Apex Legends: Ignite Launches October 31 and Features New Legend – Conduit, an Overhauled Storm Point, Cross Progression, and Much More
Summary
- New Legend: Conduit is the versatile new support class Legend capable of offensive and defensive tactical gameplay utilizing her shield healing / disrupting abilities.
- Overhauled Map: Storm Point has been reduced in size, resulting in a faster pace, intense combat, and all-new points of interest.
- Cross Progression: Cosmetics, badges, and achievements collected across all platforms will automatically be unified into a single account.
A massive and devastating storm has wreaked havoc across the tropical islands and towering mountains of Storm Point, leaving a path of destruction in its wake. Previous points of interest lie in shambles and litter the landscape. The storm has passed though and the skies above, once a canvas of gloom, now reveal a masterpiece of swirling clouds and vibrant rainbows. Hope has been restored! Storm Point stands strong, exciting new locations have appeared, and a new Legend drops into battle for glory, fame, and fortune. Welcome to Ignite, the electrifying new season of Apex Legends releasing on October 31.
I had the opportunity to attend a press event for Apex Legends: Ignite and witness first-hand several of the key features included with this season when it releases October 31.
Conduit – Greatness from Anywhere
Conduit is the charming but capable new Legend joining the roster this season. She’s a little sassy like Rampart, but plays like a hybrid form of Wattson, Catalyst, and Bangalore meshed into one. Her backstory is derived from Titanfall lore, which always sparks an interest with me, as does her focus on family, friends, and culture. We got a small taste of her positive and infectious personality as she playfully banters with Mirage and Gibraltar in her intro trailer. Although she is billeted as a support class, she is quite capable of leading the charge into battle and can be played either offensively or defensively, depending on circumstances and your play style. Her abilities are summarized below:
- Passive Ability: Savior’s Speed – Receive a burst of speed when you’re out of tactical range and running towards your allies.
- Tactical Ability: Radiant Transfer – Generate temporary shields on a teammate while receiving a similar buff.
- Ultimate Ability: Energy Barricade – Deploy an array of shield-jamming devices that damage and slow enemies.
Storm Point – Raining Bullets in the Forecast
As a fan of the game since…forever (or at least since it was announced), Storm Point is my favorite map. Period. Yes, I really love Olympus too, but there’s just something about the layout, aesthetics, and overall feel of Storm Point. When I heard it was getting overhauled this season with Ignite, I was optimistic about what to expect.
I wasn’t surprised to hear the playable area was being reduced in size – it is the biggest map after all. I’m sure we’ve all had matches where you’re down to the last ring or two and still haven’t encountered any enemies. So, a smaller Storm Point that leads to combat sooner and more often is exciting. Plus, with several new Points of Interest to discover like Wattson’s Town Takeover and Devastated Coast, there will be plenty of new sights to see. Storms always stir up the local wildlife, so be ready for spiders, prowlers, and of course, the other team with the most electrifying version of Storm Point yet.
Cross Progression – Unite and Conquer
One of the most fan-requested features is coming this season with Apex Legends: Ignite! Cross Progression allows cosmetics, badges, and achievements collected across all platforms to be unified into a single account. The process is automatic and a summary screen will show you all the changes being made. Essentially, your account with the highest rank will be your base account and everything you have earned and unlocked will be added to it. This is a great update, especially if you have heirlooms unlocked across multiple platforms, as they will all be consolidated into one account now.
Ranked and Meta Updates – The Best Competitive Experience Yet
Apex Legends: Ignite introduces a number of important updates as the Respawn team has continued to make Ranked a key focus for this season, especially in how they’re smoothing out the Ranked climb experience. We’re getting three significant changes to Ranked that are making this look like the best competitive Apex experience yet. First, for Ranked rewards, they’ll be replacing the skydive trail with a new Ranked banner frame that players will get to keep indefinitely. Next, Promotional Trials will raise the stakes for players by tying their results to their progression – no more climbing while sitting on the sideline! Finally, they’ve removed the party restrictions on Ranked for Trios.
Also, as is standard with any new season of Apex Legends, there will be adjustments made to Legends and weapons to balance gameplay and the overall meta. It’s always best to check the official patch notes to see exactly what specific changes are being introduced, but one I can tell you I will be on the lookout for is the Red Tier Wingman being added to Care Package drops. The Wingman is already devastatingly powerful, I can only imagine what a Red Tier version equipped with the Skullpiercer Elite attachment is going to do (Yes, Skullpiercer Elite). Don’t leave this one behind. If you or your teammates don’t want to use it, at least hide it somewhere. You don’t want this kind of firepower in the hands of the opposing team. Admittedly, I’m not the best with the Wingman, but I will absolutely take a red one every time I find one!
In addition to the highlights above, an all-new Battle Pass featuring new skins, banner frames, emotes, weapon charms, and stickers, plus a season full of events and challenges, the Apex Legends team is set to reveal more details about their collaboration event with Post Malone on November 2. You don’t want to miss this news, so mark your calendar and stay tuned!
Apex Legends is a free-to-play shooter available on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. Check out the official website and follow @PlayApex for more information about Ignite.
Apex Legends™
Electronic Arts