The addition of the Arena game mode to Apex Legends has been generally well-received, but players have one unifying complaint: teammates who leave before the match ends aren't being punished. Respawn's Lead Game Designer for Apex Legends Arenas expressed his support for a punishment system in the new game mode in a Reddit AMA and on Twitter.

Currently, if a player leaves in the middle of an Arenas match, they can go back to the title screen and re-queue with no consequences – even if they leave after just the first round. Apex Legends players are generally friendly, but every competitive game has players who don't necessarily want to play as a team. The recently-added option to turn off Fill Teammates helped sort players who prefer solo gameplay, but this option only works in the Battle Royale game mode where a single-player squad stands any kind of chance.

RELATED: Respawn and EA Working Closely to Build Apex Legends Mobile Esports

Respawn developer Carlos Pineda, the design lead for Apex Legends Arenas, started a discussion on Twitter about Arenas updates fans would like to see. He suggested creating leaver penalties, which perhaps shows that the issue is at the top of the Arenas designer's priorities. Later in the day, he participated in a Reddit AMA along with several other Respawn developers. Pineda commented that in addition to the possibility of limited-time game modes in Arenas, the team is "definitely looking into leaver penalties" as well as loss forgiveness.

Leaver penalties are already present in the Battle Royale mode of Apex Legends, although they are relatively lenient. Leaving a game counts as abandoning it if the game truly isn't over for the player. Leaving while alive, downed, dead with an available banner, or dead with your banner held by a teammate will all result in an abandonment penalty. However, this basic system isn't easy to port over to the Arenas game mode as players come back every round.

Some fans have suggested potential workarounds for punishing leavers in Arenas. One suggestion that has made the rounds on social media is a video from TikTok user Stereoomike, who suggests creating an honor system where players who quit repeatedly are matched exclusively with other quitters. The popular Battle Royale game Fall Guys implemented a similar system for cheaters, where those found exploiting the game were sent to "Cheater Island," a series of servers exclusively populated with other cheaters.

Fans who have grown tired of Apex Legends Arenas because of teammates regularly quitting will likely feel better about the team's position on the matter. Having Lead Game Designer Carlos Pineda in agreement with critical fans is a big indicator that the system will be implemented sooner than later. Ranked Arenas will be added to the game soon, and it's likely that the penalty system will arrive around the same time.

Apex Legends is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4/5, and Xbox One/X|S.

MORE: 9 Seasons In, Apex Legends' Battle Passes Still Have One Fatal Flaw

Sources: Respawn Reddit AMA, Stereoomike