<![CDATA[ Latest from Windows Central in Apex-legends ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/tag/apex-legends Mon, 22 Dec 2025 20:12:13 +0000 en <![CDATA[ Gaming industry legend, Vince Zampella has passed away after highway crash, according to reports ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/industry-legend-vince-zampella-has-passed-away-after-angeles-crest-highway-crash-according-to-reports avtzVCDaxkUxXjDt7ax387 Mon, 22 Dec 2025 20:12:13 +0000 Mon, 22 Dec 2025 20:40:06 +0000

Vince Zampella, an industry legend, has sadly passed away today following a car accident in Los Angeles.

Zampella was an extremely influential figure in the video game industry. He was best known for his work on Call of Duty during his time as CEO of Infinity Ward, where he helped shape one of the most successful franchises in gaming history.

He later went on to serve as the head of Respawn Entertainment, the studio behind Titanfall and Apex Legends, further cementing his impact on modern game development.

It is tragic news, and our thoughts are with his friends, family, and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.

A lasting legacy across generations of games

(Image credit: Photo: Deantak / Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) via Wikimedia Commonshttps://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vince_Zampella.jpg)

Whether you knew Vince Zampella by name or not, you have almost certainly felt his influence. He played a defining role in shaping Call of Duty during the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 era while serving as CEO of Infinity Ward.

That influence is still felt today across modern shooters. Many of the design principles established during that period continue to inform how multiplayer games are built and supported to this day.

After leaving Infinity Ward, Zampella went on to co found Respawn Entertainment in 2010. The studio became known for titles such as Titanfall, Apex Legends, and Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order, each pushing the genre in different ways.

Zampella later served as an executive at Electronic Arts, where he oversaw multiple teams and franchises, including Battlefield, further extending his impact across the industry.

What has been reported so far

Unfortunately, Vince was involved in a single-car crash at around 12:45 p.m. on December 21, 2025, in Los Angeles and passed away at the scene.

It is a loss that will be felt across the entire industry. Vince Zampella’s influence extended far beyond individual studios or franchises, shaping how games were made, played, and supported across multiple generations. As tributes continue to pour in, his work and legacy will live on through the countless developers he inspired and the millions of players who grew up with the games he helped create.

He will be sadly missed, and our thoughts are with his loved ones, family, and friends.

]]> <![CDATA[ EA cancels Titanfall incubation project, lays off staff at Apex Legends and Star Wars Jedi developer Respawn Entertainment ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/ea-respawn-layoffs-apex-legends-star-wars-jedi-incubation-team 4Y9ek2WU2RZeWXG3RXjeu7 Tue, 29 Apr 2025 18:16:53 +0000 Tue, 29 Apr 2025 19:23:04 +0000

Update:

According to a report from Bloomberg, between 300 and 400 employees have been laid off from Electronic Arts on Tuesday, including the 100 staff at Respawn Entertainment. Bloomberg further reports that one of the canceled incubation projects was a Titanfall extraction shooter.

Original story:

More layoffs are rolling out across the gaming industry, with Electronic Arts (EA) canceling two incubation projects at developer Respawn Entertainment, with the studio sharing the news via X (Twitter) on Tuesday.

According to IGN, around 100 developers have been affected, with layoffs across Respawn's incubation team, as well as the group working on battle royale title Apex Legends and the Star Wars Jedi team.

IGN further reports that Respawn SVP of operations Daniel Suarez is being promoted to general manager of the studio, reporting directly to Vince Zampella, who was the previous GM of Respawn in addition to his current role overseeing the Battlefield franchise at EA.

This comes as EA already laid off 50 developers from BioWare in 2023, further laying off developers at the studio following the launch of 2024's Dragon Age: The Veilguard, with BioWare reportedly reduced to around 100 developers that are now working on the next Mass Effect game.

EA also canceled a Star Wars shooter from Respawn Entertainment in 2024 as part of a broader wave of layoffs that saw 670 employees laid off from the publisher.

Looking ahead, Respawn Entertainment is continuing to provide support for Apex Legends while working on the third entry in the Star Wars Jedi series, as well as assisting developer Bit Reactor with the upcoming turn-based tactics game Star Wars: Zero Company, which is slated to launch in 2026.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor launched in 2023 across Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PlayStation 5. The game received critical praise, with EA CEO Andrew Wilson saying the game was performing "very strongly" compared to EA's expectations. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor went on to become the ninth best-selling game of 2023 in the U.S.

]]> <![CDATA[ "Lifeline’s one of the most beloved Legends in the game." The next season of Apex Legends is reworking one of the game's original characters. ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/apex-legends-from-the-rift-lifeline UZud3RJgY743FkSU76ZgbK Tue, 05 Nov 2024 16:42:02 +0000 Tue, 05 Nov 2024 20:17:50 +0000

What you need to know

  • Apex Legends: From the Rift is bringing a bevy of changes to Electronic Arts and Respawn Entertainment's ongoing battle royale title.
  • Lifeline, one of the original launch characters in Apex Legends, is being reworked, with new passive and activated abilities, including being able to glide on her drone for a few seconds.
  • Apex Legends: From the Rift is also shaking up all of the support class heroes, as they are no longer slowed while healing allies.
  • Apex Legends: From the Rift kicks off today.

There's some big changes coming to Respawn Entertainment's battle royale experience.

Apex Legends' latest season, From the Rift, is bringing a rework to Lifeline, one of the original launch characters from when the game first kicked off back in 2019. Lifeline Revived, as she's being referred to by the developers, is being introduced in order to make her more viable across different team compositions.

“Lifeline’s one of the most beloved Legends in the game,” explains designer Evan Funnell, adding that the team is only reworking a character when it becomes clear they aren't meeting expectations by a significant amount. Lifeline is the second Legend to be reworked, with Revenant first being reworked back in August 2023.

Lifeline's new kit tweaks her existing abilities, allowing her to grab onto her D.O.C. drone and glide around for a bit. D.O.C can also be assigned to directly follow a teammate. Lifeline's ultimate ability now creates a 360-degree defensive halo, blocking damage all around her, but not above her.

While Lifeline is being heavily adjusted, the other supports in Apex Legends are also getting some bonuses. Supports are no longer slowed down when healing teammates, as well as being able to revive downed allies faster.

Finally, all players need to be on the lookout for Rift Relics, which contain a stash of weapons and gear that are empowered enough to shift the course of a match, such as an EPG-1 launcher that has infinite ammo.

Apex Legends: From the Rift is available starting today.

Apex Legends is currently available as a free-to-play game on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. Apex Legends is no longer playable on Steam Deck or Linux, with Electronic Arts claiming the platform has too many cheaters.

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]]> <![CDATA[ "While the population of Linux users is small, their impact infected a fair amount of players’ games." Apex Legends can't be played on Steam Deck anymore, and EA has explained why. ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/pc-gaming/apex-legends-cant-play-steam-deck-cheaters q3RtdY6rVdkwwiPtnFkQmS Thu, 31 Oct 2024 22:34:13 +0000

What you need to know

  • Electronic Arts and Respawn Entertainment's battle royale title Apex Legends is no longer playable on any devices running Linux.
  • According to Electronic Arts, this is because the platform's openness attracts cheaters, with the team having to balance the security issues it causes against the number of players using Linux.
  • As a result, Apex Legends is also no longer playable through Steam Deck, though anyone using the device can play Apex Legends by installing Windows instead.

If you're a big fan of battle royale games, you've got one less option for taking them on the go.

Electronic Arts (EA) and Respawn Entertainment's free-to-play title Apex Legends is no longer playable on Linux, including Steam Deck, as shared in an update on Thursday. This decision is due to a focus on combating cheating, something EA claims is common on Linux due to the platform's open nature.

"We had to weigh the decision on the number of players who were legitimately playing on Linux/the Steam Deck versus the greater health of the population of players for Apex. While the population of Linux users is small, their impact infected a fair amount of players’ games. This ultimately brought us to our decision today," the update explains.

EA notes that the team doesn't have any way of determining if a player is truly using a Steam Deck or simply running Linux and claiming to be on Valve's handheld. There is technically a workaround available, as Steam Deck owners can install Windows. If they go this route, then Apex Legends will be playable.

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EA continues to fight cheaters in Apex Legends

This isn't the first time that EA's struggle against cheaters in Apex Legends has caused problems for Steam Deck owners.

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Almost exactly a year ago, Steam Deck players and all other Linux users were unable to access Apex Legends due to an issue with anti-cheat. While this issue was fixed, it perhaps should've been taken as an omen of things to come.

For all other players, Apex Legends is continuing to grow with new Legends, maps, modes, and more. An update earlier this year finally brought the promised 120 FPS support to Xbox Series X|S consoles, while other updates have seen the addition of wild new features like akimbo pistols.

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

]]> <![CDATA[ Apex Legends: Shockwave is introducing a cyberpunk-themed map and one big new feature ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/apex-legends-shockwave-is-introducing-a-cyberpunk-themed-map-and-one-big-new-feature 4bTRVNxtrhbsyfmBXDFHSW Thu, 01 Aug 2024 15:04:26 +0000

What you need to know

  • Apex Legends: Shockwave is Season 22 of Respawn Entertainment's free-to-play battle royale game. 
  • Apex Legends: Shockwave is bringing a new map called E-District, with a neon-soaked cyberpunk aesthetic. 
  • This season introduces a new gameplay mechanic in the form of Revival, which automatically allows players to respawn until the end of the match, as long as they have a squadmate up.
  • Shockwave is also bringing akimbo pistols, letting players duel-wield weapons like the Mozambique. 

Neon is back in style. 

Apex Legends: Shockwave is the next big season for Respawn Entertainment and Electronic Arts' ongoing battle royale experience. In this season of Apex Legends, players will be exploring a new map called E-District. 

This is a flashy, cyberpunk-themed map that world director Ed Agostini describes as a "beautiful neon playground" to explore. This map has more playable space than prior Apex Legends battlegrounds, with iconography that's inspired by Angel City from Titanfall.

You can check out the gameplay trailer for Apex Legends: Shockwave below. 

Apex Legends: Shockwave introduces Akimbo and Revival

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Another big addition in Shockwave is the inclusion of Akimbo P2020 pistols and Mozambiques, letting players dual-wield these guns for additional firepower in situations where precision isn't the most important factor. 

Revival is another shake-up this season, streamlining the process by which players can hop back into a match. Now, as long as at least one teammate is up, players will automatically respawn and jump back in after a short amount of time, though this timer increases the longer the match goes on.

“Revival shuts off in the final rings, creating a sudden death feeling in the endgame,” explains associate director Josh Mohan. “Revival is about shaking up the core combat loop of Apex.”

The team is bringing a few more changes to shake up the flow of a match. LMGs now have a front-facing shield that can absorb 40 damage, making machine gun users more survivable in fights with players using an SMG. Finally, any opened bins will be reset and closed at roughly the midway point of a game. Each match will also have a handful of random rare Gold Bins with better loot, as well as one Mythic Bin that's marked for all players.

Apex Legends: Shockwave is kicking off on Aug. 6, 2024. 

Apex Legends is currently available as a free-to-play game on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. It's one of the best Xbox games for anyone that enjoys first-person multiplayer combat.

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]]> <![CDATA[ Apex Legends: Upheaval introduces Alter, the wildest addition yet to its growing roster of characters ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/apex-legends-upheaval-introduces-alter-the-wildest-addition-yet-to-its-growing-roster-of-characters 2Y3FXq7dC6335wW3F2PzuX Fri, 03 May 2024 17:21:02 +0000

What you need to know

  • Apex Legends Season 21, Upheaval, is slated to begin on May 7, 2024. 
  • This season introduces Alter, the latest playable Legend and a strange dimension walker with a multiple-choice past. 
  • Alter can use portals to quickly navigate around enemies, while her ultimate ability enables her entire team to make a quick getaway. 
  • Upheaval also brings back Solos mode, which is replacing Duos for the season.

Sometimes you can't make up your mind. What to eat for dinner, where to go on a date night, exactly what trauma you suffered in another dimension...

That's the gist for Alter, the latest character coming to Respawn Entertainment and Electronic Arts' Apex Legends with Season 21, Upheaval. Alter is a dimensional hopper, someone whose origin lies in another reality as she crosses over space and time to make her way into the games. 

Aside from that core fact, she's not particularly trustworthy, with narrative lead Jaclyn Seto noting that “Her past is what she needs it to be,” and that while she's clearly had a number of wild adventures, there's a lot she'll say that isn't true. One of the few things that is steadfast is part of her culture, as she sometimes speaks Cantonese. 

Alter uses her dimensional rifts to easily navigate the battlefield, zipping around obstacles and enemies while aiding her teammates. Here's Alter's abilities:

  • Passive: Gift from the Rift - Alter loots an item from a distant deathbox
  • Tactical: Void Passage - Alter creates a portal on a surface that can be used to escape or lead enemies to the respawn chamber.
  • Ultimate: Void Nexus - Alter places a device for her whole team, allowing them to use a one-way portal.

What else is coming with Apex Legends: Upheaval?

Alter and Wraith face off. (Image credit: Electronic Arts)
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Alongside Alter, Upheaval is bring Solos mode back to Apex Legends. Solos is replacing Duos, and it comes with a few changes since the last time it was around. In Solos, combat is sped up as every weapon players find is fully kitted out, meaning you aren't waiting around shuffling attachments. Meanwhile, auto-heal and second chance mechanics mean that being knocked isn't necessarily the end of your time in a round.

The Broken Moon map is also getting some changes this season with the introduction of a new central point of interest: Quarantine Zone. This spot is meant to make combat a bit less chaotic early on, with lead level designer Steve Young noting that "There's no distinct power positions."

Analysis: Some fun shake-ups

Apex Legends has continued to evolve with steady updates, additions, and improvements for years now, including recently adding 120 FPS support on the latest consoles. Not every change has been perfect, but the developers have clearly shown a willingness to react and evaluate player feedback that is helping to keep the experience fresh. 

