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The game developers have a special treat prepared for the popular battle royale players, arriving just in time for the holidays. Fans of this game's super-slick traversal can rejoice to discover that an innovative traversal feature is being implemented when the Amped season launches on November 4th.

Unveiling The Mantle Boost

Dubbed "Momentum Boosting" by the developers, this feature gives players a surge of propulsion when climbing over ledges and walls. As explained key developer Eric Canavese, this technique was previously existed of the game for quite a while, often called as "mantle jumping." However it's challenging for the average player, and is mainly used by pro gamers in Ranked Mode or esports competitions. In this update, Respawn simplifies the process for players of all skill levels to successfully perform these tricky movement boosts.

"This technique have been in Apex for a while, but executing it requires skill to pull off and gamers would never know it's possible without outside knowledge," Canavese states. "We're adding a Mantle Boost indicator so users can clearly identify the timing to activate the fast-paced movement ability, making accessible the mechanic and introducing fresh strategies to compete for a much wider base."

The Reasoning Behind Make It Accessible

Why make a once niche movement quirk available to everyone? Lead Legend designer the development lead explains the team wants players to experience empowerment — even those who are inexperienced.

"[The playerbase] performs advanced techniques like super-glides and tap-strafing, and we looked around at other games, looked at what the community are doing, and we wondered, 'What if we extend some of this power to a broader audience?'" Mohan explains. "Because currently, some of these techniques are somewhat awkward to use — you need to remap your keybinds and hit one-frame windows. We proposed, 'How about we make a more official implementation?'"

Season 27 Emphasis on Mobility

Mobility is primarily the name of the game in this season, with characters Horizon, Rampart, and the aerial combatant receiving buffs to maintain them in motion. The cooldown period on her tactical ability has been decreased, and the Gravity Lift will propel players into the air faster than it used to. Her defensive walls feature overhead protection and the ability to provide movement bonuses to those nearby. However the spotlight is on aerial Valkyrie who's getting the most attention this season, with various adjustments applied to enhance her as more potent, faster, and deadlier.

"I think many agree that Valkyrie's time is here," states Legend designer the designer. "There's no doubt that she's been dominant in the past, but with the introduction of new Legends, movement[-based] passives, and redeployment tools, it felt like she's not very relevant in today's the game. This presented an ideal chance for us to revisit multiple elements in her abilities and essentially bring her back to former prominence."

Enhancements to the Aerial Legend

To reclaim her competitive status in the game's meta, Holstead says Respawn assessed each of her abilities and introduced significant modifications. Her jetpack have been upgraded, boosting her speed during flight, and this equipment now recharge much quicker, enabling the player to remain longer in the air. She can no longer be harmed from her own Missile Swarm, which was enhanced to mark opponents who take damage from the missiles. Her squad redeploy ability — which lifts teammates into the air for repositioning or retreat — requires reduced delay to activate. Additionally, she gains some new Legend Upgrades that players can select to conserve resources, widen the area of her rockets, or further speed up her Skyward Dive takeoff time.

"Her jet pack fulfills the pilot experience," Holstead says.

Olympus Improvements

Even the game's lone airborne map, Olympus, is getting a movement-friendly overhaul, with an extensive redesign that opens up bottlenecks and makes claiming the high ground a bit less daunting. Respawn state Apex Legends this update focuses on giving players the resources required to keep up with the competition.

"Essentially, we examined Apex's fundamental nature as a movement shooter," explains lead Legend designer the lead.

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