EA surprised many with the sudden announcement of Apex Legends back in February 2019, a free-to-play battle royale shooter that sees the publisher going toe-to-toe with genre mammoths PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds and Fortnite Battle Royale.
Developed by Respawn Entertainment and set in the Titanfall universe, Apex Legends is a squad-based battle royale shooter where teams of three go up against 57 other players to try to gather loot and be the last person (or squad) standing.
However, unlike Fortnite and PUBG, Apex Legends sees players take on one of eight classes, each represented by a unique character (imagine Fortnite mixed with Overwatch and you’ll be on the right track.)
Apex Legends is now well into its third season, called Meltdown, which has introduced plenty of changes, big and small. From new weapons, to a new character to a brand spanking new map there's plenty to enjoy in Season 3 of Apex Legends for old and new players alike.
Now that we're into 2020, we're starting to look forward to the launch of Season 4 of the game in February and all the changes it's likely to bring.
If you're new to Apex Legends and looking to see what you're missing or you've dropped off the map for a while and you'd like to catch up on the latest, we're here to keep you up to date on what's fresh in Apex Legends.
- Apex Legends review: the official TechRadar verdict
As we said in our full Apex Legends review:
"Truth be told, the Battle Royale movement has never quite grabbed me. I dabbled in PUBG and spent a dozen hours or so with Fortnite, yet nothing ever quite stuck the landing. Apex though, has got me hook, line and sinker. Featuring intuitive controls, an outstanding comms system and remarkable rogue’s gallery, Respawn has created what feels like the AAA outing for the genre."
Apex Legends update news
- What's new? There have been some changes to Player Level progression and Mirage's Holo-Day Bash is the latest limited time event
Changes to Player Level progression
As of December 3, some changes have been made to Player Level progression in Apex Legends. The biggest change is that the player level cap has increased from 100 to 500. To keep things on an even keel, the amount of XP required to reach level 100 has been reduced by 5%.
More levels also means more Apex Packs; players will now earn 199 Apex Packs by level 500. Players between Levels 2 and 20 will earn one pack for every level they rise; those between Levels 22 and 300 will receive one pack for every two levels and, finally, those between Levels 305 and 500 will earn one pack every five levels.
Packs will be retroactively awarded so players who should have earned packs under the new system will still be awarded their additional packs.
For every hundred levels a player rises, they will earn a Gun Charm and for every ten levels between 110 and 500 they'll earn a badge.
Speaking of Gun Charms, 36 new ones are going into Epic and Legendary tier Apex Packs and they'll appear in the Rotating Shop so that players can purchase them if they prefer.
Holo-Day Bash
It's not the holiday season without themed events in live games. Apex Legends' is known as Mirage's Holo-Day Bash and it runs from December 12 until January 7.
In this period, players will be able to take part in the Winter Express Limited Time Mode. This is a non-Battle Royale event which is based around point-capture in which three squads compete to capture the World's Edge train while it's moving through stations.
There will also be special exclusive challenges during the event giving players the chance to ear free skins, badges and music packs. In terms of direct purchasing, there will be a set of 24 themed and limited-time cosmetic items in the game store. They'll also be available in Event Apex Packs, with each Pack containing one event item and two non-event items.
Players also shouldn't miss the chance to hop aboard Mirage's boat which has docked at The World's Edge for the holidays.
Apex Legends Meltdown
Season 2 of Apex Legends has now wrapped up and as of October 1 Season 3: Meltdown is underway.
So what's new? Well, the most important thing is that brand new map you've probably heard about.
World's Edge
In Meltdown players are waving goodbye to the classic King's Canyon and saying hello to World's Edge. This new map is only the second ever introduced in the game but it's a dramatic departure from its predecessor, offering a massive, bright world that combines fire and ice.
There's plenty to explore in World's Edge and we're sure it's keeping secrets that will be revealed later in the Season. Not only that, its diverse terrain that will see you dodging geysers, contending with lava fields and riding atop a moving train among other things offers a great opportunity to experiment with different combat styles.
Battle Pass
Apex Legends isn't exactly known for having mind-blowing Battle Passes but Season 3 does offer an improvement on its predecessors in some ways.
Like the others, this Battle Pass is brand new for the Season and it brings with it 110 levels to climb by completing daily and weekly challenges, with more than 100 exclusive items including Legendary Skins, Apex Packs, Loading Screens and Gun Charms to earn.
