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Respawn Entertainment has an exciting surprise in store for Apex Legends players, perfectly timed for the holidays. Fans of this game's super-slick movement can rejoice to learn that an innovative traversal feature will be introduced when Season 27: Amped goes live on November 4th.

Introducing Mantle Boosting

Dubbed "Mantle Boosting" by the developers, this feature gives players a burst of propulsion when scaling ledges and walls. According to lead battle royale designer Eric Canavese, this technique has unofficially existed of the game for quite a while, usually referred to as "ledge boosting." But it's no easy feat for casual gamers, and typically employed by pro gamers in competitive play or esports competitions. In this update, the team is making it easier for everyone to execute these tricky speed-boosts.

"Mantle Boosts existed in Apex for some time, but the movement requires skill to pull off and a player might not realize it's possible without outside knowledge," the designer explains. "We're adding a Mantle Boost indicator so users can clearly identify when and how to trigger the fast-paced movement ability, opening up the feature and introducing new ways to compete for more players."

Why Opening Up Advanced Mechanics

Why make a previously obscure technique available to everyone? Lead Legend designer the development lead explains developers wants gamers to feel powerful — including ones who are inexperienced.

"[The playerbase] performs other crazy stuff like super-gliding and tap-strafing, and we looked around at our competition, looked at what our players execute, and we wondered, 'How can we provide these capabilities to a broader audience?'" the designer clarifies. "Since right now, some of these techniques are kind of janky to access — you need to change controls and execute within one-frame windows. We proposed, 'What if we create a more official implementation?'"

Season 27 Movement Focus

Movement is largely the name of the game in Season 27, with Legends Horizon, the defensive specialist, and Valkyrie receiving buffs to help keep them mobile. Recovery time on her tactical ability is shorter, and the Gravity Lift will propel players into the air much quicker than it used to. Her defensive walls feature a roof and the ability to grant speed boosts to those nearby. But the spotlight is on aerial this Legend receiving the most attention now, with multiple tweaks applied to enhance her as stronger, faster, and deadlier.

"I think many agree that her moment has arrived," states character developer the designer. "Certainly that she's been dominant in the past, but due to the addition of other characters, mobility perks, and Evac Towers, it felt like she's not very relevant in current the game. This presented an ideal chance for the team to reexamine multiple elements [of her kit] and sort of restore her to her glory days."

Valkyrie's Upgrades

To restore her competitive status in current strategies, the developer notes Respawn evaluated all her skills and introduced some powerful modifications. Her VTOL Jets have been upgraded, increasing velocity during flight, and the jets themselves regenerates three times faster, allowing her to remain longer aloft. She can no longer be harmed from her own Missile Swarm, which was enhanced to tag opponents who take damage from it. Her squad redeploy skill — which lifts her entire squad into the air 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, widen the area of her Missile Swarm, or accelerate her ultimate activation.

"Her jet pack fulfills that jet-fighter fantasy," Holstead comments.

Olympus Improvements

Additionally, the lone airborne map, this location, is getting a mobility-focused overhaul, with major changes that expands bottlenecks and renders securing elevated positions more manageable. The developers state Apex Legends this update focuses on providing gamers the resources they need to keep up with the competition.

"Essentially, we were looking at the game's core identity as a fast-paced FPS," says lead Legend designer the lead.

The battle royale Season 27: Amped releases Nov. 4 at 10 a.m. PST/1 p.m. EST.