How to get Bot Lobbies in Apex Legends

The daily challenges in Apex Legends can be tough to get through when your teammates grab the gun you need, or the enemies Just. Won’t. Die. And then sometimes, you’ve had a long day. You don’t want to go head-to-head with skilled, sweaty players who’ll end your games before they start.

And that’s where the magic of bot lobbies comes in. These games, full of opponents who are specifically designed to be worse than most players, can give you a much-needed break from being beamed across the map. At least until the bots get mad and we have an AI uprising to deal with.

In this article, we’ll go over all the most reliable methods for getting bot lobbies in Apex Legends and how Private Internet Access can make it easier and safer. 

How to Get Bot Lobbies in Apex Legends

While the methods below are tried and proven some are easier than others.

1. Changing Your Region With a VPN

This one’s easy and is an effective method of getting Apex Legends bot lobbies:

1. Sign up for PIA.
2. Install the native client for Windows or Linux if you’re on PC or the Steam Deck. Console players will need a VPN-enabled router, which can be configured to connect to PIA’s server network. This only takes a few minutes.
3. Connect to a VPN server that’s far, far away from you, and in a time zone where it’s not peak player hours. You want as few people playing in that region as possible to increase your chances of getting a bot lobby. PIA has high-speed VPN servers in {countries_no} countries
4. Start up the game. On the “Logging in” screen, it should show the region closest to the VPN server you connected to. If not, hit Escape on PC or press the right thumbstick to force a region change before you finish logging in.
5. Jump into the Solos mode. If you jump into any of the squad-based modes, be sure to turn off the “Auto fill” feature, to ensure you don’t get matched with any other humans.

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Pros: It’s not just about switching regions! PIA VPN can help secure your connection and unblock the game on restricted networks, such as at work or school, so you can play on your lunch break. It also helps to mitigate DDoS attacks and add a layer of anonymity to your connection.

Cons: VPNs are restricted in certain countries, such as China and Russia.

2. Changing Your Region Within the Game

It’s also possible to switch your region in the game’s settings: 

1. Start up the game. On the “Logging in” screen, hit Escape on PC or press the right thumbstick to force a region change before you finish logging in.
2. Choose a region that’s far away from you, and where it’s not peak player hours. Early in the morning is usually the best time.
3. Start up a match in Solos mode.

Pros: It’s free, and not terribly hard.

Cons: You get none of the benefits of using a VPN, and whether you’re trying to get bot matches or not, it’s always a good idea to protect yourself online with a VPN. The same goes for the two methods listed below.

3. Reverse Boosting

Because the game is designed to put you into easier games if you lose too much, you can always do the old “throw some matches” technique to get into bot lobbies for a little while:

1. Enter a Duos or Trios match alone, and disable the “Auto fill” feature. You don’t want to throw the match for anyone else, and you don’t want them to revive you.
2. Die. Fast. The easiest way is to land somewhere outside of the zone/circle, and wait for your inevitable death. Falling off the map also works.
3. Now change the legend you’re playing (it seems to help for some reason), and repeat the first two steps.
4. Do it again. You don’t have to drop your KD (kill-to-death ratio) to abysmal levels. Just doing this a few times should be enough to earn you a few bot matches. If you see other humans in your match, simply repeat the process.

Pros: Easy, doesn’t require changing your location.

Cons: If you care about your public stats at all, it’s something of a nightmare. You also have to spend time going through the process, which takes much longer than connecting to a VPN server or changing regions.

4. Stay In the Beginner/Orientation Matches Forever

New accounts (and some older accounts that haven’t been on in a while) get put in what are called “Orientation matches.” These don’t give you XP, but you do have to demonstrate a certain level of proficiency to progress from them: 

1. Create a new Apex Legends account on EA’s website, if you have an extra email address lying around.
2. Create a new Steam, Xbox, or PlayStation account. Sign in, and connect it to your new EA account. You can technically disconnect your Apex Legends account from Steam, etc., but it’s a pain, and you don’t want to be doing it over and over again.
3. Start the game, and jump into your orientation matches.
4. Never win. In fact, it’s better to close the game before each match is over.

Pros: It’s easy.

Cons: It takes a while to set up, and you have to be careful. Perform too well, and forget to close the game before you finish the match too many times, and you won’t get any more orientation matches, which means you’ll have to make yet another new Apex Legends account.

How a VPN Helps You Get Bot Lobbies in Apex Legends

The big factor in getting bot lobbies in Apex Legends, by the usual method, is distance. VPNs give you an easy way to route your internet traffic to a VPN server in the country or city of your choice. In this case, it’s best if that VPN server is halfway around the globe, so your ping will be higher.

Having somewhat worse ping than all the other players in the region means you’re less likely to be matched with them, especially if there aren’t too many people playing in that region at the time. Start a game, and the matchmaking should eventually give you a lobby full of bots.

PIA is great at actually lowering your ping in some circumstances. But every VPN is still beholden to the laws of physics, and in the case of getting bot lobbies in Apex Legends, that’s a good thing. Connecting to a distant server to get a higher ping means a higher probability of not seeing other human players.

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Why PIA VPN Is the Best VPN for Gaming

First off, PIA has servers in 91 countries, which means that no matter which region you want to play Apex Legends in, you’ll find a VPN server to make that happen. PIA also helps to stabilize your connection so that even if you’re aiming for a higher ping to get bot lobbies, you won’t have to deal with lag spikes.

Then again, when it’s time to play with other people on servers closer to home, PIA can actually lower your ping and latency by automatically searching for the fastest route between you and the VPN server you chose. Pick one close to the game server, and that will help to bypass signal routing issues and overcrowded networks.

On top of all that, PIA masks your IP address and encrypts all traffic between you and the VPN server. That helps you bypass ISP game traffic throttling and network blocks on games at work and school. It also keeps you safer, even on public Wi-Fi, and stops DDoS attacks from interfering with your game.

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