A Veteran's Take: The Past, Present, and Future of Apex Legends' Control Mode

Control, you magnificent beast, you were gone too soon! As a grizzled vet who's seen it all drop from the skies, I still have phantom limb sensations from that glorious, chaotic limited-time mode. It was the perfect shot of adrenaline to kick off a season, a brilliant sandbox that Respawn crafted with love—objectives, scoreboards, custom loadouts—only to yank it away after a mere two weeks. A strange move, truly. But let's be real, we all knew it was a trial run. A 'does this actually work without the servers melting?' kind of test. And boy, did it work. It was like finding a Gold magazine in your first bin—pure, unadulterated joy. When it inevitably returns (and it will, I'd bet my Heirloom on it), I've got a wishlist: harsher penalties for rage-quitters and a broader, more balanced arsenal to play with. But the soul of Control? That's all in the maps.

Let's talk about the king, the legend: Barometer. This wasn't just a good Control map; it's arguably one of the best Points of Interest (POIs) in Apex Legends history, period. What made it sing? Let me break it down:

• Verticality Galore: Multiple levels meant you could fight on the ground, in the buildings, or on the rooftops. No single vantage point dominated.

• Clever Cover: Plenty of nooks, crannies, and walls to duck behind, making engagements tactical, not just spray-and-pray.

• Genius Layout: The three objectives formed a beautiful triangle. This was the secret sauce! It spread the action across the entire zone, preventing the dreaded 'meat grinder' effect where everyone just piles into one chaotic room. Funny enough, the central tower wasn't even the prime objective—it was a place for opportunistic campers or players chasing supply drops. The flow was organic and brilliant.

Now, contrast that with poor Hammond Labs on Olympus. If Barometer was a symphony, Hammond Labs was a recorder solo played badly. 😬 I'd literally quit the queue if it came up! It's too open, flanking routes are a myth, and it just devolves into a long-range poke fest. No thanks!

So, the big news for 2025 is that Caustic Treatment on Kings Canyon is next in line for the Control treatment. Dataminers never sleep, bless 'em. But is it the best choice? Let's dissect it.

Caustic Treatment has its points in a loose triangle, but it's not as defined as Barometer's. The main building is its saving grace—it's massive. This means we could see several distinct, separate skirmishes happening inside, unlike Hammond Labs where one Fuse ult turns the place into a single, explosive phone booth. There's internal verticality and roof access too. It's the safe pick for Kings Canyon, but is it the most exciting? I'm not fully convinced. Let's tour the Outlands and see what other gems we're sleeping on.

The Ultimate Control Map Wishlist (By a Very Opinionated Legend)

Kings Canyon Contenders:

POI	Why It Could Rock	Potential Pitfall
Repulsor	Multiple buildings could create a dynamic, multi-front war. Imagine spawning at Map Room vs. Hydro Dam!	The downhill spawn might need balancing.
Containment	A classic. Good verticality in the central pit area. Feels like it was made for objective play.	Might be a bit too traditional, lacking surprise.
Crash Site	Extreme verticality! Fighting from the ship's hull down to the ravine would be pure, multi-level chaos (in a good way).	Hard to visualize the objective flow. Could be confusing.

World's Edge - The Undisputed Champion of Potential:

Hands down, World's Edge holds the best future for Control. I get giddy just thinking about it.

• Climatizer: Cool concept (pun intended), with ziplines and vertical shafts.

• LAVA SIPHON: This is the dream. 🥹 This POI feels like it was designed with Control in mind. Think about it:

  • Objectives on each side of the massive structure.

  • A central objective in the northern tower (hello, Barometer vibes!).

  • Entry points? You've got doors, ziplines, the freaking cable car, and jump towers. It's a playground!

  • The tactical dilemma: Do you hold the objective on a lower floor, or control the high-ground sniper nest? This creates instant, compelling strategy.

I'd bet good money Respawn was already cooking up Control when they added Lava Siphon. It's just too perfect.

Olympus... Oh, Olympus:

Let's not kid ourselves. It's a beautiful map for BR, but for Control? It's a desert. Rift? Too weird. Fight Night (Pathfinder's Boxing Ring)? Maybe, but it's small. Tragically, Hammond Labs might be its best option. And that sentence alone is why Olympus should probably sit this game mode out for a while.

Storm Point's Dark Horse:

Everyone says The Mill, but I think it'd feel empty. My heart belongs to Storm Catcher. This place is a verticality jungle gym.

• Teams could spawn at the east and west outposts and zip-line directly into the heart of the battle.

• Or, they could take the ground route for sneaky flanks through the southern lower levels.

• It has the multi-level madness I crave, with plenty of opportunities for both close-quarters brawls and strategic positioning.

It would be absolute, glorious chaos. The kind where you finish a match and need to take a deep breath.

So, where does this leave us? Barometer remains the gold standard, the blueprint for a perfect Control map. Caustic Treatment is a solid, if safe, next step. But the future? The future should be painted in the molten hues of World's Edge's Lava Siphon or the electric storms of Storm Point's Storm Catcher. Respawn, you've got a winning formula. Give us more of that spicy, strategic, multi-level warfare. And maybe, just maybe, let Olympus have a nap while you're at it. We can all agree on that, right? Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go stare at the playlist and wish for Control's return.

TL;DR for my fellow impatient Legends:

• 😍 Barometer = Perfect. The model to follow.

• 😐 Caustic Treatment = Fine, but play it safe.

• 🔥 Lava Siphon (World's Edge) = The future. Please. I'm begging.

• Storm Catcher (Storm Point) = The chaotic dark horse we need.

• 🚫 Olympus = Let's... not.