New weapons and character
The new weapon for Season 3 is the Charge Rifle and it's making its debut alongside the new hacker and surveillance expert, Crypto. This new Legend can be purchased for 750 Apex coins and is great for those seeking some long-distance combat options as he uses his surveillance drone "to stay in the fight and out of the spotlight". He'll be a great addition to any team looking for some recon and of interest to any player looking for a more refreshing style of play.
Ranked League Series 2
Alongside Season 3, Ranked League Series 2 also launched on October 1.
Like Series 1, Series 2 uses a score-based system with the developers feeling pleased with how it went the first time around. Tiers and Divisions also remain the same along with the level 10 entry requirement for ranked play and the fact that playing with friends will see matchmaking up to the highest ranked player.
So what will players see that's a little different? Well, in Series 2 all ranked players will see their ranks be soft reset. That means all players will drop 1.5 Tiers. This is being done instead of a hard reset to 0, which would really stop any feeling of progress for those who were invested in the previous Ranked League.
After deactivating leaver penalties in Series 1, Series 2 has them enabled so players who abandon their teammates during a match are hit with a matchmaking penalty in regular and Ranked matches. Penalties mean players are stopped from entering new matches for escalating amounts of time based on how often they drop out of matches before they're finished. Penalties range from 5 minutes to an entire week.
While the Series 1 score-based system remains it has been improved in some ways. For more "granularity in the points spread" all the points in the system have been multiplied by 10. Match entry RP costs have also been updated. Bronze matches remain free but Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond and Apex Predator matches now cost 12, 24, 36, 48 and 60 RP respectively.
Assists have also been added to Ranked play's kill count score. An assist in Apex Legends is defined as doing damage to a player within 5 seconds of them being knocked down by a teammate. If the player is revived the assist doesn't count.
Completely new to Ranked League Series 2 is the Apex Predator Ladder Position which now allows Apex Predator ranked players to see their worldwide standing as well as their RP. The ladders positions are split by platform so three players on PlayStation, Xbox and PC are all able to claim a number 1 ranking.
Cosmetic rewards for rankings have also been introduced. All players receive badges indicating the highest level they've reached while players that reach Gold tier and higher receive a gun charm. Reach Diamond or higher and players receive a custom dive trail.
Recently there have been rumors that players could soon see cross-play and cross-progression introduced to Apex Legends. We're taking these rumors with a pinch of salt since Respawn hasn't made any comment on them. But if there is anything to be announced it's likely we won't hear until Season 3 is underway or perhaps even past.
Apex Legends tips and tricks
Apex Legends can be difficult to get to grips with. There are a lot of different characters each with their own abilities and skills, plus this battle royale arguably leans more heavily on strategy and teamwork than some of its competitors.
Get ahead of the pack with our selection of Apex Legends guides, designed to help you become a champion.
- Apex Legends beginners: essential tips and tricks
- Apex Legends characters: which Legend is best suited to your playstyle
- Apex Legends solo: here's how to win without a good team
- Apex Legends landing spots: here's where your Jumpmaster should touch down
- Apex Legends loot map: here's where to find the best in-game gear
How to download Apex Legends
Apex Legends can be downloaded for free from the PlayStation Store, Xbox Store, Origin Store or Apex Legends website. Simply search for the title, download the game and enjoy!
But do keep in mind that a good internet connect and subscription to either PS Plus, Xbox Live or Origin Access is required to play.
The good news is that Apex Legends is also coming to mobile in the future, following in the footsteps of Fortnite and PUBG.
Apex Legends roadmap - what's next?
Respawn Entertainment has shared the season roadmap for Apex Legends. Apex Legends Battle Pass seasons run for approximately three months. Currently four seasons have officially been announced:
- Season One: March 19, 2019 until June 18, 2019.
- Season Two: July 2, 2019
- Season Three: September 2019
- Season Four: December 2019
Although Season 4 was supposed to launch in December 2019, the date has been pushed back to February 4 2020. So far, what's included in this new season is an extremely well-kept secret but, as with previous seasons, it's likely to include new weapons and items and a new character.
Is Apex Legends coming to mobile?
Yes. In EA’s quarterly earnings report, the publisher announced that it’s looking at bringing the Respawn Entertainment-developed game to mobile platforms and to both South Korea and China.
“We’re in advanced negotiations to China and mobile”, EA’s CFO Blake Jorgenson stated, before later mentioning South Korea as another expansion point.
We shouldn't expect to see Apex Legends on mobile for at least a year, though. According to EA Chief Executive, Andrew Wilson, the game won't launch until the fiscal year 2021.
- Read more: Apex Legends Battle Pass - price, release date and roadmap
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