Apex Legends Season 22: Shockwave is introducing a great deal of gameplay adjustments and new additions to Respawn’s iconic battle royale. From a brand new battle go (properly, two new battle passes, technically) to a brand new map–and even a brand new strategy to wield everybody’s least-favorite weapons–the upcoming season could have loads of content material to maintain gamers entertained. However behind each new function added to the sport is a narrative, so GameSpot spoke to Respawn’s Apex Legends improvement group to be taught extra about Shockwave’s creation.
Talking to world director Ed Agostini, lead weapons designer Eric Canavese, design director and director of participant funding Chris “C4” Cleroux, sport designer John Larson, affiliate design director Josh Mohan, and senior design director Evan Nikolich, GameSpot acquired a behind-the-scenes have a look at a few of the largest game-changers set to hit Apex when Season 22: Shockwave goes reside on Tuesday, August 6.
Some of the stunning options unveiled within the Shockwave’s gameplay trailer was the brand new “akimbo” pistol mechanic, which permits gamers to dual-wield a pair of P2020s or a pair of Mozambiques. These two weapons are simply a few of the weakest within the sport, and gamers normally abandon them in favor of a stronger weapon as quickly as they discover one. GameSpot was keen to listen to the story behind the akimbo pistols, and was shocked to be taught that the dual-wielding function was initially used within the testing course of for a brand new (at the moment unreleased) weapon.
“We simply actually needed to do it,” Canavese defined, grinning. “You already know, I’ve performed dual-wield weapons in a whole lot of video games earlier than, and [there has] all the time [been] that query behind our minds: ‘What would that ever appear to be in Apex?’ I believe we had completed releasing a weapon, and it was like, ‘Nicely, what ought to we do subsequent?'”
“We had been attempting a lot of totally different prototypes, and we had been like, ‘Nicely, what if we strive dual-wielding pistols?'” Canavese continued. “The best way that it began was we really had designed a complete new gun round akimbo, and it was enjoyable and there have been some cool quirks to it. However after we had been taking part in it, we mentioned, ‘Oh, properly, what if we simply made this a system and used it on weapons that we at the moment have?’ And there have been no higher choices than the P2020 and the Mozambique, that are usually very weak and lower-tier weapons that you simply do away with [early in a match]. So there was this need to type of discover out what it might be like to complete video games and unironically run [the P2020 and Mozambique] into the endgame and last rings. Focusing in on their CQC capabilities meant they had been a very viable possibility for these last rings the place all people type of closes in on one another. You do not actually have to be ADSing at that time, so [there’s] simply this, like, loopy hip-fire spray-and-pray with these weapons [that] felt actually good.”
Canavese defined that the event of the brand new akimbo pistols required a whole lot of trial and error, however finally, the devs emerged victorious.
“That is what we landed on, and we’re really actually, actually proud of how they turned out,” Canavese mentioned of the dual-wielding mechanic, which successfully trades the power to ADS for main weapon buffs, making the pistols absolutely computerized with an elevated charge of fireside and tighter bullet unfold when hip-firing.
Naturally, the following factor we needed to know was if the unique, at the moment unreleased weapon Respawn had initially used to design the akimbo mechanic would ever seem within the sport.
“If it ever comes again, it would in all probability be a lot totally different,” Canavese informed GameSpot. “We did like issues about it, it simply did not really feel like the appropriate time to launch one thing like that. However by no means say by no means! It is in our software chest of prototypes, and if we ever discover {that a} season wants one thing like that–or the weapon roster and the meta are feeling stale not directly, and that kind of addition can enhance it–then completely. We all the time like going again to previous prototypes that had some legs. That is all the time on the desk.”
Shifting on to the subject of Shockwave’s new map–the monumental, cyberpunk-themed E-District–we inquired concerning the inspiration behind the map itself and the POIs inside it. Throughout previews, Apex Legends world director Ed Agostini mentioned that “constructing an evening map brings its challenges,” and defined that creating the densely packed map compelled the dev group to ask themselves, “What does an evening map appear to be that is well-lit?”
“I believe the POIs had been designed firstly for gameplay,” Agostini informed GameSpot, including that Tokyo’s Shibuya Middle was an enormous inspiration for the map at massive, but additionally its Neon Sq. POI.
“Shibuya Middle [was] the inspiration [for Neon Square] as a result of we had been making a downtown core and we had this main intersection,” Agostini defined. “Blossom Drive has some inspiration from different components of Tokyo as properly, with the canals and the sakura timber. I believe the opposite POIs–when we speak about different cultures–we would infuse cultures into a few of the POIs just like the Galleria has a really Arabic theme, identical with our resort. We’ve all of our residences, [and] you will discover Korean and Chinese language influences in there. A few of [the architecture] has a little bit of Japanese or Asian taste, as a result of we had been impressed by Ghost within the Shell and [other] anime as properly. So we’re attempting to seize a little bit of that in each facet of the map.”