I'm really liking what I've seen of Alter so far, and I'm definitely looking forward to trying her out when the season arrives. 

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

]]> <![CDATA[ Apex Legends players warned to be careful after major hack during pro tournament ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/you-might-want-to-avoid-apex-legends-right-now-major-hack-during-pro-tournament-raises-security-concerns jMw9qKEkJaYKRs8pg4w7fa Mon, 18 Mar 2024 10:43:37 +0000 Mon, 18 Mar 2024 12:41:28 +0000

What you need to know

  • Apex Legends was hit with a major hack during the finals of a pro tournament over the weekend. 
  • Despite being a private lobby, someone hacked the game and gave participants cheats, including wallhacks and aimbots. 
  • There's currently no confirmed information on how the breach occurred, but given the serious nature, players should either avoid the game for now or exercise extreme caution. 

If you were going to load up Apex Legends this fine Monday, you may want to hold off. An incredible situation arose over the weekend (via Forbes), whereby pro players taking part in the North American Finals were given cheats during the game remotely by an unknown party. 

That's right, someone hacked Apex Legends and gave players in a private lobby wallhacks and aimbots in the middle of a game. This wild situation is unprecedented during a major esports event, but more seriously, raises security concerns about the game that could affect everyone. 

Naturally, without an official word from EA or Respawn, the Internet is full of speculation. One running theory is that this is an RCE (remote code execution) which would seem to stack up since this was an online tournament in a private lobby. 

It's also unclear as to exactly where the flaw lies, be it within the game or something related to Easy Anti Cheat, which has also clearly failed at its job. Not a good look for a system that also recently found itself added into Halo Infinite, since, you know, it doesn't seem to be able to block cheats. 

So, what can you do? Caution. Extreme caution. Until EA/Respawn or Epic comments on the situation, this could be something that has the potential to affect all players of Apex Legends, or even other games that utilize Easy Anti Cheat. If a private lobby in a professional tournament can be breached in this way, public lobbies are easy pickings. 

It would be advisable to avoid Apex Legends for the time being. Aside from shutting down the tournament, nothing else has actually been done at this point. There's nothing to say you would be affected, but there's also nothing to say you wouldn't. Be careful out there. 

]]> <![CDATA[ Apex Legends: Breakout brings 120 FPS support to Xbox Series X|S alongside some big gameplay shake-ups ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/apex-legends-breakout-brings-120-fps-support-to-xbox-series-xors-alongside-some-big-gameplay-shake-ups 3ojWpwnsFtefgVzVaKjceR Mon, 05 Feb 2024 19:22:42 +0000 Mon, 05 Feb 2024 19:28:38 +0000

What you need to know

  • Apex Legends: Breakout is the next season for Respawn Entertainment and Electronic Arts' big Battle Royale. 
  • Breakout is shaking a lot of things up, changing how armor works and introducing the Legend Upgrade system. 
  • Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 users will also be able to play Apex Legends: Breakout at 120 FPS. 
  • Apex Legends: Breakout is scheduled to kick off on Feb. 13, 2024. 

As its premiere Battle Royale experience turns five years old, developer Respawn Entertainment is still innovating. 

Breakout, the next season of Apex Legends, is bringing some big shake-ups to the formula, with changes that'll affect the flow of gameplay and increase the quality of the experience. As shared by Respawn Entertainment, Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 will finally have the option of playing at a higher framerate this season, with Apex Legends joining the list of 120 FPS games on current-generation consoles.

One of biggest changes in Breakout is the addition of the Legend Upgrade system, which gives players the opportunity to power up their character-specific abilities up to two times throughout a match as they earn EVO. These EVO points are earned for numerous actions taken in a match, including taking out enemy squads and locating rare EVO harvesters.

This Legend Upgrade mechanic adds to the flexibility of squad composition, with Respawn Entertainment noting that the upgrade decisions will usually happen around the early game and mid-game points of a match. 

Meanwhile, shields and armor are getting a fairly major overhaul, as players will no longer be dropping Body Shields. Instead, each character has Legend Armor, which will increase in capacity as the Legend is levelled up in a match. Players will drop Shield Cores, which can picked up in order to overcharge a player's shields for 30 seconds.

When does Apex Legends: Breakout arrive?

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Apex Legends: Breakout begins on Feb. 13, 2024, across Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. The original game first launched on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Windows PC back on Feb. 4, 2019. 

Since then, the game has grown exponentially with maps, modes, additional Legends, and new story arcs. For a blast from the past that shows just how far the game has come in the last few years, check out the launch trailer below:

Analysis: Big changes for the five-year anniversary

Some of these changes are pretty major, and I'm expecting the one-two punch of Legend Armor and the Legend Upgrade system to have a radical impact on the way Apex Legends plays. That's likely a good thing, and it's great to see that Respawn Entertainment isn't getting complacent in handling upgrades or being afraid to overhaul systems that players have used for years. 

]]> <![CDATA[ Here's everything new in Apex Legends Season 19 — is it worth playing again? ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/xbox/should-you-play-apex-legends-in-season-19 SX6K8eVe4PfTHYAwjUJJsm Tue, 14 Nov 2023 15:59:44 +0000 Tue, 14 Nov 2023 22:43:49 +0000

Should you play Apex Legends in Season 19?

In short, yes. Yes, you absolutely should play Apex Legends in season 19! 

With the new season comes nerfs, buffs, map changes, a new legend, and some much-needed gameplay changes – and it all helps to make the game the most fun it's ever been. 

Season 18 didn't bring many wanted changes or introduce a new legend to the roster; instead, Respawn Entertainment focused on Revenant, a previously released legend from season 4 that has now received a complete rework in the hopes of increasing his pick rate with players. The new season, however, focuses on bringing many long-awaited features into the game. Read on for details. 

What is Apex Legends?

I have played Apex Legends religiously for the past five or six seasons, and it's a game that has a special place in my heart because it is the game that brought me and my partner together. Anyone who knows me knows how much I struggle returning to games I have previously played, but I find myself constantly drawn to Apex. Why? Because, in my opinion, it offers something that no other Battle Royale game does – engaging, competitive and fun gameplay. 

Releasing in early 2019, Apex has had great success and still continues to have great success with an ever-increasing player base. Sure, Fortnite still holds the top spot in the Battle Royale world, but Apex comes in at a very close second, and that's okay. 

Each season, Respawn Entertainment has listened to the players and implemented all sorts of changes in order to keep Apex Legends relevant, and the most crucial part of this is bringing fun and exciting characters to players to learn to love. It started with just eight legends when it was released and now has 24 legends for players to choose from. Each of these offers different abilities and personalities. 

Apex Legends is a challenging game to jump into if you're not used to the genre because of how competitive and complex it is. Fortnite is quite simple in its approach: keep your shields and your health full and pick up whatever loadout of weapons works for you. Apex differs as it has different levels of shields that offer more or less protection, and each weapon has its own set of attachments, so you could say it has a steep learning curve. 

That being said, if you're itching to give it a try, jump in, grab a weapon, and let's get those dubs. After all, it is the perfect season to do so. 

Apex Legends: Season 19 changes

With each new season of Apex Legends comes many changes, both good and bad, and while past seasons of the Battle Royale game haven't been the best, Season 19 has some of the best changes and asked-for features that players have wanted for a very long time. 

Let's take a look, shall we?

Apex Legends: Cross Progression

Cross progression Apex Legends

(Image credit: Respawn Entertainment )

The main talking point that Season 19 of Apex Legends brings is the addition of cross-progression to the game. This is something that players have asked for from day one, and it seemingly hasn't really been a priority for Respawn, but that changes now... sort of. 

Apex Legends is available on every current console, including the Nintendo Switch, so the fact that you were required to pick a 'main' console for your account was a little silly. Surely, it makes more sense to pick up exactly where you left off on various consoles, whether moving from your PC to your Xbox or vice versa. 

Nevertheless, cross-progression is being implemented in the current season, but Respawn Entertainment has stated that this is an ongoing process and will be a slow one. The way this will work is the game will merge multiple accounts, making the most-used account the primary one, transferring all the players' cosmetic items, purchased legends, and stats into one account. The only exception here is that console-exclusive items will still be exclusive to that specific console. 

So, if you haven't had the prompt to merge your accounts yet, don't worry. It's coming.  

Apex Legends: Changes to respawning

Apex Legends

(Image credit: Respawn Entertainment)

Perhaps the most significant game-altering change in the latest season of Apex Legends is how the respawning system works. Previously, if a member of your team died, then you could respawn them at respawn beacons that are spread across the map after having either collected your teammate's banner(s) or by crafting them. The player, or players, would then jump back in, fresh as a daisy, with no armor or weapons. Only two syringes and two shield cells to comfort them. Annoyingly, this would make you a target for any nearby squads as they can see you respawning and would know that you're at a disadvantage. Luckily, this is no longer the case. 

In season 19, this all changes. Players will still be able to respawn their fallen squaddies at respawn beacons, but now they will respawn with their armor and weapons, giving you a fighting chance should another team try to catch you off guard. 

There is a slight catch, though. Any weapon attachments you had equipped will no longer be present, and you won't spawn with everything you had in your backpack at the time of death – only the essentials. So you will still have to return to your death box if you want to retrieve that shiny gold extended light magazine. 

Apex Legends: Storm Point update

Apex Legends storm point map

(Image credit: Respawn Entertainment )

One of Apex Legends' least-loved maps, Storm Point, has received a complete overhaul, and it's helped to create one of the best maps in the game. 

Known for its more predictable pacing with the competitive community, Storm Point, was lacking in the action side when playing in casual play, leaving many teams not seeing any fights until the very end. 

Respawn looked at combatting this by making the map smaller, and adding more points of interest designed to give players who want to jump straight into the action a place to go.

One thing I love about Apex is the fact that there is a rotation of maps, meaning you're not going to get bored of the same scenery, and it's something I believe that has an advantage over the likes of Fortnite. After a certain amount of time the map will change, with each season choosing a rotation of three out of the five available maps. 

In season 19 the current map rotation is Olympus, Storm Point and Broken Moon. 

Apex Legends: New legend, Conduit

Apex Legends

(Image credit: Respawn Entertainment )

Season 19 introduces a new support legend to the roster, a character type that many players believed they needed more of. Her name is Conduit, and she's probably the best legend we have seen added to the game in a good while. 

With abilities that focus on buffing your team's shields and your own, Conduit is an enjoyable all-rounded character to play as and has actually gone on to become my second main. 

Her passive ability allows her movement speed to be faster if she is a certain distance away from her teammates. This is great for those moments when your team is in a bit of a jam and you need to get somewhere quickly to offer help. 

Her tactical ability allows her to give her armor a boost, as well as one other teammate, which is really handy when you're in the middle of a battle and your armor has broken. This could potentially win that particular battle for you; believe me, it does. 

Conduit's ultimate is an interesting one. Conduit deploys an array of shield-jamming devices that both damages and slows down enemies that find themselves in their vicinity. The really interesting thing about this is it deploys differently depending on what area you are in. If you are in a vast open space, they will deploy in a straight line. If you are in a building, they will deploy in a circular motion. It's fantastic for keeping enemy squads at a distance; if they decide to push, they will get a not-so-nice surprise. 

Conduit's abilities and current popularity could see her becoming one of the top picks in casual and competitive play, and it's fully deserved. 

The future of Apex Legends

Apex Legends

(Image credit: Respawn Entertainment )
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It's clear that the future is bright for Apex Legends, with the game improving significantly each season. We don't know what's next for the game, but it's reassuring to know that Respawn is actively listening to the players and their wants. 

Season 19 is shaping up to be a fantastic season, one that is great for returning players and new ones purely because of the changes made – cross-progression especially, as this was very much needed. 

With the addition of the season's very first event (and the biggest collaboration they've done yet) with the Post Malone event and the rumors of Loba's prestige skin likely arriving this season, it's an excellent time to play Apex Legends. 

]]> <![CDATA[ Apex Legends' latest patch broke its anti-cheat tool, kicking all Steam Deck players out of the game ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/apex-legends-ignite-patch-broke-anti-cheat-kicking-steam-deck-players ATjRzkCL2ytf3NrWbzAw26 Thu, 02 Nov 2023 14:12:19 +0000

What you need to know

  • Developers Respawn released a new patch for its free-to-play title Apex Legends with release notes.
  • The only supposed change to anti-cheat was to notify the lobby when a player was banned for cheating.
  • It seems that any device running Linux is no longer able to play, including the Steam Deck.
  • This has happened before and should be fixed soon, if unintentional.

The curse of anti-cheat rears its head once more. Recently, we reported on AMD's anti-lag getting players banned in games like Counter-Strike 2 and other games. There seem to be constant reports of players being banned from games that, according to the player, weren't cheating.

Well, with the new update, Steam Deck users won't be able to play Apex Legends until they fix the issue with Linux-based devices in the patch. 

What does this mean for Linux and Steam Deck players? Respawn is working on a fix, so sit tight and give it a few more days. But the underlying issue here is how anti-cheat continues to harm reputable players and doesn't seem to stop all cheaters.

Why won't Apex Legends work on Steam Deck?

Steam Deck players are being greeted with a similar message when trying to play Apex Legends.  (Image credit: EA)

The Apex Legends build for Linux and, in turn, Steam Deck was broken in the latest patch. It appears that the easyanticheat_x64.so file for Linux was removed, causing this issue. This doesn't seem to have been intentional by Respawn, and in fact, they have replied that a fix for the issue is currently in progress. 

Anti-cheat has been a long-time issue for Steam Deck Players. Unfortunately, for a lot of games, anti-cheat isn't supported at all on Steam Deck, so the games aren't playable. Still, in the last year or so, many developers have found ways to get anti-cheat onto the Deck and now work such as Halo: MCC and Halo Infinite. 

