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Respawn Entertainment has a special treat in store for the popular battle royale gamers, arriving just in time for the holidays. Enthusiasts of this game's super-slick movement can rejoice to learn that a new movement mechanic is being implemented when Season 27: Amped goes live on November 4th.

Introducing Mantle Boosting

Dubbed "Mantle Boosting" by Respawn, this ability provides gamers a burst of propulsion when scaling ledges and walls. As explained key developer the design lead, Mantle Boosting has unofficially existed of the game for quite a while, often called as "mantle jumping." However it's challenging for casual gamers, and is mainly used by pro gamers in competitive play or tournaments. This season, Respawn is making it easier for everyone to successfully perform these advanced speed-boosts.

"This technique existed in the game for a while, but executing it isn't easy to perform and a player might not realize it [is in the game] without external guides," Canavese states. "Now including a Mantle Boost indicator so players can easily see the timing to activate the fast-paced traversal skill, making accessible the mechanic and adding new ways to play for more players."

The Reasoning Behind Opening Up Advanced Mechanics

What's the reason for making a previously obscure movement quirk accessible to everyone? Principal designer Josh Mohan explains developers aims for gamers to feel powerful — including ones who are inexperienced.

"[The playerbase] is doing advanced techniques like super-gliding and tap-strafes, and we examined at our competition, observed what our players execute, and we wondered, 'How can we extend some of this power to more players?'" the designer explains. "Because right now, some of these techniques are somewhat awkward to access — it requires to remap your keybinds and hit one-frame windows. So we said, 'What if we make a polished implementation?'"

The Amped Update Emphasis on Mobility

Movement is largely the name of the game in this season, with characters the gravity mage, Rampart, and the aerial combatant all getting buffs to help keep them mobile. The cooldown period on Horizon's Gravity Lift is shorter, and this skill will propel users into the air faster than it used to. Rampart's Amped Cover now include overhead protection and capability to provide speed boosts to those nearby. But it's the high-flying Valkyrie receiving the most attention now, with various adjustments implemented to enhance her as more potent, faster, and more lethal.

"I think many agree that her moment is here," states Legend designer Ian Holstead. "Certainly that she's been top-tier in the past, but with the introduction of other characters, mobility perks, and redeployment tools, it seemed like she's not very relevant in current the game. It was a really great opportunity for the team to revisit a bunch of aspects in her abilities and sort of restore her to former prominence."

Valkyrie's Upgrades

To restore her competitive status in current strategies, Holstead says the team assessed each of her abilities and introduced significant changes. Her jetpack received improvements, boosting her speed while airborne, and this equipment regenerates three times faster, allowing the player to spend more time aloft. She can no longer be harmed from her own Missile Swarm, which was enhanced to tag opponents who are hit from it. Her Skyward Dive skill — which launches teammates skyward for redeployment or retreat — requires much less time to activate. Additionally, she gains some new Legend Upgrades that players can select to conserve resources, expand the spread of her Missile Swarm, or accelerate her Skyward Dive takeoff time.

"Her jet pack now delivers on that jet-fighter fantasy," he comments.

Map Changes

Even the game's only floating arena, this location, is getting a mobility-focused overhaul, with major changes that opens up bottlenecks and makes claiming the high ground a bit less daunting. The developers says Apex Legends Season 27 focuses on giving players the resources they need to compete in the competition.

"Essentially, we examined Apex's core identity as a fast-paced FPS," says principal designer Josh Mohan.

Apex Legends Season 27: Amped launches Nov. 4 at 10 a.m. PST/1 p.m. EST.