The Battle Royale's Niche Movement Mechanics Are Going Mainstream During This Update

The game developers have a special treat in store for Apex Legends players, perfectly timed for the holidays. Fans 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 goes live on November 4th.

Unveiling Mantle Boosting

Named "Momentum Boosting" by Respawn, this ability gives players a burst of propulsion when climbing over ledges and walls. As explained lead battle royale designer Eric Canavese, Mantle Boosting was previously been a feature of the game for quite a while, often called as "mantle jumping." However it's no easy feat for casual gamers, and is mainly used by competitive players in Ranked Mode or tournaments. In this update, Respawn is making it easier for players of all skill levels to successfully perform these tricky speed-boosts.

"This technique existed in Apex for some time, but the movement requires skill to perform and gamers might not realize it [is in the game] without outside knowledge," the designer states. "We're adding a visual cue so users can easily see the timing to trigger the high-octane movement ability, making accessible the mechanic and adding new ways to compete for more players."

The Reasoning Behind Make It Accessible

Why make a previously obscure movement quirk accessible to all players? Principal designer Josh Mohan says developers 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 said, 'What if we extend these capabilities to more players?'" Mohan explains. "Because right now, certain advanced [movement] mechanics are kind of janky to use — it requires to remap your keybinds and hit precise timings. So we said, 'What if we make a more official version?'"

The Amped Update Emphasis on Mobility

Movement is primarily the name of the game in this season, with Legends Horizon, the defensive specialist, and the aerial combatant all getting enhancements to help keep them mobile. The cooldown period on Horizon's Gravity Lift has been decreased, and this skill will propel users into the air much quicker than it used to. Rampart's Amped Cover feature a roof and the ability to grant speed boosts to allies in range. However the spotlight is on the high-flying this Legend who's getting significant improvements now, with multiple tweaks implemented to make her stronger, quicker, and more lethal.

"In my opinion there's quite a consensus that Valkyrie's time is here," states Legend designer Ian Holstead. "Certainly that she's been dominant in the past, but due to the addition of new Legends, mobility perks, and Evac Towers, it seemed like she fell behind in current the game. It was a really great opportunity for us to revisit multiple elements [of her kit] and sort of restore her to her glory days."

Valkyrie's Upgrades

To reclaim Valkyrie's relevance in the game's meta, Holstead says the team evaluated all her skills and implemented significant modifications. Her jetpack have been upgraded, boosting her speed while airborne, and this equipment regenerates three times faster, allowing her to remain longer aloft. She can no longer take damage from her own Missile Swarm, which was enhanced to tag opponents who take damage from the missiles. Her squad redeploy ability — which lifts her entire squad into the air for redeployment or retreat — now takes much less time to activate. She's also getting recently added Legend Upgrades that users can select to conserve resources, expand the spread of her rockets, or further speed up her ultimate takeoff time.

"Her jet pack fulfills that jet-fighter fantasy," he comments.

Map Changes

Additionally, the only floating arena, this location, receives a movement-friendly overhaul, with an extensive redesign that opens up choke points and renders claiming the high ground a bit less daunting. The developers state Apex Legends this update is all about giving players the tools required to keep up with matches.

"Essentially, we examined Apex's fundamental nature as a movement shooter," explains principal designer Josh Mohan.

The battle royale Season 27: Amped releases Nov. 4 at the specified times.