If you're a Steam Deck player itching to get into season 19, give it a few more days. Luckily, Apex Legends is playable on almost everything, so maybe give it a few more days, or it might be time to upgrade to a Windows 11-based ASUS ROG Ally or Lenovo Legion Go. Are you on the fence about upgrading? Check out our review for the ASUS ROG Ally, or look at the best places to buy the Lenovo Legion Go.  

Are you being affected by the Apex Legends update? Do you think anti-cheat is effective in games? Let us know in the comments.

]]> <![CDATA[ Apex Legends: Ignite introduces a new Legend named Conduit and cross-progression for all platforms ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/apex-legends-ignite-introduces-a-new-legend-named-conduit-and-cross-progression-for-all-platforms iQc7aaotgg4GwGyNMWshH5 Thu, 26 Oct 2023 15:13:36 +0000 Thu, 26 Oct 2023 15:14:52 +0000

What you need to know

  • The next season of Apex Legends is called Ignite. 
  • Apex Legends: Ignite is bringing a new Legend named Conduit, who has a special suit powered by the battery of a fallen Titan. 
  • Conduit's abilities are based around boosting her shields and those of her squadmates.
  • Apex Legends: Ignite also introduced long-awaited cross-progression functionality.

The next additions to Respawn Entertainment's battle royale are downright energizing. 

That's quite literal, as Apex Legends' newest season, Ignite, is introducing Conduit, the latest Legend in the ever-growing roster. While the prior season focused on a big, well-received rework for Revenant, Ignite is back to adding new characters.

Described by narrative lead Christal Rose Hazelton as having a "bright, infectious personality," Conduit uses a special suit powered by the battery of a wrecked Titan. As a support character, Conduit is designed to reinforce her allies and herself with shield-based powers. Here's the list of Conduit's abilities:

  • Passive - Savior's Speed: Conduit gains a burst a speed when sprinting towards teammates outside of the range of her tactical ability.
  • Tactical - Radiant Transfer: Conduit sends energy to a teammate, giving temporary shields to both of them. 
  • Ultimate - Energy Barricade: Conduits spreads out several shield-jamming devices that slow and damage enemies.

These abilities mean Conduit has been designed to be flexible, and she can work as a support character by taking offensive or defensive measures that ensure her squad stays alive. You can take a look at Conduit's gameplay trailer below.

Outside of having a new Legend to play around with, the other biggest addition to Apex Legends: Ignite is the long-awaited cross-progression. This feature is rolling out as mandatory, requiring players to link up their accounts, with the highest-ranking account taking priority.

No longer do you have to track progress or buy skins on separate platforms, instead, players can simply keep all of their progress no matter where they choose to play.

Apex Legends: Ignite is scheduled to launch across Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, and Nintendo Switch on Oct. 31, 2023.

]]> <![CDATA[ Apex Legends: Resurrection brings a full rework for Revenant ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/apex-legends-resurrection-brings-a-full-rework-for-revenant YhDxwzscfBmHVCrpVh6scB Thu, 03 Aug 2023 15:30:23 +0000

What you need to know

  • Apex Legends: Resurrection is the next season for Respawn Entertainment's battle royale experience. 
  • In this update, Revenant has been reworked with a new look and some changes to his abilities that make him a deadlier hunter than ever before. 
  • Revenant is free for all players to use this season, and can be unlocked permanently for free by completing a series of challenges. 
  • Apex Legends: Resurrection kicks off on August 8, 2023. 

The robotic killer has some upgrades. 

In the next season of Apex Legends, fittingly dubbed Resurrection, Revenant has gotten a rework. In addition to a shiny new look, the cybernetic assassin's abilities have been tweaked, making him even more dangerous. 

Revenant's Passive ability, Assassin's Instinct, now has an improved wallclimb while also allowing Revenant to mark foes, making it easier to get the drop on them. His Tactical, Shadow Pounce, can easily get him closer to an enemy, encouraging a more aggressive playstyle. 

Finally, his Ultimate ability, Forged Shadows, creates armored shadows around Revenant that absorb damage before breaking. If Revenant knocks an opponent down while Forged Shadows is active, Shadow Pounce is instantly recharged and his shadowy armor returns if it was broken. 

Read more

- Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is coming to Xbox One and PS4
- Xbox Insiders can test streaming games to Discord
- Apex Legends: Arsenal brings big changes for World's Edge
- Bethesda debuts three Starfield animated shorts

Revenant is completely free for everyone to try out during this season. By completing a special series of challenges, players can also keep Revenant for free after the season ends without having to buy him. 

Will we see other characters get reworks? According to Respawn Entertainment designer Evan Funnell,  the team doesn't want to commit to it on a "regular basis,” but “We don’t want to be too precious," with the way Legends function. 

This rework follows the events of the Kill Code Part 1 story and the current activity following Loba. According to Ashley Reed, narrative lead at Respawn Entertainment, all of these are the "first pieces" of a story running through the rest of 2023. 

Apex Legends: Resurrection is set to begin on August 8, 2023 across Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, PS5, PS4, and Nintendo Switch. 

Windows Central's take

The rate at which Respawn Entertainment continues to provide updates for Apex Legends is truly impressive. This rate of revamps, new Legends, and map changes can't be easy to keep going. 

I recognize it's unlikely considering the resources it would take and the reports of a cancelled game earlier this year, but I do hope we get to have a proper single-player game set in this universe again, especially since it's grown so much since the days of Titanfall. 

]]> <![CDATA[ Apex Legends Neon Network Collection Event is now live - here's what it's all about ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/apex-legends-neon-network-collection-event-is-now-live-heres-what-its-all-about 8Vdmdp2ePfixs6KCexRd3W Wed, 26 Jul 2023 18:06:35 +0000

What you need to know

  • The latest Apex Legends update is live and gives us the Neon Network Collection Event.
  • Use the Node Tracker in non-ranked Battle Royale Matches to gather Compute Nodes.
  • You get to choose what to unlock in the Reward Shop.

Apex Legends brings another update and with it we get a brand-new limited time event. This time it's the Neon Network Collection Event. In non-ranked Battle Royale games, you can use the Node Tracker to detect, locate the best location to connect, and hack into leads across the map to receive lovely loot and to gather those all-important Computer Nodes.


You're limited to how many of these Computer Nodes you may collect each day, but you can also choose what you spend them on. This is a little different to how these Collection Events usually work where you'll normally unlock each item one by one in a set order. As a nice bonus, once you've unlocked all of the rewards from the shop you can use your remaining Nodes to earn additional BP Stars, which help with your Battle Pass progress. For the Neon Network event they've mixed this up a bit and it's definitely a welcome change.

All the things you can do in the Neon Network event in apex legends

(Image credit: Future)

Collecting said Computer Nodes isn't going to be straightforward of course. As already mentioned, they aren't given out at the end of the match. You are going to have to fight and fight hard with other players who will no doubt be looking to take the loot for themselves. 

There's not long left of Season 17: Arsenal and as part of the Neon Network Collection Event you'll be revealing some story snippets that give some hints at to where the story is going to as you keep gathering the Computer Nodes. Hopefully Respawn keeps bringing events like this to Apex Legends as it's definitely more friendly to those that don't have as much time to put into the game.

]]> <![CDATA[ Apex Legends: Arsenal introduces big changes for World's Edge and a new Firing Range ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/apex-legends-arsenal-introduces-big-changes-for-worlds-edge-and-new-firing-range BFLZWWcbwwiwP3wPmJAKSB Mon, 01 May 2023 17:05:32 +0000

What you need to know

  • Apex Legends: Arsenal is the next season of Respawn Entertainment's ongoing battle royale title. 
  • Apex Legends: Arsenal is adding some big changes to World's Edge, as well introducing a completely reworked Firing Range. 
  • There's also a new Legend named Ballistic. 
  • Apex Legends: Arsenal is set to launch on May 9, 2023.

Developer Respawn Entertainment is shaking things up with the next season for its ever-popular battle royale. 

The next season of Apex Legends is coming, and with it comes a few updates that new or returning players will appreciate. In Apex Legends: Arsenal, the Firing Range has been completely reworked, and is now perfect for testing the different abilities of Legends in addition to the game's guns. 

In addition to this rework, there's a new Legend named Ballistic, a veteran of the Thunderdome games that can carry a third gun in his sling. The World's Edge map has seen some big changes with a new point of interest (POI) in the form of a dedicated Apex Legends museum. You can check out the latest trailer for Apex Legends: Arsenal below. 

Outside of all this, Apex Legends: Arsenal is introducing Weapon Mastery challenges, and as the name implies, it'll take true mastery to complete some of the challenges required. Completing these challenges will unlock some special rewards, including unique cosmetics. 

Apex Legends: Arsenal is currently slated to launch on May 9, 2023 across Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC, PS5, PS4, and Nintendo Switch.

Windows Central's take

The focus on the game's health last season with Apex Legends: Revelry seem to have been well-received, so it makes perfect sense for this new season to go back to introducing a new Legend and give World's Edge some much-needed love. I'll definitely be finding time to check out Ballistic when the season begins.

]]> <![CDATA[ Respawn Entertainment expands Apex Legends support with new Wisconsin studio ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/respawn-entertainments-expands-apex-legends-support-with-new-wisconsin-studio UjkJ8UZ79sSjWEWtj46E2T Mon, 20 Mar 2023 18:05:40 +0000 Mon, 20 Mar 2023 18:09:34 +0000

What you need to know

  • Respawn Entertainment is expanding with a new studio located in Madison, Wisconsin in the U.S.
  • This is the third studio to be part of Respawn Entertainment, in addition to the Los Angeles and Vancouver, Canada teams. 
  • The Wisconsin studio will primarily be focused on supporting Apex Legends. 
  • This comes just a few weeks after the news that Respawn parent company Electronic Arts laid off hundreds of quality assurance testers working on Apex Legends. 

Developer Respawn Entertainment continues to grow as one of Electronic Arts' premiere studios with an upcoming third location.

Respawn Entertainment shared on Monday that the team is expanding with a third studio located in Madison, Wisconsin in the U.S. This studio's primary focus is on continuing to support Apex Legends, with the team being led by Ryan Burnett, who previously worked at studios like Raven Software and Epic Games.

"At its core, this expansion represents Respawn’s commitment to work with the most skilled, curious, and creative minds in the industry. Having just passed its 4th anniversary, our aim is to continue to make Apex Legends the premiere Battle Royale on the market," says Daniel Suarez, SVP operations at Respawn Entertainment. 

"I cannot think of a better addition than the immensely talented developers in Madison working alongside our Los Angeles and Vancouver teams to help us shape what comes next."

Respawn Entertainment first expanded in support of Apex Legends back in 2020, opening a studio in Vancouver, Canada to assist with the ongoing work the Battle Royale hit would require.

This most recent expansion comes just weeks after Electronic Arts laid off hundreds of quality assurance (QA) testers who worked on Apex Legends. Electronic Arts also reportedly cancelled an unannounced single-player Apex Legends game in the Titanfall universe. The company also announced that support for Apex Legends Mobile, which launched in 2022, would be ending.

Windows Central's Take

On one hand, it's cool to see Respawn Entertainment expanding. A new studio means more potential and more jobs. People I know that were laid off months ago have still been unable to find a new job, so the more positions available, the better. 

At the same time, I can't help but feel a little disappointing that it's mainly to support Apex Legends. I get it, maintaining a live service game takes a lot of work, but it would be cool to see Respawn get to work on something that isn't Star Wars or Apex Legends. Or, at the very, would be adjacent to Apex Legends, like a Titanfall 3 or the now-cancelled single-player game.

There's also the optics of this studio being opened just after hundreds of people working as testers lost their jobs. I understand it's not one-to-one, but it feels gross to watch.

]]> <![CDATA[ Apex Legends: Revelry is bringing big changes like Team Deathmatch, but no new Legend ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/apex-legends-revelry-is-bringing-big-changes-like-team-deathmatch-but-no-new-legend cT5JQLPriur67ecTb8yzVM Mon, 06 Feb 2023 16:00:14 +0000 Mon, 06 Feb 2023 16:36:17 +0000

What you need to know

  • Apex Legends: Revelry is the next season of developer Respawn Entertainment's ongoing shooter, Apex Legends. 
  • Apex Legends: Revelry eschews adding a new playable Legend, with the team focusing on new game experiences and rebalancing the existing Legends.
  • The developers are sunsetting the Arenas mode, while the highly-requested Team Deathmatch is finally being introduced.
  • Apex Legends: Revelry is slated to launch on Feb 14, 2023.

The next big season for Apex Legends is almost here, and the developers at Respawn Entertainment are shaking some things up. 

To start, there's no new Legend coming this season. While past seasons have frequently expanded the roster, with more recent additions including Catalyst and Vantage, the developers are choosing to focus on balancing and tweaking the entire existing cast for Apex Legends: Revelry through new Classes and Perks, something that requires not introducing another character. 

Arenas mode is also going away, with the developers choosing to sunset this mode because it just hasn't clicked with majority of players.

"We feel Arenas is missing the mark for our players,” says Evan Nikolich, senior design director at Respawn Entertainment. Arenas will be replaced by the widely-requested Team Deathmatch, which will be rolling out as part of Apex Legends: Revelry. Team Deathmatch is fast-paced, with two teams of six players picking loadouts and fighting until a team wins two rounds.

Respawn Entertainment is also taking time to focus on the new player experience, making the Battle Royale a touch more accessible to new players. Anyone playing Apex Legends for the first time will now have to complete a handful of "orientation" matches, being paired mostly with bots, with only four squads of human players.

Across Battle Royale and Team Deathmatch, players will also get to try out a new gun, a burst rifle called the Nemesis, which should shake up close and mid-range encounters.

