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The game developers have a special treat prepared for Apex Legends players, arriving just in time for the holidays. Enthusiasts of the battle royale's super-slick movement can rejoice to discover that a new movement mechanic will be introduced when the Amped season launches on November 4th.

Unveiling Mantle Boosting

Named "Mantle Boosting" by the developers, this ability gives players a burst of propulsion when climbing over ledges and walls. As explained key developer the design lead, this technique has unofficially existed of Apex Legends for some time, usually referred to as "ledge boosting." However it's no easy feat for casual gamers, and is mainly used by competitive players in Ranked Mode or esports competitions. This season, the team simplifies the process for everyone to execute these advanced movement boosts.

"This technique existed in the game for some time, but executing it requires skill to perform and gamers might not realize it's possible without outside knowledge," the designer states. "We're adding a visual cue so users can easily see when and how to trigger the fast-paced traversal skill, making accessible the feature and introducing new ways to compete for a much wider base."

Why Make It Accessible

What's the reason for making a previously obscure movement quirk available to everyone? Lead Legend designer the development lead says the team wants gamers 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, observed what our players are doing, and we wondered, 'What if we provide these capabilities to more players?'" Mohan clarifies. "Since right now, some of these advanced [movement] mechanics are somewhat awkward to access — you need to change controls and execute within precise timings. We proposed, 'What if we make a polished implementation?'"

Season 27 Movement Focus

Movement is primarily the name of the game in this season, with characters Horizon, Rampart, and Valkyrie receiving enhancements to maintain them mobile. Recovery time on Horizon's Gravity Lift has been decreased, and the Gravity Lift will boost players upward faster than before. Rampart's Amped Cover now include a roof and capability to provide movement bonuses to those nearby. However the spotlight is on the high-flying this Legend who's getting significant improvements this season, with various adjustments applied to enhance her as more potent, faster, and more lethal.

"In my opinion many agree that Valkyrie's time is here," says Legend designer Ian Holstead. "Certainly that she's been top-tier in the past, but with the introduction of other characters, movement[-based] passives, and Evac Towers, it felt like she's not very relevant in current the game. It was an ideal chance for the team to revisit a bunch of aspects in her abilities and essentially restore her to her glory days."

Enhancements to the Aerial Legend

To reclaim Valkyrie's relevance in current strategies, Holstead notes Respawn evaluated all her skills and introduced significant changes. Her jetpack have been upgraded, increasing velocity during flight, and this equipment now recharge three times faster, allowing the player to spend more time in the air. Now she won't take damage from her ultimate ability, which was enhanced to mark opponents who are hit from the missiles. Her squad redeploy skill — which launches teammates into the air for redeployment or retreat — requires reduced delay to activate. Additionally, she gains recently added Legend Upgrades that users can select to reduce fuel consumption, widen the area of her rockets, or accelerate her Skyward Dive takeoff time.

"Valkyrie's equipment fulfills the pilot experience," Holstead says.

Map Changes

Even the game's lone airborne map, Olympus, receives a mobility-focused overhaul, with major changes that expands choke points and renders claiming the high ground more manageable. Respawn says Apex Legends this update is all about giving players the resources required to keep up with the competition.

"Really, we were looking at Apex's core identity as a fast-paced FPS," explains lead Legend designer the lead.

Apex Legends the Amped season releases Nov. 4 at the specified times.