathered enough data.During this time, players ranked Diamond or higher will be unable to matchmake as premade squad in into Ranked.…— ApexLiveComms (@ApexLiveComms) June 24, 2026 The imbalance between players was acknowledged by Respawn, which stated on June 8 that “solo players are at a disadvantage against coordinated three-stacks, especially in ranked.” So a test to even the playing field was made. Before then, Respawn removed the Champion Squad out of nowhere, which has somewhat backfired. This change was part of season 29’s midseason patch. The player base is concerned that this is a poor attempt to hide matchmaking against Preds in Diamond lobbies. It would surely reduce Diamond players giving up before the game starts, as they wouldn’t see a three-stacking Predator Champion Squad. But this removes the display of skill in the lobby (though its accuracy is questionable now that you can get 4k damage and 20 kill badges in Wildcard, and previously rat to Pred in season 17). Still, Champion Squad helped point out cheaters. Ranked solo queue comes with fair arguments for and against this change. On one hand, it’ll surely make the highest ranks more competitive and provide greater balance across the lobbies. Though the core of its system hasn’t changed and remains too easy for high-tier players, actual strategy and competition could return to this mode. Solo queue could feel like a callback to Realm back in 2023, or become as competitive as when ImperialHal and HisWattson battled for #1 Pred in the toughest ranked system Apex ever had: Season 13. Solo queue is amazing and 100% needed for the game to fix the power imbalance at the highest ranks so we can finally got some quality gameplay in Ranked.But Diamond should NOT be forced to solo queue, it should be only Master & Apex Pred that should be solo and then they should… https://t.co/H96r4Nikjw— Alliance_Hakis (@Alliance_Hakis) May 20, 2026 On the other hand, Apex is, as Respawn acknowledges, a team game. I play weekly with my friends and occasionally solo queue, knowing it’s a form of punishment. The grind to Apex Predator is fun with friends and painful on your own. While pros like iiTzTimmy, Mande, and HisWattson frequently do it, the majority of the player base isn’t of that caliber. Those in the higher ranks may see an increase in competitiveness at the detriment of their enjoyment. Still, it does isolate many players like myself who want to play Apex with friends and view ranked competitively. So the question is, what exactly is Respawn prioritizing here? If this works, there’s bound to be an adjustment period for Diamond+ players, like with evo and respawn changes, but it might be too little, too late. Would be pretty detrimental to the player base if solo que only was enforced after 7 years of the game being out without it .If it was a separate playlist for ranked it would be cool, having options is the best route https://t.co/kQ9wwxI0Qt— Falcons ImperialHal (@ImperialHal) May 11, 2026 Solo queue, as everyone who plays it knows, is a particularly frustrating time unless you’re good enough to one-vs-three a team by yourself. I’ve seen firsthand how common it is in lower tiers for the matchmaking to pair you with lower-skilled players. There have been changes specifically targeting solo queue. Respawn updated the matchmaking for season 29 so that anyone solo queueing in ranked or pubs will face “opponents of a slightly lower skill tier.” These changes hope to give solo players more of a chance against three-stacking. Solo queue, if permanent, could see the rise in smurfs who continuously make new accounts to rank up until they hit Diamond and start all over again. I believe if the change becomes permanent, it’s best implemented so that only the top 750 players per platform have to solo queue, ensuring those going for rank #1 aren’t three-stacking. Big in the scene, caster NiceWigg stands by duo queue in Master and Pred lobbies. Funnily enough, the ALGS Split 1 Playoffs take place from July 7 to 11. So for the two weeks leading up to it, pros will be at bootcamp, scrimming for the upcoming LAN, meaning they will miss out on the ranked solo queue test. This then begs the question: If the pros aren’t playing, will the test be accurate enough to measure whether ranked is better with or without solo queue? So I throw it over to you. Will you be playing Apex Legends June 30 to July 13? And what do you make of this test? 0The post Apex Legends solo queue launches June 30: Will you be playing? appeared first on Destructoid.