All of this comes on the heels of recent game cancellations at Electronic Arts, with Apex Legends Mobile shutting down and a new unannounced Titanfall game reportedly being shuttered. Speaking on the former, game director Steven Ferreira noted that the closure of Apex Legends Mobile was "not a reflection" on Apex Legends as a whole.

Apex Legends: Revelry is slated to launch on Feb. 14 for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC, PS5, PS4, and Nintendo Switch.

Windows Central's take

There's some promising tidbits here, but we'll have to wait and see how the Legend remastering goes to make any other calls. Team Deathmatch should be a welcome addition, and Respawn making sure newer players have a better experience is also welcome. All things told, this should continue to be one of the best Xbox games for any multiplayer fans for some time.

]]> <![CDATA[ EA reportedly cancels single-player Apex Legends game set in Titanfall universe ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/report-electronic-arts-cancels-single-player-apex-legends-game-set-in-titanfall-universe CyUn3FUp74ThbFKtAjpj28 Wed, 01 Feb 2023 20:47:08 +0000 Wed, 01 Feb 2023 22:02:23 +0000

What you need to know

  • According to a new report, a single-player game set in the Titanfall and Apex Legends universe has been cancelled by Electronic Arts (EA).
  • The game, codenamed "Titanfall Legends," was in development at Respawn Entertainment by 50 developers.
  • Reportedly, EA will try and find new positions for these developers, though they will be laid off with severance if it is unable to do so.
  • This news comes after EA recently cancelled both Apex Legends Mobile and Battlefield Mobile, as well as a delay of Respawn's upcoming Star Wars Jedi: Survivor game to April 28, 2023.

Fans of the immensely popular Apex Legends battle royale game and the Titanfall series that takes place in the same universe have been hoping for a single-player game in the franchise for several years now. Unfortunately, one that was in development will reportedly never see the light of day.

According to a new report, Apex Legends and Titanfall publisher Electronic Arts (EA) has cancelled a single-player game, codenamed "Titanfall Legends," that was based on these titles. Three people familiar with the game's development have said that the game was being worked on at Respawn Entertainment — the studio that makes Apex Legends and Titanfall, as well as Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and the upcoming sequel, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. 50 of Respawn's developers were working to create the game.

According to sources familiar with the situation, EA's managerial staff have informed the game's development team that the publisher will attempt to find a place for them within the company. However, anyone who can't find a new position will be given severance packages and cut from EA and Respawn.

Titanfall Legends was directed by Mohammad Alavi, a veteran level designer for several Call of Duty titles, both Titanfall games, and Apex Legends. Notably, the game has never been publicly announced, revealed, or advertised.

(Image credit: Electronic Arts)

While the original Titanfall did not ship with a single-player experience, Titanfall 2 did when it launched in 2016. The game won near-universal acclaim from fans and critics alike for its campaign, with many praising its story, gameplay, level design, art direction, and more. The third Titanfall game ended up becoming Apex Legends, a free-to-play multiplayer battle royale experience without a similar campaign or story mode. Apex, which shadow-dropped in 2019, ended up growing into one of EA and Respawn's most successful projects, as the game has earned over $2 billion and continues to enjoy a consistently high player count.

This news comes after EA recently cancelled both Apex Legends Mobile and Battlefield Mobile. The publisher said that "despite Apex Mobile’s strong start, the ongoing experience was not going to meet the expectations of our players," while Battlefield Mobile was cut as EA said it "decided to pivot from the current direction to best deliver on our vision for the franchise and to meet the expectations of our players." Industrial Toys, the developer of Battlefield Mobile, has been shuttered amid these cancellations.

Respawn Entertainment's Star Wars Jedi: Survivor was also recently delayed to April 2023, with the studio taking to social media to explain the reasoning behind the decision. "In order for the team to hit the Respawn quality bar, provide the team the time they need, and achieve the level of polish our fans deserve, we have added six crucial weeks to our release schedule," Respawn wrote. The game is now expected to launch on April 28.

Windows Central's take

As someone who loved Titanfall 2's campaign and has always wanted to see Respawn continue making single-player experiences in the Titanfall/Apex universe, this news is pretty devastating. 

While it's currently unclear why EA chose to axe the game, the publisher has historically spoken about its prioritization of multiplayer and live service-type experiences. Though EA CEO Andrew Wilson said that single-player games were "really, really important" in a 2022 earnings call, CFO Chris Sue immediately pivoted to talking about the fact that "live services still encompass ... over 70 percent of our business."

So, does EA truly care about single-player games? It's hard to say. It published the highly successful Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, greenlit the upcoming Star Wars Jedi: Survivor sequel, and delivered the excellent Dead Space remake. Yet, it also cancelled this single-player "Titanfall Legends" project, which may have been a huge hit with Titanfall and Apex players. 

Perhaps the publisher is focusing on its most successful and profitable games amid strained economic conditions and an anticipated recession, opting to avoid projects it considers risky. After all, Titanfall 2 sold poorly despite its accolades — though there's a strong argument to be made that the flop was due to the game being sandwiched between the launches of Battlefield 1 and Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare.

Ultimately, we won't know for sure why EA scrapped the game unless it publicly comments on the situation. Regardless of the reasoning behind the cancellation, though, it sucks to be a Titanfall fan right now.

]]> <![CDATA[ Apex Legends: Eclipse brings item gifting and a new map called Broken Moon ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/apex-legends-eclipse-brings-item-gifting-and-a-new-map-called-broken-moon t8TbAHHrE8vr2uo7cAS9KJ Mon, 24 Oct 2022 15:00:01 +0000

What you need to know

  • Apex Legends Season 15 is titled Apex Legends: Eclipse. 
  • Apex Legends: Eclipse is adding a new character named Catalyst, as well as a new map called Broken Moon. 
  • The developers at Respawn Entertainment are also introducing item gifting and stickers, the latter allowing extra customization. 
  • Apex Legends: Eclipse is slated to launch on Nov. 1, 2022.

The next season of Apex Legends is on the way, and there are some big changes coming with some widely-requested features, as well as a new place for Legends to fight.

Apex Legends: Eclipse is introducing the Broken Moon map, which was designed to break up the normal flow of combat across the other maps in rotation. Respawn Entertainment notes that the points of interest are much larger here, allowing squads to explore and relax for longer before breaking out in fights.

Broken Moon is slightly larger than World's Edge, but due to some of the more unique systems in play, it “really is its own animal," per Jeff Shaw, level designer at Respawn Entertainment. The moon as been partially terraformed, and the map is set on the light side of the moon, with structures and imagery inspired by Monet paintings.

“We wanted to make sure it was something people could spend hours in but that wouldn’t become oppressive or depressing,” notes Ed Agostini, world director on Apex Legends at Respawn Entertainment.

With Apex Legends widely being seen as one of the best Xbox games for multiplayer and battle royale fans, a new map is a huge event. Completely new maps — not updated versions of older maps — take a long time to build for Apex Legends, with Respawn Entertainment saying that the total process is around a year and a half, with the first six months being pre-production.

“We don’t want to put out anything that isn’t ready for prime time," says Agostini. 

(Image credit: Electronic Arts)

Outside of the new map, the fifteenth season of Apex Legends is bringing some widely requested features. Players will be able to start giving each other gifts, allowing someone to purchase items or bundles for a friend who might not have played as long and hasn't earned a lot yet. 

Players will also be able to further customize their Legends through stickers, which can be applied to equipment. Looking ahead, Respawn Entertainment is continuing to look into cross-progression, though there's no release window for when this feature might become available. 

Apex Legends: Eclipse launches on Nov. 1, 2022 across all platforms.

]]> <![CDATA[ Apex Legends' newest hero Vantage is a sniper focused on survival ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/xbox/apex-legends-newest-hero-vantage-is-a-sniper-focused-on-survival tW8HssJo5nZK4uRN7NCK4i Thu, 04 Aug 2022 15:00:00 +0000

What you need to know

  • Vantage is a new character coming to Apex Legends with the next season, which is called Apex Legends: Hunted.
  • Vantage can scan enemies from a distance for info, reposition around the battlefield using her pet bat Echo, and 
  • Apex Legends: Hunted is scheduled to begin on Aug. 9, 2022.

As Apex Legends continues to grow, the youngest character yet is joining the playable roster in the next season. 

Apex Legends: Hunted brings Vantage, a young survivalist who grew on a harsh, icy planet. As a sniper, Vantage is used to tracking targets from a distance, which plays a role in her skillset, making her a stark contrast to the defensive Newcastle, who was added earlier in the year. 

Vantage is also accompanied by her pet bat Echo. Echo isn't just there to show off, but is instead an extension of Vantage's abilities, helping her relocate around the map when needed. Rachel Gagner, concept artist at Respawn Entertainment, explained that Echo was meant to strike a balance, as the team wanted him to be cute, but also "feral and wild." 

Anyone worried about the poor guy getting hurt can relax however, as Respawn also shared that Echo can't be shot or targeted in any way. All of this means that Vantage will help shake up the game at a time it's already getting some other big changes, with King's Canyon returning and the level cap expanding as part of Apex Legends: Hunted, which is set to begin on Aug. 9, 2022.

Here's Vantage's list of abilities: 

  • Passive - Spotter’s Lens 
    • Using her Spotter’s Lens to read tactical information on enemy squads at a distance, Vantage always has the upper hand with critical intel like Legend name, Shield rarity, team size and range. 
  • Tactical - Echo Relocation 
    • Vantage’s companion Echo is at the ready to help her reposition herself in a fight. Using her modified jetpack and targeting system, Vantage can launch herself towards Echo’s position and take the high ground.
  • Ultimate - Sniper’s Mark 
    • There’s nowhere to hide from Vantage’s custom sniper rifle, which reveals enemies with its scope and with its ammunition: a successful hit highlights opposing squads for 10 seconds accompanied by a diamond marker, and damage scales up with each hit.
]]> <![CDATA[ Apex Legends: Hunted brings an updated King's Canyon and a huge level cap increase ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/xbox/apex-legends-hunted-brings-an-updated-kings-canyon-and-a-huge-level-cap-increase ZWxm8Fd9frErkaFKJqNSak Mon, 01 Aug 2022 15:00:00 +0000

What you need to know

  • Apex Legends: Hunted is the next season of content for Respawn Entertainment's ongoing battle royale first-person shooter.
  • With Apex Legends: Hunted, the developers are bringing back the King's Canyon map, with a few changes to make it a more balanced experience than ever before.
  • The level cap is also being raised, going up from 500 to 2000, vastly increasing the number of Apex Packs players can earn.
  • Apex Legends: Hunted is currently scheduled to begin on Aug. 9, 2022.

The next season of Apex Legends is on the way, with a few big changes for players to look forward to. 

To start, King's Canyon is coming back with Apex Legends: Hunted. This map was the first-ever arena available in Apex Legends, and its revamped form sees some changes to make it a more competitive experience all around. Jeff Shaw, lead level designer for Apex Legends: Hunted, notes that The Cage has been opened up, so there's less cover, meaning that firefights should be resolved quicker than in the past. 

As part of the King's Canyon revamp, the iconic Skull Town is returning as Relic. While this location was destroyed by Loba back in Apex Legends' fifth season, the damage has since been repaired.

(Image credit: Electronic Arts)

The level cap is also being increased this season. It's not a small bump, with the developers confirming that the cap will be increasing all the way from 500 to 2000, as players will be able to "loop" back with ranks 1 to 500 three additional times, similar to a Prestige system in games like the Call of Duty franchise. Naturally, this means there's a massive increase in how many Apex Packs players can earn through leveling up. 

Finally, a few major changes are coming to different guns and equipment as part of a balancing effort. The Laser Sight attachment is being added for pistols and submachine guns, massively reducing hipfire spread for those weapons. The Wingman is being moved over to Heavy ammo, while the Spitfire is being moved to Light ammo. Finally, the EVA-8 is getting a variety of tweaks to make it more useful, including an increased fire rate and Stocks as an attachment. 

Senior game designed Eric Canavese says that these weapon changes are meant to add "wiggle room" in case the team designs to experiment with new weapons in future seasons. Additionally, Gold-tier items are being reworked. As an example, Gold backpacks are losing the Guardian Angel perk, but will allow players to hold even more items. 

All in all, there's a lot for players to go through, including the new hero Vantage, and Apex Legends is set to continue growing as one of the best games around for anyone that enjoys multiplayer shooters. Apex Legends: Hunted is slated to begin on Aug. 9, 2022. 

]]> <![CDATA[ Apex Legends' new hero Vantage introduced with her pet bat named Echo ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/xbox/apex-legends-new-hero-vantage-introduced-with-her-pet-bat-named-echo 9VroMxtT5VXLFDsMT75QFQ Mon, 25 Jul 2022 17:32:23 +0000 Mon, 25 Jul 2022 17:46:21 +0000

What you need to know

  • Respawn Entertainment and Electronic Arts revealed Vantage, the latest character coming to Apex Legends. 
  • Vantage is a survivor who grew up alone on the icy world of Págos, accompanied only by her alien bat friend named Echo. 
  • Vantage is being added as part of Apex Legends: Hunted, the next big update for the popular battle royale title. 

Details are still early, but we've got our first look at the next character coming to Electronic Arts (EA) and Respawn Entertainment's Apex Legends. 

The developers shared a new trailer on Monday, revealing that Vantage will be the next Legend in the game as part of the Apex Legends: Hunted update. Vantage grew up as the child of a criminal who was wrongfully convicted. Vantage is alone aside from alien bat companion, who is named Echo, and the pair have struggled to survive on an icy planet called Págos. 

You can take a look at the new trailer, Stories from the Outland: Survive, below: 

While we don't know exactly what her skills will entail, Vantage's name and usage of a sniper rifle in the trailer indicate that she'll be good at long-ranged precision combat. It also seems likely that her pet bat Echo could play a roll with her skillset.

