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The game developers has a special treat in store for the popular battle royale gamers, arriving just in time for the holidays. Enthusiasts of this game's highly fluid movement can rejoice to discover that an innovative traversal feature will be introduced when Season 27: Amped goes live on November 4th.

Introducing The Mantle Boost

Dubbed "Momentum Boosting" by Respawn, this feature gives players a burst of propulsion when scaling ledges and walls. As explained lead battle royale designer the design lead, this technique has unofficially been a feature of the game for some time, usually referred to as "mantle jumping." However it's no easy feat for the average player, and typically employed by pro gamers in Ranked Mode or tournaments. In this update, Respawn is making it easier for players of all skill levels to successfully perform these tricky speed-boosts.

"This technique have been in the game for some time, but the movement isn't easy to perform and a player would never know it's possible without outside knowledge," the designer explains. "We're adding a visual cue so users can easily see the timing to activate the fast-paced movement ability, opening up the mechanic and adding fresh strategies to play for more players."

The Reasoning Behind Opening Up Advanced Mechanics

Why make a previously obscure technique available to all players? Lead Legend designer the development lead explains the team wants players to experience empowerment — including ones who are inexperienced.

"Our community performs advanced techniques like super-glides and tap-strafing, and we examined at other games, looked at what the community execute, and we said, 'What if we provide some of this power to a broader audience?'" Mohan clarifies. "Since right now, certain techniques are kind of janky to access — it requires to change controls and hit precise timings. So we said, 'How about we make a polished version?'"

Season 27 Emphasis on Mobility

Movement is largely the central theme in this season, with Legends the gravity mage, Rampart, and Valkyrie all getting buffs to maintain them mobile. The cooldown period on her tactical ability has been decreased, and this skill will boost users upward faster than before. Her defensive walls feature overhead protection and the ability to provide movement bonuses to allies in range. However the spotlight is on the high-flying Valkyrie who's getting the most attention this season, with various adjustments implemented to enhance her as more potent, quicker, and deadlier.

"I think many agree that her moment is here," says character developer Ian Holstead. "There's no doubt she was dominant 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 today's the game. It was an ideal chance for us to reexamine multiple elements [of her kit] and essentially bring her back to former prominence."

Enhancements to the Aerial Legend

To reclaim Valkyrie's relevance in current strategies, Holstead notes Respawn evaluated all her skills and implemented some powerful changes. Her jetpack received improvements, increasing her speed while airborne, and this equipment regenerates much quicker, enabling the player to remain longer aloft. She can no longer take damage from her own Missile Swarm, which has also been upgraded to tag opponents who are hit from the missiles. Her squad redeploy ability — which launches teammates skyward for redeployment or retreat — requires reduced delay to fire up. She's also getting some new Legend Upgrades that players can select to conserve resources, expand the spread of her rockets, or further speed up her ultimate activation.

"Her jet pack now delivers on the pilot experience," Holstead comments.

Map Changes

Even the game's only floating arena, Olympus, receives a movement-friendly overhaul, with major changes that opens up bottlenecks and makes securing elevated positions a bit less daunting. The developers state Apex Legends this update focuses on giving players the resources required to keep up with matches.

"Really, we examined the game's fundamental nature as a movement shooter," says principal designer Josh Mohan.

The battle royale the Amped season launches November 4th at the specified times.