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The game developers have a special treat in store for the popular battle royale players, perfectly timed for the holidays. Fans of this game's highly fluid traversal can rejoice to learn that a new movement mechanic will be introduced when the Amped season goes live on Nov. 4.

Introducing Mantle Boosting

Named "Momentum Boosting" by Respawn, this feature gives players a surge of forward momentum when climbing over ledges and walls. According to key developer Eric Canavese, Mantle Boosting has unofficially been a feature of Apex Legends for some time, often called as "ledge boosting." However it's challenging for casual gamers, and is mainly used by competitive players in competitive play or esports competitions. This season, the team simplifies the process for everyone to execute these advanced movement boosts.

"Mantle Boosts have been in the game for some time, but the movement isn't easy to pull off and gamers might not realize it's possible without external guides," Canavese states. "We're adding a visual cue so players can clearly identify the timing to activate the fast-paced movement ability, making accessible the feature and adding fresh strategies to compete for a much wider base."

Why Make It Accessible

What's the reason for making a previously obscure movement quirk accessible to all players? Principal designer the development lead says developers aims for players to feel powerful — even those who are inexperienced.

"Our community performs advanced techniques like super-gliding and tap-strafing, and we examined at our competition, looked at what our players execute, and we said, 'How can we extend these capabilities to more players?'" the designer explains. "Since right now, certain advanced [movement] mechanics are kind of janky to access — it requires to change controls and hit one-frame windows. We proposed, 'What if we make a more official implementation?'"

The Amped Update Movement Focus

Mobility is largely the name of the game in this season, with characters the gravity mage, Rampart, and the aerial combatant receiving buffs to maintain them mobile. Recovery time on Horizon's Gravity Lift has been decreased, and this skill will propel users upward much quicker than it used to. Her defensive walls feature overhead protection and the ability to grant movement bonuses to those nearby. But the spotlight is on the high-flying Valkyrie who's getting the most attention this season, with various adjustments implemented to make her more potent, faster, and more lethal.

"In my opinion many agree that her moment has arrived," says character developer the designer. "There's no doubt that she's been dominant in the past, but due to the addition of other characters, mobility perks, and redeployment tools, it felt like she fell behind in today's Apex. This presented an ideal chance for the team to reexamine multiple elements in her abilities and essentially restore her to her glory days."

Valkyrie's Upgrades

To restore her competitive status in the game's meta, the developer says Respawn assessed each of her abilities and introduced some powerful modifications. Her VTOL Jets have been upgraded, boosting velocity while airborne, and the jets themselves regenerates much quicker, enabling the player to spend more time aloft. Now she won't take damage from her own Missile Swarm, which was enhanced to tag opponents who take damage from the missiles. Her Skyward Dive ability — which lifts teammates into the air for redeployment or escape — requires much less time to activate. She's also getting some new perk choices that players can choose to reduce fuel consumption, widen the area of her rockets, or further speed up her Skyward Dive takeoff time.

"Valkyrie's equipment fulfills the pilot experience," he comments.

Map Changes

Even the game's lone airborne map, Olympus, receives a movement-friendly overhaul, with major changes that opens up choke points and makes claiming the high ground more manageable. Respawn state the game Season 27 focuses on giving players the tools required to keep up with the competition.

"Really, we were looking at the game's core identity as a movement shooter," explains principal designer Josh Mohan.

The battle royale Season 27: Amped releases November 4th at 10 a.m. PST/1 p.m. EST.