Apex Legends Event Trailer Leaks New Energy Weapon

The latest Apex Legends event trailer seems to have accidentally leaked a new energy weapon, causing one Respawn employee to apologize.

Video game leaks have existed for almost as long as video games have, and Apex Legends has been subject to more than a few leaks over the years. However, one recent leak regarding a new energy weapon appears to have been accidentally revealed by Apex Legends staff.

In the new Evolution Collection Event trailer, Apex Legends puts a spotlight on Rampart as the defensive hero’s custom shop/giant tank Big Maude opens for business. However, one still shown in both the trailer and the associated patch notes features a weapon that isn’t actually in the game just yet, labeled the Nemesis Burst AR. While relatively little information is actually available about the gun, it appears in the Assault Rifles and LMGs shop tab and seems to be priced on the lower end of the spectrum.

Apparently, the Nemesis Burst AR is an energy weapon that is currently in development but isn’t likely to be ready for release any time soon. Unlike some previous Apex Legends leaks which were spearheaded by industry insiders or dataminers, the Nemesis Burst AR was leaked in an official promotional video. Ryan K. Rigney, Director of Communications at Respawn Entertainment, has officially apologized for the mix-up on his official Twitter account. However, not all fans are convinced that the leak was unintentional.

It appears that some fans suspect the new weapon was leaked on purpose, as Apex Legends often leaks new information in trailers. Rigney has directly addressed these concerns in the Twitter replies, where he stated that he appreciated fans’ faith in Respawn’s competence. Since Rigney has also publicly promised to schedule an eye exam, presumably to make sure these allegedly accidental leaks stop slipping past him, it’s unclear how seriously his statements should be taken in this area. At least one fan has expressed their respect to Rigney for admitting that the mistake was on Respawn’s end instead of trying to shift the blame.

As of this writing, it appears that fans are taking the leak in stride, though some are still sticking to the theory that Respawn leaked the information on purpose to test the wasters. Another fan questioned the need for dedicated Apex Legends leakers if Respawn was going to keep leaking new information itself. Other users appear to be more preoccupied with asking about the developers’ progress with the cross-progression feature than they are with the new energy weapon leak.

Apex Legends is available now for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.