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Respawn Entertainment have an exciting surprise prepared for Apex Legends players, arriving just in time for the holidays. Enthusiasts of this game's super-slick movement will be pleased to learn that a new movement mechanic is being implemented when Season 27: Amped launches on Nov. 4.

Introducing Mantle Boosting

Dubbed "Momentum Boosting" by Respawn, this feature gives players a surge of propulsion when scaling obstacles. According to key developer Eric Canavese, this technique was previously existed of Apex Legends for some time, usually referred to as "ledge boosting." But it's challenging for the average player, and typically employed by pro gamers in competitive play or tournaments. In this update, the team is making it easier for players of all skill levels to execute these advanced movement boosts.

"This technique existed in the game for some time, but the movement requires skill to pull off and gamers would never know it [is in the game] without external guides," the designer explains. "Now including a Mantle Boost indicator so players can clearly identify the timing to activate the fast-paced traversal skill, opening up the feature and introducing new ways to play for more players."

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 wants gamers to feel powerful — even those who are new.

"Our community performs other crazy stuff like super-glides and tap-strafes, and we looked around at our competition, observed what the community execute, and we said, 'How can we provide these capabilities to a broader audience?'" the designer explains. "Because currently, certain advanced [movement] mechanics are kind of janky to use — you need to change controls and execute within one-frame windows. So we said, 'How about we create a more official version?'"

Season 27 Emphasis on Mobility

Movement is primarily the central theme in Season 27, with Legends Horizon, the defensive specialist, and the aerial combatant all getting enhancements to help keep them in motion. The cooldown period on Horizon's Gravity Lift has been decreased, and the Gravity Lift will propel players upward faster than before. Her defensive walls feature a roof and the ability to provide movement bonuses to those nearby. However it's the high-flying Valkyrie receiving significant improvements this season, with multiple tweaks implemented to make her stronger, quicker, and more lethal.

"I think many agree that Valkyrie's time has arrived," states character developer the designer. "Certainly that she's been top-tier in the past, but due to the addition of new Legends, mobility perks, and Evac Towers, it seemed like she's not very relevant in today's the game. This presented an ideal chance for the team to reexamine multiple elements [of her kit] and essentially restore her to former prominence."

Valkyrie's Upgrades

To reclaim her competitive status in current strategies, Holstead notes Respawn assessed all her skills and implemented significant modifications. Her jetpack have been upgraded, boosting velocity while airborne, and the jets themselves regenerates three times faster, allowing her to remain longer in the air. Now she won't take damage from her own Missile Swarm, which has also been upgraded to mark opponents who take damage from the missiles. Her Skyward Dive ability — which launches teammates skyward for repositioning or escape — now takes reduced delay to fire up. She's also getting recently added perk choices that players can select to conserve resources, widen the area of her rockets, or further speed up her Skyward Dive activation.

"Her jet pack now delivers on that jet-fighter fantasy," Holstead says.

Olympus Improvements

Additionally, the only floating arena, this location, receives a mobility-focused overhaul, with an extensive redesign that expands choke points and renders securing elevated positions more manageable. Respawn state the game this update is all about giving players the resources they need to compete in the competition.

"Essentially, we were looking at Apex's fundamental nature as a fast-paced FPS," explains lead Legend designer the lead.

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