Earlier in the year, Respawn Entertainment introduced another Legend named Newcastle as a part of Apex Legends: Saviors. Apex Legends is continuing to grow as one of the best games for multiplayer around, and we'll have to wait and see what else will be part of Apex Legends: Hunted. 

We'll know more soon, as Apex Legends: Hunted is currently scheduled to launch on Aug. 9, 2022 across all platforms. 

]]> <![CDATA[ Apex Legends' latest hero Newcastle is a 'medieval celebrity' ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/apex-legends-latest-hero-newcastle-medieval-celebrity hcWFoDvCwnMLvs1RDcq7Kv Thu, 05 May 2022 15:00:02 +0000 Thu, 05 May 2022 15:25:02 +0000

What you need to know

  • Newcastle is the latest hero to be added to the roster in Respawn Entertainment's battle royale, Apex Legends.
  • Newcastle is actually Jackson, the brother of Bangalore.
  • Apex Legends: Saviors is slated to launch on May 10, 2022.

Apex Legends: Saviors, the latest season for the ongoing battle royale game, is gaining another Legend for players to use.

Newcastle arrives as part of Apex Legends: Saviors, the same season that's bringing a dead sea monster and IMC Armories to the Storm Point map. Newcastle is designed as a duality, simultaneously a bright-eyed, optimistic hero of the people while also hiding secrets.

Newcastle is Jackson, brother of Bangalore. He's entered the games while impersonating the original Newcastle. This is reflected in the design of his logo, per lead character concept artist Christina Ferez, who notes that the layered castle is divided in two, representing Jackson's double life. Newcastle has been designed to be inspiring and heroic, though clearly still adapting from suburban life, as he has a bit of "dad bod."

Narrative writer Ify Nwadiwe sums Jackson up by saying he's "authentically a dad," adding that "He's trying to get back to his kids at the end of the day."

The team at Respawn Entertainment has been working on Newcastle for the last couple of years, changing out ideas of a superhero-esque figure who could also be something of a "medieval celebrity." These ideas are reflected in Newcastle's abilities, which are focused on defense, making him a foil to Bangalore's offensive style, with Devan McGuire, senior game designer, saying that "The idea of a knight in Apex is something we realized just made so much sense."

Here's Newcastle's list of abilities:

  • Passive - Retrieve the Wounded
    • Using his wrist-mounted Revive Shield, Newcastle can protect himself and his companion from incoming fire while he revives and pulls his ally to safety. The Revive Shield is powered by Newcastle's own Knockdown Shield, so finding higher levels of the item increases the strength of this ability.
  • Tactical - Mobile Shield
    • Newcastle creates a hovering energy shield and can control its movement to adapt to the ever changing combat fronts of the battlefield. Advance the line, cover a retreat or turn the shield to guard against a sudden flank. The Mobile Shield's versatility and top/bottom shield projections give creative opportunities to the tactical defender.
  • Ultimate - Castle Wall
    • Drawing his signature shield from his back, Newcastle leaps into action and slams the shield to the ground activating the construction of a massive fortress to give him and his allies a strong defensive position. Enemies in its wake are knocked back and those who try to push through the energized wall are punishd and slowed.
    • While Newcastle can leap great distances in a single bound with his Ultimate, it is even stronger when used to regroup. When targeting an ally, Newcastle can leap higher and farther than normal allowing him to heroically reach his companion and turn the tide of a fight.
]]> <![CDATA[ Apex Legends: Saviors brings new rewards and a dead sea monster in May ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/apex-legends-saviors-new-rewards-dead-sea-monster sWzbkedq8616u65toUZeaU Mon, 02 May 2022 15:00:02 +0000 Tue, 03 May 2022 21:29:40 +0000

What you need to know

  • Apex Legends: Saviors is the next season for Respawn Entertainment's ongoing battle royale title.
  • Apex Legends: Saviors is adding a new point of interest in the form of a dead sea monster.
  • There's also new IMC armories which provide a risk-reward minigame, as well as a new hero named Newcastle.
  • Apex Legends: Saviors is slated to launch of May 10, 2022.

Jeff Shaw, lead level designer at Respawn Entertainment, sums up Apex Legends: Saviors pretty well by asking "What if we could fight inside and around a giant sea monster?"

Apex Legends, the juggernaut battle royale title from Respawn Entertainment and Electronic Arts, is growing even more with its upcoming season. Apex Legends: Saviors is adding a lot, from the mysterious new hero Newcastle to a new major point of interest on the Storm Point map. That latter addition radically changes things, adding a dead sea monster that's more that just scenery, it's a part of the map.

While going inside the creature — known as the Downed Beast — naturally cuts down on players' spatial awareness, the best loot will be found in the belly of the beast. That's not the only place to get great gear however, thanks to the introduction of IMC Armories on Storm Point.

Source: Electronic Arts (Image credit: Source: Electronic Arts)

IMC Armories have recently emerged on Storm Point and add a new way for players to get the perfect equipment, no matter how far they are into the match. Once an IMC Armory is activated, the doors seal shut, preventing third-parties from interrupting the fun. Meanwhile, waves of Spectres are deployed. The more waves the team of Legends can cut down in during the one minute lockdown, the better the gear will be.

New "Smart-Loot Bins" scan the players' current loadouts, granting them the equipment that'll best fit them right now. If they've got a particular gun, for example, they might be awarded attachments for said gun. It adds a new PvE element into Apex Legends, one that also helps further call back to the game's setting in the Titanfall universe.

But will the IMC Armories remain exclusive to Storm Point? We'll have to wait and see what happens. "While we are starting with them on Storm Point exclusively, depending on player reception they could be moved to other maps," says Samantha Kalman, senior game designer at Respawn Entertainment. In the meantime, Apex Legends: Saviors is slated to launch on May 10, 2022. The game was recently updated for Xbox Series X|S and PS5, with more features coming in the future, including 120 FPS support.

That's not all Respawn Entertainment has in mind for the month though, as Apex Legends Mobile is now confirmed to be launching sometime in May for Android and iOS devices.

]]> <![CDATA[ Apex Legends Xbox Series X|S, PS5 update coming soon ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/apex-legends-xbox-series-xs-ps5-update-soon bU4KpR9JSFeKV3gEd783Fx Tue, 29 Mar 2022 00:58:18 +0000

What you need to know

  • Respawn Entertainment shared that the Xbox Series X|S and PS5 versions of Apex Legends are coming on March 29, 2022.
  • These versions of the game are available via a free update and support higher visual increased, with 4K resolution and better shadows.
  • More features are being added in future planned updates, such as 120 FPS support.

Respawn Entertainment's free-to-play battle royale first-person shooter Apex Legends is getting an update soon for Xbox Series X|S and PS5, boosting the visual quality of the game with a native app for owners of the latest consoles.

Respawn Entertainment shared on Tuesday that the game will be getting a boost on current-generation systems on March 29, 2022, as part of the Warriors Collection Event. Some of the improvements coming for Xbox Series X and PS5 owners include 4K resolution, improved shadow quality, HDR, and greater LOD.

Xbox Series X|S owners will benefit from Microsoft's Smart Delivery system, meaning the players won't have to do anything to take advantage of the new version of the game. Any PS5 owners will need to manually download the new application, then delete the PS4 version of the game.

Looking ahead, Respawn Entertainment states that other features will be added to these new versions of Apex Legends, including audio improvements, 120 FPS functionality, as well as DualSense haptic feedback and adaptive trigger support. There's no timeline for these updates however, so we'll have to wait and see when they arrive in the months ahead.

Since launching in February 2019, Apex Legends has grown substantially, with publisher Electronic Arts opening a second Vancouver-based studio for Respawn Entertainment, in order to better support updates for the game. In EA's last quarterly earnings, the company noted that Apex Legends monthly playercount is up 30% year-over-year.

]]> <![CDATA[ Apex Legends starts working on Steam Deck, Destiny 2 says a big old no ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/apex-legends-starts-working-steam-deck-destiny-2-says-no 41nSTybhoBTCoyoYhjbMMj Wed, 02 Mar 2022 09:52:00 +0000 Tue, 19 Aug 2025 09:20:19 +0000

What you need to know

  • Respawn's popular battle royale, Apex Legends, now works on Steam Deck.
  • This means that the game's anti-cheat has been updated to work on Linux and Valve's Proton.
  • Meanwhile, Bungie says a big fat no and threatens to ban players who try and get around it.

The Steam Deck is a monumental moment for handheld and PC gaming alike and benefits from virtually unanimous praise from early users and the press. Our own Steam Deck review was glowing, and so it's natural that developers putting their games on Steam will start looking at the Deck with interest.

Today is certainly a good news/bad news kind of day for Steam Deck owners and those, myself included, who are still waiting for their golden ticket to arrive.

First the good news, and that's that EA/Respawn's incredibly popular battle royale, Apex Legends, now works on the Steam Deck. Issues had previously been linked to its use of Easy Anti Cheat, but the necessary boxes seem to have been ticked to enable its Linux support, and as such, Steam Deck.

There hasn't been an official announcement yet, but the folks at Gaming On Linux have taken it out for a test drive on their own Steam Deck, which you can also see in action in the video above. I haven't played Apex Legends in a long time, and not at all on the PC, but with this coupled with crossplay support now, I could be persuaded to join some friends while I lay on the couch.

Of course, without official word from Respawn this could also stop working at any time, but considering it didn't work at all a couple of days ago, all the signs are good. Especially since the recent sighting of a Steam Deck testing branch for Apex Legends.

Destiny 2 The Witch Queen

Source: Bungie (Image credit: Source: Bungie)

Then we get to Bungie which instead of embracing the Steam Deck is actually tossing out the old "you must use Windows" line and threatening players with bans if they attempt to mess with the anti-cheat.

Destiny 2 is not supported for play on the Steam Deck or on any system utilizing Steam Play's Proton unless Windows is installed and running. Players who attempt to launch Destiny 2 on the Steam Deck through SteamOS or Proton will be unable to enter the game and will be returned to their game library after a short time.Players who attempt to bypass Destiny 2 incompatibility will be met with a game ban.

OK, so you won't get banned for trying but if you do attempt to mess with the anti-cheat in any way then you're gone. Which is pretty standard. Destiny 2 uses Battleye anti-cheat software which also has full support for Linux and Proton, but for reasons known only to Bungie, they're being particularly hostile about enabling it.

It's even more perplexing given that Destiny 2 is such a massive game with full cross-play, cross-save and a Linux-based version already in the world on Google Stadia. Enabling Destiny 2 on Steam Deck wouldn't need anything as drastic as a port, though, it's apparently only an email to Battleye away.

Fortunately, if you're waiting on your Steam Deck, there are plenty of other great games you can play on it. Elden Ring, anyone?

]]> <![CDATA[ Apex Legends Season 12's new trailer shows off Mad Maggie in Defiance update ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/apex-legends-defiance-update wHfT7A3EE9UqUkwYXhNA5d Mon, 24 Jan 2022 23:43:47 +0000

What you need to know

  • The next major update for the free-to-play battle royale, titled Defiance and will launch on Feb. 8.
  • Cutthroat, punk-rock warlord Mad Maggie will be added as a playable legend.
  • Limited time 9v9 game mode, Control, will also be added.

Respawn Entertainment has released a few details for the season 12 update of Apex Legends with a new cinematic trailer. The new season is titled Defiance and will be available on Feb. 8 on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Origin and Steam.

In the cinematic trailer, Stories from the Outlands - Judgement, players see a familiar face: Mad Maggie, who had previously been introduced during Apex's eighth season as a former friend of Fuse. The cinematic provides some backstory about how Mad Maggie, a ruthless warlord fighting against tyranny on her home planet, faces trial for her actions and is sentenced to fight to the death among the other legends in the Apex games. Mad Maggie is being voiced by Nicola Kawana.

Along with the new playable legend, Respawn will also be adding a new limited time mode called Control. Players will squad on two teams of nine, select a loadout, and then drop in with the goal of taking over and holding designated control points on the map. Unlike the standard battle royale mode, Control will feature infinite respawns for the duration of the match. The new mode will only be available for the first three weeks of the new season.

Players can also look forward to a new battle pass and season of Ranked play with the Defiance update, as well as a change to the current Olympus map, which has been out of the map rotation all season. No further details about the map change have been released as of yet, however. An official launch trailer for Defiance is expected on Jan. 27.

]]> <![CDATA[ Apex Legends' game director and design director leave Respawn ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/apex-legends-game-director-and-design-director-leave-respawn pT1pEBychU9qoXvjb1uM4Z Wed, 08 Dec 2021 10:46:35 +0000 Wed, 08 Dec 2021 10:50:53 +0000

What you need to know

  • Chad Grenier helped co-found Respawn Entertainment in 2010 and acted as Apex Legend's game director.
  • Jason McCord served Respawn for 11 years as design director.
  • No official word as to where they plan to seek employment next.

On Friday, December 3rd, Apex Legends' game director Chad Grenier announced that he is leaving Respawn together with design director Jason McCord. Sharing a blog post (via GameSpot), Grenier describes his 11 years at the company he helped to co-found as "an unforgettable ride".

"Apex Legends is in great hands and I feel like I can walk away knowing this game and community will continue to be taken care of."

Taking over the game director handle for Apex Legends is Steven Ferreira who joined as a team director in 2019. According to Grenier, Ferreira has been "running half of the team" for Apex Legends and believes that the game will be safe in his care, praising Ferreria's penchant for innovation.

"I'm looking forward to the great things this team will achieve as they take Apex to the next level and further than we thought was possible when this journey first started. You can bet I'll be cheering from the sidelines along the way."

Design director James McCord took to Twitter to share sentiments about his 11 years of service at Respawn.

There was no word from McCord as to who might act as his replacement. Recalling happy memories in his Twitter thread, his 11 years of service at the company matches that of Grenier. Neither director hinted where they might be heading next, though former Respawn co-founder Vince Zampella recently took up the mantle as head of EA's Battlefield franchise.

