🔗 Share this article

Respawn Entertainment has an exciting surprise prepared for Apex Legends players, perfectly timed for the holidays. Enthusiasts of the battle royale's super-slick movement will be pleased to discover that a new movement mechanic will be introduced when Season 27: Amped launches on November 4th.

Introducing The Mantle Boost

Named "Momentum Boosting" by the developers, this ability provides gamers a burst of propulsion when scaling obstacles. As explained key developer Eric Canavese, this technique was previously existed of the game for some time, usually referred to as "mantle jumping." But it's challenging for casual gamers, and is mainly used by pro gamers in competitive play or tournaments. In this update, Respawn is making it easier for players of all skill levels to execute these tricky speed-boosts.

"This technique have been in the game for some time, but the movement isn't easy to pull off and a player would never know it's possible without external guides," the designer explains. "We're adding a visual cue so players can clearly identify the timing to trigger the fast-paced movement ability, making accessible the mechanic and adding fresh strategies to play for a much wider base."

Why Make It Accessible

Why make a previously obscure movement quirk available to everyone? Lead Legend designer the development lead says the team aims for players to experience empowerment — even those who are inexperienced.

"[The playerbase] performs advanced techniques like super-gliding and tap-strafes, and we looked around at our competition, observed what the community are doing, and we wondered, 'How can we extend these capabilities to more players?'" the designer explains. "Because currently, some of these techniques are somewhat awkward to access — you need to change controls and hit precise timings. So we said, 'How about we create a more official version?'"

The Amped Update Emphasis on Mobility

Mobility is largely the central theme in this season, with Legends the gravity mage, the defensive specialist, and Valkyrie all getting buffs to maintain them mobile. The cooldown period on her tactical ability has been decreased, and the Gravity Lift will boost users into the air faster than before. Her defensive walls now include overhead protection and capability to provide movement bonuses to those nearby. However it's the high-flying Valkyrie receiving the most attention this season, with various adjustments implemented to enhance her as stronger, faster, and deadlier.

"I think many agree that Valkyrie's time has arrived," states character developer the designer. "Certainly she was dominant previously, but due to the addition of new Legends, mobility perks, and redeployment tools, it seemed like she's not very relevant in today's Apex. This presented a really great opportunity for the team to reexamine multiple elements in her abilities and sort of restore her to her glory days."

Valkyrie's Upgrades

To reclaim Valkyrie's relevance in current strategies, the developer says the team evaluated all her skills and introduced some powerful changes. Her jetpack have been upgraded, boosting her speed during flight, and this equipment now recharge three times faster, allowing her to remain longer aloft. Now she won't be harmed from her own Missile Swarm, which was enhanced to tag enemies who take damage from the missiles. Her squad redeploy skill — which lifts her entire squad skyward for repositioning or retreat — now takes reduced delay to activate. Additionally, she gains recently added Legend Upgrades that players can select to reduce fuel consumption, widen the area of her rockets, or accelerate her ultimate activation.

"Her jet pack fulfills that jet-fighter fantasy," Holstead says.

Olympus Improvements

Additionally, the only floating arena, this location, is getting a movement-friendly overhaul, with major changes that expands choke points and makes claiming the high ground more manageable. Respawn says the game Season 27 is all about giving players the resources required to compete in the competition.

"Essentially, we examined the game's core identity as a movement shooter," says principal designer Josh Mohan.

Apex Legends the Amped season releases Nov. 4 at 10 a.m. PST/1 p.m. EST.