APEX LEGENDS — EVERYTHING WE KNOW ABOUT SEASON 9
April 27, 2021
Prepare your jetpacks, because Season 9 of Apex Legends is right around the corner. Respawn Entertainment is forgoing numbers this time around though, with the ninth season being dubbed Apex Legends: Legacy. But naming changes aren’t the only thing coming to the battle royale, so we’ve rounded up everything we know about Apex Legends Season 9 so far.
Everything We Know About Apex Legends Season 9
New Legend: Valkyrie
A new season means a new character: Valkyrie is set to join the roster when Season 9 officially kicks off. The high-flying character makes use of a jetpack to soar above the battlefield and her enemies. She’s a direct tie-in from Titanfall 2, as the daughter of one of the game’s lead antagonists. Before making her debut as a legend, Valkyrie grew up under the protection of her father. She learned to pilot Titans, but was discouraged by him from becoming a professional.
Respawn has been quiet on her actual kit, but the community has done some digging. Known Apex Legends dataminer Shrugtal recently dumped a list of her abilities onto Twitter, potentially giving a glimpse at how Valkyrie plays.
Her passive is said to be a hover ability that allows her to float for a short period of time. Her tactical ability appears to be the cluster missiles shown in her announcement trailer. As for her ultimate? Valkyrie is reportedly able to redeploy both herself and her teammates, launching everyone into the air for another skydive.
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If these abilities prove to be real, Valkyrie could become a must-have for teams that focus on mobility. In a recent reddit thread, developers from Respawn Entertainment even suggested that there are worries she may be too powerful. However, they appear to be waiting to see how she plays before making any nerfs.
Bocek Bow
After 8 seasons without a bow, Apex Legends is getting a bullet-free option. The Bocek Bow will be introduced into Season 9, but Respawn hasn’t said much else about the new weapon. They did make a point of mentioning that the Bocek Bow will excel at medium range, but we’re already expecting to see plenty of clips online showing cross-map shots. The addition of the bow will also likely bring a new ammo type in the form of arrows.
This is the second season in a row that Respawn has opted to add a single-shot gun to the game. In Season 8, the 30-30 repeater was introduced and also excelled at medium ranges. It will be interesting to see how the Bocek Bow fares in comparison to the next most recent addition.
3v3 Arena Mode
Respawn has been teasing a new game mode for quite some time, telling players to “get ready to go beyond battle royale.” The Legacy Gameplay Trailer finally unveiled the new mode as a competitive, round-based showdown.
Taking place on smaller maps, Arena duels require players to spend money on skills and equipment each round, similar to shooters like CS:GO and Valorant. Here, however, equipment won’t carry over between rounds, meaning it’s vital to balance your resources between each and every bout. It’s a race to three wins, but you can only claim victory with a lead of at least two rounds. Reach four rounds apiece and it’s time for sudden death.
While several of the arenas are created from chunks of Apex Legends’ larger maps, a few new places to fight are also arriving. Party Crasher is set in the aftermath of an unfortunate landing by Mirage’s infamous barge, while Phase Runner includes a gigantic portal to launch players between two sections of the map.
Wherever you battle, there’s still plenty to scrap over, as Supply Crates and valuable Materials caches (the resource used to purchase equipment each round) are strewn across the levels. A single drop pod will fall at the midpoint of each round, offering valuable weapon loadouts that could turn the tide of a round. The contents are highlighted on the purchase menu each round, meaning you’ll know exactly whether it’s worth risking your life to obtain them.
Olympus Infestation
Season 8 saw Kings Canyon get a rework. Now, it’s Olympus’ turn. An infestation has been teased by Respawn to have hit the city of Psamate. Strange roots have begun strangling the city, and the many verdant areas of Psamate may be at risk.
So far, it’s unclear how exactly this infestation will play out. But considering Psamate’s heavy focus on nature and the emphasis on roots, we can assume that the town’s plant life will be drastically altered. Whether this infestation will turn the lawns and trees of the city into zombies, obstacles, or enemies has yet to be seen.
Shrugtal has claimed that Olumpus will receive a “big map change” at the season start, and the infestation is most likely it. He also mentioned that World’s Edge will receive a smaller change about half way through the season, so be on the lookout for that too.
Apex Legends Season 9 arrives May 4, 2021 on all platforms.
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Nicolas Perez is a journalist who has played way too much Civilization 5. He’s rambling on Twitter @Nic_Perez_.