With Titanfall 1 permanently leaving storefronts and Titanfall 2 no longer updated, Apex Legends stands as Respawn's flagship shooter.

Apex Legends cover art
Battle royalty
Apex Legends

Running rings around the competition

Apex Legends is Respawn's free-to-play hero shooter featuring battle royale and arena combat modes. Fast-paced combat makes for a great time with a team of friends.

]]> <![CDATA[ Apex Legends Season 11 brings a new Titanfall legend, new map, and more ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/apex-legends-season-11-leaks-show-us-new-legend-and-more qpR3yzerLgwg5Bp1kNQpFR Thu, 21 Oct 2021 18:25:21 +0000

Updated 2:25 p.m. ET: Edited to clarify that the Season 11 announcement trailer is now live. Also added mentions of the new map.

What you need to know

  • The first details on Apex Legends' Season 11 appeared online Thursday.
  • The announcement showcases returning Titanfall 2 character, Ash, as the next legend.
  • Season 11 also revives the CAR SMG from past Titanfall games, while introducing a new battle pass with additional in-game rewards and a new map.

Electronic Arts' free-to-play battle royale, Apex Legends, takes place in the Titanfall universe. First released in 2019, the game has garnered a massive fanbase that spans consoles and PC, even offering seamless cross-play among all systems.

Like any battle royale game with ongoing support, Apex Legends will soon launch its 11th season on Nov. 2nd, 2021. The forthcoming update will bring a brand new legend, various rewards via a battle pass, a new map, and a new weapon.

First up, is our first look at Ash, the new legend slated for Season 11. Ash might not sound familiar, but she's a returning boss character you fight in Titanfall 2 in the mission "Into the Abyss." We got a look at her introduction earlier this week, but this new announcement shows her interacting with the other legends.

A newly-leaked video, which you can watch below, gives us a first look at her cosmetic line-up, finishers, and even some time on the target practice range to show off her abilities. An official gameplay reveal will take place on Oct. 25.

The gameplay also shows us the first look at the CAR SMG, a new firearm joining the current arsenal of weapons offered in the game. If what we're seeing is going to make it into the final game, the CAR SMG could prove powerful, offering little to no recoil.

The official announcement trailer also shows the legends mucking it up in what first looks like a tropical paradise. This alludes to the new map, Outlands. "No matter how beautiful it seems, every corner of the Outlands is a dangerous place. You'd be wise to remember that," the EA website says.

This isn't the first time Apex Legends has taken elements from Titanfall lore (Valkyrie's dad is a boss in Titanfall 2, for example), but it is the first time we've gotten a character straight from another game being playable. Her abilities are also shown off in a separate leak, posted by users on the popular gaming forum, ResetEra

Ash Abilities Apex Legends

Source: Hypno on ResetEra (Image credit: Source: Hypno on ResetEra)

In addition, we've received the first details on the Season 11 battle pass, coupled with an early glimpse of the cosmetics offered.

From these early videos, returning fans might consider jumping into Season 11 for the opportunity to play as the returning pilot. The update marks the latest of ongoing updates for Apex Legends, bringing more content and steady improvements to the multiplayer shooter since launch.

]]> <![CDATA[ Apex Legends cross-play beta begins next week on October 6 ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/apex-legends-cross-play-beta aAKDL5UwmLqpZuUT9aGqeJ Thu, 01 Oct 2020 18:55:18 +0000

What you need to know

  • Respawn Entertainment announced earlier this year that Apex Legends would be getting cross-play.
  • Today, Respawn Entertainment shared that the Apex Legends cross-play beta is beginning on October 6.
  • Cross-progression is not currently possible but the team will have "more to share" at a later date.

Earlier this year, Respawn Entertainment revealed that Apex Legends was getting cross-play sometime later in the fall. Today, we finally have a date: Apex Legends cross-play beta begins on October 6 alongside the latest Collection Event, Aftermarket. You can check out some of the different skins available in Aftermarket in the video below:

Cross-play will be enabled by default for this test, while players will be able to add friends by searching for their usernames, regardless of platform. You can choose to disable cross-play but it will likely make search times for matches much longer. Cross-play party chat will be available through the in-game chat system. Players on console will not be matched with PC players unless a player on console is in a party with a player on PC.

Apex Legends is continuing to grow and expand, with a new hero and crafting system added during Season 6. Earlier this year, Respawn Entertainment opened a new studio dedicated to Apex Legends and the game is coming to both Steam and Nintendo Switch at some point in the future. Cross-progression is not currently available but Respawn will have "more to share" at a later date.

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]]> <![CDATA[ Apex Legends announces new hero, crafting system for Season 6 ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/apex-legends-announces-new-hero-crafting-system-season-6 bJL9eMdTTvDkhyKzi1wqyP Thu, 06 Aug 2020 17:54:03 +0000 Tue, 11 Aug 2020 20:48:37 +0000

What you need to know

  • Respawn announced a number of changes ahead of Season 6's debut on Aug. 18.
  • A new hero, Rampart, will be joining the game. She is a modder.
  • Other big changes include a new crafting system, a "boosted" battle pass, and a new weapon.

In celebration of Apex Legends Season 6 debuting on Aug. 18, developer Respawn Entertainment had to announce some changes, including some big ones.

The first is the introduction of a new hero, Rampart. Not much is known about her yet, and fans who have been playing the game haven't heard many rumblings about her, but based on the teaser released Thursday, she appears to be a weaponsmith and is described as a modder.

She doesn't appear much in the trailer introducing her, but we get some details on her personality, her look, what she sounds like, and of course, an introduction to "Sheila." Unclear if Sheila is a robot or drone companion like Lifeline's drone Doc or if it's just a really big gun or gatling turret.

As Season 5 has been winding down, players have been spotting hints throughout the map for what was to come. Audio diaries have featured unannounced characters and there were signs that were vandalized with "All Hail Sheila." Now we know what Sheila refers to, at the very least, but a lot of what was teased still hasn't been confirmed by Respawn yet. Other clues showed a familiar face from Titanfall 2, which players would see after completing quests. A new map was also teased, but that could be announced at a later date.

It makes sense then based on the new hero that the game would also include a new crafting system to go along with her. Not much is known about it yet, but it'll involve collecting materials to make your own gear.

Another announcement involes a "Boosted Battle Pass," which will include exclusive items, including Legendary skins, Apex Packs, and more. It's unclear what this will cost, if anything, and how it will compare to the Battle Pass already integrated into the game.

Finally, there's a new gun: an energy SMG called the Volt.

There's bound to be more coming this season, too. The trailer shows off some previously unknown features. You can see Bangalore shooting through a shield wall and Caustic whack Pathfinder with a canister.

Apex Legends cover art
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Apex Legends isn't a pay-to-win game, but if you want to get some of its microtransactions, which includes skins and sprays, you'll need some Apex Coins.

]]> <![CDATA[ Apex Legends crossplay is officially coming this Fall ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/apex-legends-crossplay-officially-coming-fall krzSpGjitE5vjnGUN8VYkp Thu, 18 Jun 2020 23:33:27 +0000 Fri, 19 Jun 2020 15:04:49 +0000

What you need to know

  • Today, EA Play Live announced several upcoming video games.
  • During the showcase, it was revealed that Apex Legend crossplay is coming later this year.
  • Crossplay will work between Xbox One, PS4, Steam, and Nintendo Switch.

Apex Legends has been a popular free-to-play battle royale game for several years now on Xbox One, PS4, and PC. But during today's EA Play Live event it was finally announced that the game will be supporting crossplay between those three platforms. But that's not all. It was also revealed that Apex Legends will be coming to Nintendo Switch.

Apex Legends Cross Play

Source: EA Games Screenshot (Image credit: Source: EA Games Screenshot)

No matter which platform you prefer to use, you'll be able to jump into Apex Legends and play against friends or people online. We'll continue to share more updates as more is revealed.

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]]> <![CDATA[ The Broken Ghost is the first Quest in Apex Legends, weekly Hunts available through the season ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/broken-ghost-first-quest-apex-legends fGEEu7RtN93bUU1BsXMzwb Tue, 19 May 2020 20:37:36 +0000

What you need to know

  • Apex Legends Season Five has begun.
  • Season Five is introducing Quests, with the first one being called The Broken Ghost.
  • This quest will run over the course of the season as players try to find nine different parts of an artifact.
  • Finding the artifact parts will unlock new pieces of lore.

With Apex Legends Season Five kicking off, Respawn Entertainment is introducing a new event to shake things up with Quests. The first of these Quests is The Broken Ghost. Players can undertake weekly Hunts, delving into King's Canyon at night to recover nine fragments of an artifact. Successfully completing these Hunts will unlock the story of The Broken Ghost.

You can go on weekly Hunts by yourself or in a squad but in order to get the rewards, you'll need to have unlocked the missions yourself. If you recover all nine pieces of the artifact, Respawn states you will "uncover a secret that the Outlands might not be ready for."

Apex Legends has been a huge success for Respawn and Electronic Arts, with Respawn recently announcing that it is opening a second studio in Vancouver. This studio will grow to around 80 developers and will focus entirely on Apex Legends.

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]]> <![CDATA[ Respawn opens new studio in Vancouver to focus on Apex Legends ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/respawn-opens-new-studio-vancouver-focus-apex-legends 9G8rkj3JgtNLt7PU1ARU9z Mon, 18 May 2020 15:34:01 +0000

What you need to know

  • Respawn has opened up a new studio in Vancouver.
  • This studio will focus entirely on Apex Legends, its popular battle royale title.
  • The Vancouver-based location looking to expand to up to 80 employees.

Respawn is expanding its reach by opening up a new studio in Vancouver, Canada to focus entirely on Apex Legends. This announcement was confirmed by Respawn COO Dusty Welch to GamesIndustry.biz and coincides with the studio's 10th anniversary.

The team over at Respawn Vancouver, conveniently located near EA's Vancouver campus, will be led by Head of Operations Henry Lee and Team Director Steven Ferreira. Lee spoke about how excited he was for the move.

When you look at Vancouver, it's one of our [EA's] biggest studio locations. And Vancouver is full of talented people in the games industry, so there was a natural fit with Steven coming on board with his core team and really establishing that foundation. Now we're just adding the missing pieces to it.This is a great opportunity, not just for the Vancouver studio to bring some new creative challenges to people already there, but also to the local industry in terms of being part of the Apex Legends roadmap. So we're very excited about bringing this to Vancouver and hopefully greater Canada as well, because we can tap into much more of a talent base broadly.

Its Vancouver office will be Respawn's second location in addition to its studio in California, led by Vince Zampella, who also became the head of DICE LA back at the beginning of the year. With another studio to work on Apex Legends on take the pressure off of the California office, it should allow them to dedicate more resources to other projects.

The Vancouver-based studio actually started up in 2019, and Respawn has been hiring for it internally for several months. The company is now looking to hire externally in the hopes of reaching around 80 employees.

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]]> <![CDATA[ Apex Legends confirms new Legend, Loba Andreade, ahead of Season 5 ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/apex-legends-adds-new-legend-loba-andreade-ahead-season-5 h1cpaVzyF8yipz1iRCHoA3 Thu, 30 Apr 2020 18:43:53 +0000 Tue, 05 May 2020 18:19:26 +0000

Many fans speculated that the next hero to be announced would be Loba Andrade, a girl who was orphaned by Revenant in the Season 4: Assimilation launch trailer. Respawn confirmed Thursday that, indeed, Loba would be the next hero coming to the game.

A new Stories from the Outlands trailer, which you can watch above, details Loba's past and how she became a titular Apex Legend. She was a thief who lost her parents at the hands of Revenant and decided to seek revenge when she saw that her rival, Revenant, was competing in the Apex Games.

Her abilities haven't been detailed yet, but the Apex Legends website describes her as "stylish, sophisticated, and resourceful, whatever Loba wants, she takes. Good luck stopping her." This is in line with her background as a thief.

Like other characters before her, Loba was datamined and leaked last year, so many thought she was going to be an upcoming legend in the game. Other legends that were leaked included Wattson and Crypto. However, Respawn has attempted to counter dataminers, specifically with the launch of Revenant. Ahead of that character's reveal, Respawn launched teasers for Forge, who was promptly killed in a video by Revenant. In an interview with Dot Esports, designer Rayme Vinson said that this was specifically to misdirect dataminers.

That means despite leaks, anything is fair game.

In additional news, and as something that usually comes along with hero reveals, Apex Legends also released details for Season 5, called Fortune's Favor. It's set to launch of Tuesday, May 12 and will include a new game mode called Quests, which will have players searching for treasure and "answers." Whatever that means in terms of narrative, it means more loot for players.

There's, of course, also going to be a new battle pass with over 100 more excluisve items.

Respawn also announced Ranked Leagues Season 4. You can check out details on what the team is working on here but it looks like not a lot will be changing from past season in terms of splits and tier separation.

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]]> <![CDATA[ Apex Legends Xbox Series X upgrade possibly in development ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/apex-legends-xbox-series-x-upgrade-possibly-development ef2jzC7ZRWxeQuwLgFxJR Thu, 30 Apr 2020 00:36:03 +0000 Thu, 30 Apr 2020 15:31:33 +0000

What you need to know

  • Apex Legends is a first-person battle royale shooter.
  • The game is Xbox One X Enhanced already.
  • The developer is looking to upgrade the game for next-generation consoles.
  • You can download Apex Legends for free through the Microsoft Store.

Apex Legends is a first-person battle royale shooter. The game took the world by storm because it was a stealth release. No one knew it was coming, and only a confusing map was ever leaked.

