Apex Legends leak hints at new “wave defense” PvE mode coming in future update
An Apex Legends leak uncovered by dataminers has hinted that Respawn may be developing a PvE “wave defense” mode including the Spectres added in Season 13.
Since the release of Respawn’s battle royale back in 2019, the devs have introduced anarray of LTMs to Apex Legends including Winter Express, Control, and Flashpoint.
Despite this, the majority of these modes have pit players against each other in a PvP format, giving them a chance to test out their skills on other competitors in the Outlands.
Now, a new leak has hinted that Respawn may be taking a different approach in an upcoming LTM, which tasks players with surviving against waves of AI opponents.
Apex Legends PvE LTM in development involving Spectres
Following theSeason 13 update, reliable dataminerShrugtaldiscovered a PvE mode in the game files that appears to be similar to the Broken Ghost quest from Season 5.
The code name for the mode is “Dropdown” and it involves Spectres from the IMC Armories, but in this LTM it will be possible for the robots to self-destruct.
Not only that, the undisclosed map will contain “Munition Drops” that contain a selection of mid-tier weapons, presumably allowing players to choose their setup before taking on the AI enemies.
Shrugtal has speculated that Respawn could be designing a “wave defense” style mode, which would certainly be a fresh and exciting new LTM for players to jump into.
Two more interesting pieces of data for this:1) Code for self-destructing spectres, ala Titanfall 2 style.2) A loot table entry for a “Munitions Drop” which contains a selection of mid-tier weapons.
So fighting spectres, scavenge weapons from drops? Wave defense?https://t.co/mS4bb4x6g7
— Shrugtal (@shrugtal)June 16, 2025
In terms of a release date, there are no clues in the files that indicate when this LTM or main mode is going to arrive.
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However, with Respawn adding a lot more AI enemies into the game in recent seasons, it’s obvious they’re more comfortable than ever designing PvE encounters.
So, fingers crossed this new mode is introduced in the near future, as it’s clear the Apex community has an appetite for LTMs than provide a break from the typical battle royale experience.