The game runs at 60 frames per second (FPS) on Xbox One X, but the resolution is quite low, resulting in blurry image quality. Luckily, it seems like that's going to change when the Xbox Series X launched. According to a report by GamesRadar+, a job listing for developer Respawn Entertainment says that they need a Senior Rendering Engineer to "push next-generation platforms and the PC to their limits on Apex Legends."

This seems to confirm that a next-generation upgrade for Apex Legends is in the works. Hopefully, the team will announce it soon. I hope that Respawn can push the visuals to 4K resolution at all times and possibly 120 FPS. However, it's probably going to be 4K 60 FPS with better visuals. We'll keep you posted as soon as we know more. You can download the game for free through your Xbox One.

]]> <![CDATA[ Get to know Bloodhound in the upcoming Apex Legends Old Ways event ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/get-know-bloodhound-upcoming-apex-legends-old-ways-event 54NLFXiQ6dnMRy7vcJ1Em6 Thu, 02 Apr 2020 20:18:58 +0000 Mon, 06 Apr 2020 15:39:35 +0000

Bloodhound has always been a bit of a mystery for Apex Legends players. and considering they live behind a mask that isn't surprising. Respawn is giving players the chance to learn a little about the hero with The Old Ways event, which is set to hit Apex Legends from April 7-21.

This event, up the top, includes a Bloodhound town takeover with Bloodhound's Trials. Here, players can team up in a squad to take down prowlers (creatures that in lore invaded World's Edge), which will give them high-tier loot. However, they'll have to take down each other to get the best loot.

What does this have to do with Bloodhound? You can check out some good story stuff in the new Stories from the Outlands video linked above. In short: it tells of a child who's sent out into the wild to complete a rite of passage but runs into a number of dangerous creatures. It's also about the conflict between the so-called "old ways," not relying on technology, and the new, which especially comes into play when the child finds an energy weapon.

Like i most events, this'll come with with daily challenges and the chance to unlock event-exclusive cosmetics, which includes legendary skins. Of course, you can pick them up in the shop with in-game currency. According to the post on EA's website, this includes skins for Bloodhound (of course) but also Wattson and Crypto.

In addition to the Bloodhound-centric features, Apex Legends will also be bringing back Duos, which will exist alongside the typical Trios mode. There will also be a permanent map rotation so players can engage on either Kings Canyon or Worlds Edge.

The game is also bringing back the Legendary Hunt skins for a limited time. They'll be available to purchase in the store.

We still have a few days until the event begins, so there's plenty of time to prepare. You can also check out more on the event, including item schedules, over at EA's website.

]]> <![CDATA[ Latest NVIDIA drivers optimize performance for The Division 2 and more ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/latest-nvidia-drivers-optimize-performance-division-2-and-more arRkvtR4wt92NoZxC8CdtX Fri, 28 Feb 2020 15:10:52 +0000 Fri, 28 Feb 2020 15:12:29 +0000

What you need to know

  • The latest NVIDIA Game Ready Driver optimizes gameplay and addresses bugs for several popular titles.
  • The Division 2, Apex Legends, and ARK all receive optimizations with this driver update.
  • The update also brings support for three additional G-SYNC compatible monitors.

A new NVIDIA Game Ready Driver is available through GeForce Experience. The update brings optimizations and fixes for The Division 2, Apex Legends, ARK, and more titles. It also brings support for three additional G-SYNC compatible monitors. You can grab the update now through GeForce Experience.

The update fixes an issue that caused Apex Legends to crash for some players. It also brings day-one updates for the Warlords of New York expansion of The Division 2 that comes out on March 3, 2020. The Genesis expansion of ARK also has updates. The update also brings improvements to other titles, which you can read fully in NVIDIA's release notes.

The Division 2: Warlords of New York gets animated short

On the monitor side of things, the update brings support to the AOC AG271FZ2, AOC AG271F1G2, and ASUS PG43U. These monitors deliver a baseline Variable Refresh Rate, which makes gaming "smoother, clearer, and more enjoyable," according to NVIDIA.

]]> <![CDATA[ Apex Legends gets a new trailer asking you meet Revenant, showing the new Legend's different abilities in action ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/apex-legends-meet-revenant xearE6UTu4Ax1XFS3487uA Wed, 05 Feb 2020 00:26:48 +0000 Wed, 05 Feb 2020 02:49:42 +0000

What you need to know

  • Apex Legends Season 4 is now live on all platforms.
  • There's a new trailer for Revenant, the newest Legend added with Season 4.
  • Revenant has multiple death-based abilities.

Apex Legends Season 4 is now live! Multiple changes have come to World's Edge, while a new Legend named Revenant is on the field. Respawn Entertainment has released a new trailer, showing off Revenant's different abilities. You can check out the new character trailer below.

Respawn initially announced that the new character added this season would be the Hammond Robotics-sponsored Forge, before cutting that idea short (literally) in a shocking interview trailer. Revenant was originally an assassin and due to having his body replaced with cybernetic tech, he's even deadlier now than ever before. For more information on his story and background, you can check out the previously released trailer here.

All of these newfound abilities should help change up the known flow of the game, with Revenant being able to scale buildings and even protect teammates from death for a short time. In line with the previous seasons, Apex Legends Season 4 should last for about three months.

Apex Legends box art
Season 4
Apex Legends

A new Legend is joining the fun

Apex Legends Season 4 has begun! If you've taken a bit of a break from the game, now's the time to jump back in with all of the new content on its first anniversary, including a new Legend, weapon and more.

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]]> <![CDATA[ Apex Legends Season 4 – Assimilation gameplay trailer shows World's Edge Ravaged, Revenant in action and more ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/apex-legends-season-4-assimilation-gameplay-trailer fxRsmDKeG3HqpRS77qrtt Tue, 04 Feb 2020 00:14:11 +0000 Tue, 04 Feb 2020 00:46:46 +0000

What you need to know

  • A new trailer for Apex Legends Season 4 - Assimilation has been released.
  • This trailer shows off some of the new skins, the new character Revenant, the new gun and more.
  • It also shows the changes that have come to World's Edge, now called World's Edge Ravaged.
  • Apex Legends Season 4 begins on February 4.

Just as the new season is about to arrive, Respawn Entertainment has released a new trailer for Apex Legends Season 4 - Assimilation. This gameplay trailer shows some of what players can expect, including map changes and new skins, as well as the new character Revenant in action alongside the new sniper rifle, the Sentinel. You can take a look at the new trailer below.

World's Edge is the second map in Apex Legends and with Season 4 on the way, it looks like the new Ravaged version of this map has seen better days. Destruction is clearly visible all around, so veterans of the map will have to get used to all the changes. In the lore, this is due to Hammond Robotics (the megacorporation seen in the Titanfall games) harvesting the resources of different planets.

For more on Revenant, the new character coming this season, you can check out the launch trailer for Season 4 right here. Apex Legends Season 4 - Assimilation kicks off tomorrow on February 4.

Apex Legends box art
Season 4
Apex Legends

A new Legend is joining the fun

Apex Legends Season 4 is soon to begin on February 4. If you've taken a bit of a break from the game, now's the time to jump back in with all of the new content on its first anniversary.

Xbox

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]]> <![CDATA[ Apex Legends' Revenant is showcased in a new story trailer ahead of Season 4, and he looks awesome ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/apex-legends-season-4-trailer-stars-revenant-real-new-character rWxQgaRtVH21KG4xUq7gwq Fri, 31 Jan 2020 01:19:53 +0000 Fri, 31 Jan 2020 15:42:10 +0000

What you need to know

  • Apex Legends Season 4 begins on February 4.
  • A week ago, Respawn revealed what was believed to be the new character, Forge.
  • Forge was killed off and now it looks like the new character being added to Apex Legends is Revenant.

Respawn is definitely making it fun to keep track of Apex Legends. Only a week ago I was writing about how Forge was the new character coming to the game in Season 4, despite leaks suggesting it would be Revenant. Well as it turns out, it is Revenant.

This trailer serves to give us a glimpse of Revenant's past, before he became the cyborg he is today. It's a bit like the Overwatch shorts Blizzard releases in that regard, but nothing so grand.

Revenant's character is shrouded in mystery, and we don't actually know much about him other than he's a cyborg assassin. His abilities haven't been detailed, but they are apparently "unnatural," allowing him to "haunt his enemies and defy death."

A few days ago Forge appeared in a new video being interviewed about qualifying for the Apex games before being abruptly stabbed in the back by none other than Revenant, revealing him as the true new character. Respawn has indicated that Forge really is dead and we shouldn't be expecting a revival anytime soon, but I think this whole ruse shows we can't take Respawn for its word.

Apex Legends box art
Season 4
Apex Legends

A new Legend is joining the fun

Apex Legends Season 4 is soon to begin on February 4. If you've taken a bit of a break from the game, now's the time to jump back in with all of the new content on its first anniversary.

]]> <![CDATA[ Apex Legends Season 4 interview with Forge has Revenant make a surprising appearance, upending the previous announcement ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/apex-legends-season-4-forge-revenant 9jJ74FRdP9oQmAekw6nmiM Mon, 27 Jan 2020 21:17:15 +0000 Mon, 27 Jan 2020 21:17:22 +0000

What you need to know

  • Respawn Entertainment has released a new video showing an interview with new hero Forge.
  • In the interview, the mysterious Revenant makes a shocking appearance.
  • Apex Legends Season 4 is set to begin on February 4.

Just a short while ago, Respawn Entertainment announced Apex Legends Season 4. Beginning in February, this season was to include a new Battle Pass, a new weapon and a new hero named Forge for players to unlock. The key word being was.

Respawn has just released a new video showing an animated interview with upcoming Legend Forge, who is sponsored by Hammond Robotics, a company you may remember from Titanfall and Titanfall 2, which are both set in the same universe that Apex Legends inhabits. In the interview, things take a bit of a jarring, messy turn.

The assailant disposing of Forge is none other than Revenant, who has been teased in the past. The implications of this video are interesting. Does this mean we aren't getting Forge as a hero in Season 4 and instead we're finally getting Revenant? Will both show up? At this moment, we're not sure. That said, the website for the game now says "RIP Jimmie "The Forge" McCormick" so I'm inclined to say the real addition is Revenant.

Whatever the case, there's going to be plenty for players to look forward to as the next season kicks off in just over a week. Apex Legends Season 4 is scheduled to begin on February 4.

Apex Legends box art
Season 4
Apex Legends

A new Legend is joining the fun

Apex Legends Season 4 is soon to begin on February 4. If you've taken a bit of a break from the game, now's the time to jump back in with all of the new content on its first anniversary.

Xbox

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]]> <![CDATA[ Apex Legends Season 4 begins in February, adds new character and Battle Pass ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/apex-legends-season-4-begins-february-adds-new-character-and-battle-pass gMWDJEmK2oMTFHoy3akCmr Thu, 23 Jan 2020 19:47:49 +0000 Thu, 23 Jan 2020 19:51:41 +0000

What you need to know

  • Apex Legends is a popular free-to-play battle royale game from Respawn Entertainment.
  • Season 4 is called Assimilation, and will feature a new character and Battle Pass.
  • Season 4 begins on February 4, 2020.

In preparation for the game's first anniversary since its launch, Respawn held a development livestream for Apex Legends. Aside from serving as a retrospective on the popular battle royale, we also got our first glimpse at Apex Legends Season 4, which is set to add a new character and much more.

Forge, the new Legend, is described as "confident yet humble. A man who uses his "size, strength, and heavy-duty Shatter Gauntlets to batter his opponents into submission." He's meant to act as a brawler who gets up close and personal. He is also set to be the first character that is corporate sponsored in the game, and his sponsor is none other than Hammond Robotics, the in-game company known for creating the Titans in Respawn's Titanfall series.

Players will be able to wield a new weapon as well. The Sentinel is a powerful bolt-action sniper rifle that's capable of cutting through enemy armor. The developers didn't want to give too much away, but they did say that this sniper rifle is a little different from others in the game because it has some sort of charge mechanic.

The Season 4 Battle Pass includes over 100 exclusive items like Legendary skins, Apex Packs, Loading Screens, Music Packs, and more.

Apex Legends box art
Season 4
Apex Legends

A new Legend is joining the fun

Apex Legends Season 4 is soon to begin on February 4. If you've taken a bit of a break from the game, now's the time to jump back in with all of the new content on its first anniversary.

]]> <![CDATA[ Pair up: Apex Legends introducing duos into game for the first time ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/pair-apex-legends-introducing-duos-game-first-time qRWFY8NHTXjZ9UxUA8WpqF Wed, 30 Oct 2019 19:28:01 +0000

Apex Legends typically forces you to play in a trio, and occasionally let you play solo, but what if you only have one friend to play with? Soon you'll have your chance.

Respawn announced Tuesday that a limited-time duos mode will be coming to the game starting on Nov. 5. The company revealed the mode in a video posted to Twitter, which depicts Crypto and Mirage, two characters that were at each other's throats in the Season 3 reveal.

No other details have been revealed, but we can expect that each round will maintain the 60-player cap, which means there will 30 teams of two. Players can also likely expect challenges that'll encourage them to try out the new mode. We also don't know how long the mode will be available for.

While Apex Legends was built with teams of three in mind — creating a balance in the game where players can heal, cover, and respawn each other — the solos mode gave players the opportunity to not deal with teams of strangers. This opened up new possibilities for the game, including new ways to use characters and new strategies. The duos mode will likely do the same.

The announcement comes a day after EA (which owns Respawn) discussed during a quarterly earnings call that the game had been played by 70 million players since launch. The free Battle Royale has been a huge success for the company and is expected to hit more platforms in the future. EA also said it hopes to invest in a competitive esports league for the game.

Apex Legends cover art
Free Battle Royale
Apex Legends

Pair up in groups of three... or two!

Apex Legends is a free Battle Royale from the makers of Titanfall. Group up in teams, choose between unique characters, and be the last one standing.

]]> <![CDATA[ Apex Legends crosses 70 million players, new Battlefield and Star Wars games in development ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/ea-reveals-apex-legends-number-over-70-million-players-new-battlefield-and-star-wars-games 4DWwt2c4N39nn3BnQXrjUi Tue, 29 Oct 2019 22:31:03 +0000 Tue, 19 Aug 2025 09:20:04 +0000

Battlefield 1 Hero

Battlefield 1 Hero (Image credit: Electronic Arts)

What you need to know

  • Today, EA hosted its quarterly earnings call.
  • The company announced a number of new projects like Battlefield and Star Wars.
  • Apex Legends has also crossed 70 million players.
  • Unfortunately, NBA Live 20 has been canceled probably due to poor franchise sales.

Today, EA hosted its quarterly earnings call in which it discussed a number of topics ranging from Apex Legends to, what we assume, is Battlefield 6. However, there was some not-so-great news in there like the cancellation of NBA Live 20 which has a hard time competing with the NBA 2K franchise from 2K Games. You can read about all of the major announcements below.

  • Apex Legends now has been played by over 70 million players.
  • NBA Live 20 has been canceled because the franchise wasn't doing too well.
  • A new Battlefield game is in development and may launch in late 2021.
  • Star Wars Battlefront and Star Wars Battlefront II have sold over 33 million units.
  • The new Dragon Age game may not launch until late 2022.
  • A new Star Wars game is in development, but it may not launch until 2021 or early 2022. It's unclear if this is Star Wars Battlefront III or another adventure game like Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.
  • A new franchise is in the works at Motive Studios.
  • BioWare, Criterion, DICE, and Maxis are working on new projects. It's unclear if this refers to new games beyond Dragon Age 4 or a return to SimCity.
  • New EA Originals like Unravel are in development.
  • Remasters of fan-favorite games are coming too in 2020 or 2021.

While the wait for many of these games will be massive, there are a lot of exciting projects in the works at EA. We're mostly excited to find out what the new Battlefield and Star Wars games are all about. Additionally, let's hope that the company brings back the SimCity franchise because we're missing it a lot. What do you want to see out of EA in the next few years? Let us know.

The earnings call also mentioned games like Anthem and how the team plans to improve the experience. However, it's unclear if those improvements will roll out anytime soon because it's been months since the game launched.
Find the Force
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

Don't stand out

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is EA's first story-driven Star Wars action game, following the events of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. From Respawn Entertainment of Titanfall and Apex Legends fame, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order will be an unmissable experience for series fans on Xbox One.

Xbox

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]]> <![CDATA[ Apex Legends Fight or Fright trailer reveals a new event with limited time cosmetics and more ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/apex-legends-fight-or-fright-trailer oeDkJ6W1XgTvRtwHEYrixS Mon, 14 Oct 2019 19:23:37 +0000 Mon, 14 Oct 2019 19:33:22 +0000

What you need to know

  • Apex Legends Season 3 is currently ongoing.
  • There's a new event called Fight or Fright to celebrate the spooky season.
  • The event begins tomorrow, bringing a new mode, limited time cosmetics and more.
  • Apex Legends is free-to-play and you can download it from the Microsoft Store.

Apex Legends Season 3 is well underway, bringing a new map and character for players to enjoy. That's not all Respawn Entertainment is adding in the month of October however, as it just wouldn't be right for a game to not acknowledge the creepy season. As such, there's a new trailer, celebrating the new nightmarish nirvana that's coming with Apex Legends Fight or Fright Collection event. You can check out the spooky trailer below:

This event is bringing a spooky version of the Kings Canyon map alongside several new skins to grab for each Apex Legends champion, allowing you to deck out your favorites as zombies, vampires, witches and more. Another limited-time addition to the game is the Shadowfall mode, which appears to pit a handful of champions against shadowy, melee-only opponents. There's also bonus XP to earn, so you can rank up faster.

Fortunately, you don't have to wait long to start cheerfully collecting creepy skins, as the Apex Legends Fight or Fright Collection Event begins tomorrow, October 15. Apex Legends is free-to-play, though of course you can pay for microtransactions to grab champion or gun skins that you just can't wait to have.
The hunt continues
Apex Legends

Where are you landing?

Apex Legends is a new spin on the battle royale genre that brings character-specific abilities while retaining the tight gunplay and movement that Respawn Entertainment is so well known for.

Xbox

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]]> <![CDATA[ Apex Legends Season 3 trailer introduces the World's Edge and Crypto ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/apex-legends-season-3-trailer-introduces-worlds-edge-and-crypto krQbP4bkaAUDgv3kSz9ywn Fri, 27 Sep 2019 18:58:26 +0000 Fri, 27 Sep 2019 21:39:47 +0000

What you need to know

  • Apex Legends Season 3 is coming on October 1.
  • To celebrate, there's a new trailer for Season 3 showing off the new Legend, Crypto, as well as the new map: World's Edge.
  • World's Edge is themed on a clash of ice and fire, with extreme elements and weather conditions.

Apex Legends Season 3 is coming soon, as recently announced on Twitter. To tease what's coming in the next season, Respawn has released a new, stylized trailer showing the cast everyone is familiar with dropping into new territory alongside the mysterious newcomer Crypto. That new territory is an entirely-new map called World's Edge, which features strong themes of fire and ice. You can check out the snazzy new trailer below:

World's Edge is on Planet Talos, which is a seperate system altogether, as the previous map was set on Planet Solace. We'll likely learn more about this new world (and the new Legend, Crypto) as Season 3 gets closer to release on October 1. Apex Legends is entirely free-to-play, with paid Seasons that allow players to complete different challenges to unlock different cosmetics skins and items.
Easy cash
$10 Xbox Store Gift Card

An easy way to pay

Whether you just have to have the latest skin, you're getting a new game or anything else, one of the easiest ways to pay is through grabbing a gift card.

Xbox

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]]> <![CDATA[ Apex Legends 'Voidwalker' event goes all-in on Wraith with two weeks of new content ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/apex-legends-voidwalker-event-goes-all-wraith-two-weeks-new-content 7dGMdPomahQouFyYeeVH6D Fri, 30 Aug 2019 19:47:32 +0000 Sat, 31 Aug 2019 10:10:16 +0000

What you need to know

  • Apex Legends is kicking off a new Wraith-themed event next week.
  • Dubbed "Voidwalker," the event will be filled with new items, a new game mode, and challenges to check out.
  • The event runs from September 6 through September 17.

Apex Legends players will get a chance to dig into a fresh two-week event starting next week. Dubbed "Voidwalker," the event focuses on all things wraith, adding new game modes, challenges, and items to check out. Here's a quick rundown of everything you'll see across the event's two weeks:

  • Wraith town takeover
  • Limited-time mode – Armed and Dangerous
  • Exclusive event challenges
  • Direct Purchase Shop
  • Double XP for Top 5 and Wins Weekend

The event will expand some of the lore around Wraith, especially with the town takeover. "Syndicate construction crews have unearthed part of a decayed Project: Wraith facility in Kings Canyon," the Apex Legends team said in a blog post. "Jump in to discover for yourself the mysterious remains of the research site, including a functional prototype portal that can be used to get an early jump on the base – or to escape and reinitiate skydive."

Beyond that, the Armed and Dangerous game mode will mix things up by limiting weapons to snipers and shotguns. Loot will also be harder to find, adding some extra tension to the match. Throughout the event, completing special challenges will net you themed rewards that will only be available during the event.

Limited-timed themed cosmetics will be available from the direct purchase shop. The items will rotate through the shop during the event and, after September 17, they won't be eligible to return for six months.

Finally, from the event's start through September 9, players will earn double the XP for top five finishes and wins.

Apex Legends is free to play, and you can dive in on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.
Free to play
Apex Legends

The latest free-to-play battle royale game

Apex Legends is the latest in the battle royale craze using a free-to-play model. With excellent squad-based gameplay, fast action, great-looking visuals, and now over 50 million players, Apex Legends is fast becoming a battle royale game to beat.

]]> <![CDATA[ Apex Legends gets limited-time event with a solo mode ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/apex-legends-gets-limited-time-event-solo-mode kbftnTqjJBrPvf6ftCAGRa Tue, 06 Aug 2019 19:33:33 +0000

What you need to know

  • Apex Legends is a popular battle royale game from developer Respawn.
  • Usually players would need to compete in groups of three.
  • A limited-time event is bringing a solo mode to the game.

Apex Legends is hosting a limited-time Iron Crown Collection Event for two weeks, starting on August 13 and lasting until August 27. The biggest feature coming with this event appears to be its solo mode. Since the beginning, Apex Legends would only allow players to compete in teams of three. Now, at least for two weeks, players can go it solo and attempt to get that battle royale victory all by themselves.

The rest of the short teaser doesn't give a good indication as to what else the event may hold for players, though you can reasonably expect some new cosmetics at the very least. Hopefully if the mode is popular enough then Respawn can implement it permanently.

Season 2 of Apex Legends kicked off in June with a new Battle Pass featuring daily and weekly challenges in an effort to decrease grinding. The playable character Wattson was also added at this time. Between its gameplay and its heroes, Apex Legends looks to be a hybrid between Fortnite and Overwatch.
Free to play
Apex Legends

The latest free-to-play battle royale game

Apex Legends is the latest in the battle royale craze using a free-to-play model. With excellent squad-based gameplay, fast action, great-looking visuals, and now over 50 million players, Apex Legends is fast becoming a battle royale game to beat.

Xbox accessories you'll love

Every one of these quality accessories is guaranteed to enhance your Xbox experience.

PowerA Enhanced Wired Controller for Xbox One ($20 at Amazon)

PowerA's take on the Xbox One controller is an attractive pickup for budget-conscious gamers that nails all the basics.

Talon PDP Xbox media remote ($20 at Amazon)

The Talon PDP Xbox media remote is great for watching shows on your console.

Xbox One S vertical stand ($10 at Amazon)

Stand your console upright with this accessory.

]]> <![CDATA[ Thieving dragons invade Apex Legends ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/thieving-dragons-invade-apex-legends 9feDa62yzhPxnw7pNuxVFu Thu, 20 Jun 2019 00:37:37 +0000 Thu, 20 Jun 2019 14:55:06 +0000

What you need to know

  • Apex Legends is a free-to-play battle royale game with a lot of variety.
  • Today, players noticed that dragons were stealing chests.
  • The dragons appear to be part of an event and it's unclear if they're permanent additions.
  • You can download the game for free through the Microsoft Store.

Apex Legends is a free-to-play battle royale game that has garnered tremendous popularity in recent months. Unfortunately, the process hasn't been that smooth, and Respawn Entertainment has been criticized for its poor communication, cheating problems, and other issues.

While many of these concerns still exist, the game is as unpredictable as ever when it comes to content. According to a report by PC Gamer, dragons have started appearing in the game and they're stealing chests.

Respawn teased this feature during E3 2019, but many expected it for a later season. It's shocking and hilarious at the same time. If you still play Apex Legends, make sure these creatures don't steal your loot.

It's unclear if this is a permanent feature or a time-limited event. We'll keep you posted as soon as we know more. The game needs more events like this because you never know what's going to happen next.
The main game
Apex Legends

The latest free-to-play battle royale game

Apex Legends is the latest in the battle royale craze using a free-to-play model. With excellent squad-based gameplay, fast action, great-looking visuals, and now over 50 million players, Apex Legends is fast becoming a battle royale game to beat.

Xbox accessories you'll love

Every one of these quality accessories is guaranteed to enhance your Xbox experience.

PowerA Enhanced Wired Controller for Xbox One ($20 at Amazon)

PowerA's take on the Xbox One controller is an attractive pickup for budget-conscious gamers that nails all the basics.

Talon PDP Xbox media remote ($20 at Amazon)

The Talon PDP Xbox media remote is great for watching shows on your console.

Xbox One S vertical stand ($10 at Amazon)

Stand your console upright with this accessory.

]]> <![CDATA[ Check out Apex Legends' latest character, Wattson ]]> https://www.windowscentral.com/wattson-apex-legends-latest-character xfWAB92ojrsxAjuLNUFuo3 Sat, 08 Jun 2019 18:41:33 +0000 Sat, 08 Jun 2019 18:50:10 +0000

What you need to know

  • During its EA Play 2019 stream at E3 today, EA took the wraps off of the latest character to join Apex Legends.
  • Called Wattson, the new legend is a defensive support character who can construct electrical barriers for allies to hide behind.
  • Wattson's backstory is one of the first attempts by the Apex team to build out the lore of the arena.

EA today unveiled the next addition to the Apex Legends lineup, Wattson. As the one who cracked the code behind constructing the barrier around the Apex arena, Wattson can build electrical barriers at a whim, giving her team a chance to set up temporary bases or take cover.

Wattson can construct up to twelve barrier nodes at once in any configuration. That give players free reign to set up their defenses however they want. Her ultimate is an "interception pylon," which shoots down bombardments and other attacks from players. The pylon also charges a team's shield while also charging Wattson's tactical ability faster, allowing her to construct fencing more quickly.

You can check out EA's full breakdown of Wattson with highlights from the stream below.
Free to play
Apex Legends

The latest free-to-play battle royale game

Apex Legends is the latest in the battle royale craze using a free-to-play model. With excellent squad-based gameplay, fast action, great-looking visuals, and now over 50 million players, Apex Legends is fast becoming a battle royale game to beat.

Xbox accessories you'll love

Every one of these quality accessories is guaranteed to enhance your Xbox experience.

PowerA Enhanced Wired Controller for Xbox One ($20 at Amazon)

PowerA's take on the Xbox One controller is an attractive pickup for budget-conscious gamers that nails all the basics.

Talon PDP Xbox media remote ($20 at Amazon)

The Talon PDP Xbox media remote is great for watching shows on your console.

Xbox One S vertical stand ($10 at Amazon)

Stand your console upright with this accessory.

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