However a brand new map–especially one the scale of E-District–brings with it new challenges, and GameSpot was desperate to be taught if the event group confronted any roadblocks whereas creating Apex’s newest digital playground.
“I believe [when you’re] constructing a dense map like this, you already know that not each sq. inch goes to be playable,” Agostini mentioned. “Not each constructing goes to be enterable, and in Apex, as a rule, all our buildings might be interacted with. So we needed to type of provide you with a visible language that was very clear. Buildings which might be enterable are well-lit, they’ve shade on them, after which the buildings that aren’t [able to be entered] are normally extra [like a] backdrop and type of gray. Now, we do have buildings that you may nonetheless clamber over and play on the rooftop, however we name them ‘dud buildings.’ They refill the rotations and so they simply provide you with a bit extra cowl as you are going by way of the areas.”
“That was one problem: to suppose exterior the field and [think about] how we take the Apex design language and layouts and translate that into an city surroundings,” Agostini continued. “And then one other [challenge] might be simply setting this complete factor at night time. We have performed night time maps earlier than, however I believe this time we needed to be sure that gamers [aren’t going] to really feel pissed off as a result of it is too darkish. So we needed to discover that proper stage of synthetic gentle from gentle air pollution and all of the neon, and produce up the visibility in order that it nonetheless provides you the impression of night time, but it surely’s gameplay-friendly, firstly.”
Whereas on the subject of visibility, GameSpot requested the devs about a few of the new adjustments to Battle Sense, an in-game system meant to perform as a kind of “sixth sense” for gamers. Season 22 will see the introduction of each seen enemy well being bars and a brand new function that highlights enemies after they’re near the participant.
“Enemy well being bars will take the guesswork out of how a lot harm you are doing to every opponent, and [allow you to see] if they are surely ‘one shot’ [away from being downed],” affiliate design director Josh Mohan defined throughout Season 22 previews.
“Precisely how far [away enemies are highlighted], I do not suppose we all know proper off the highest,” Canavese informed GameSpot. “We had been tuning it up and down proper till the very finish, so the place precisely it landed is far more of a ‘really feel’ factor than it was to be sure that it labored at particular ranges. I believe gamers will discover that as they’re taking part in it. Hopefully they’re going to be like, ‘That appears about proper.'”
“These [Battle Sense features] shall be opt-in/opt-out so gamers can play the best way they need,” Mohan chimed in. “We really feel these are highly effective tools–we’re going to show them on by default–but finally, it is within the participant’s fingers to regulate the type of expertise they need.”
After getting the lowdown on the brand new map and seasonal gameplay adjustments, it was time to be taught extra about what is definitely probably the most controversial change to Apex’s seasonal components: the choice to swap out a single, 110-level battle go for 2 particular person, 60-level battle passes every season.
Initially, Respawn introduced that the brand new battle passes would even be accompanied by a change in how these battle passes are bought. As an alternative of with the ability to use Apex Cash (AC) earned from finishing earlier battle passes to unlock new ones, gamers would solely have the ability to buy them instantly for $10 every, placing an finish to 5 years of battle passes that had been successfully free as soon as a participant accomplished the primary battle go they ever bought.
This led to gamers review-bombing the sport, sending its Steam user-score plummeting from “overwhelmingly constructive” to “largely constructive” (it is currently sitting at a “mixed” overall rating). In response to the damaging suggestions from gamers, Respawn made some last-minute adjustments to the brand new battle-pass system, as soon as once more permitting gamers to unlock every go by spending 950 AC.
Throughout previews, the devs defined that the explanations behind the adjustments to the battle-pass system had been twofold: Many gamers weren’t even ending their battle go, so splitting it in half appeared like the perfect answer to that concern. Moreover, gamers who did end their battle go weren’t equipping a lot of the loot they’d unlocked by finishing it, which resulted in a loot overhaul and the removing of seasonal stat trackers.
“The factor is, [seasonal splits] do entice some gamers to come back again, or re-engage[s] new gamers, and when you’re coming again and you have lapsed within the battle go, it feels too daunting [to complete it], and [players] additionally really feel like, ‘Why? Why ought to I care?'” senior design director Evan Nikolich informed GameSpot. “Should you’re new, it is not even price it so that you can have interaction, so splitting up the 2 battle passes permits for [mid-season re-engagement], and likewise meets the player-behavior expectations in as we speak’s market. Gamers get pulled throughout [by] the totally different video games that come out and in, and having an possibility to come back again in and play your sport [and let it have] a significant development is one thing we needed to do.”
However these adjustments additionally imply that gamers who wish to full a complete season’s pair of battle passes will finally be confronted with a complete of 120 ranges to grind by way of every season as an alternative of 110. So why break up the battle go in two–adding an additional 10 ranges for gamers to unlock each season–instead of simply growing the quantity of XP Boosts gained in every battle go?
“We might do the the rocketing of XP and whatnot, however with it comes a extra tough financial steadiness versus splitting it up in two,” Nikolich defined. “I believe [splitting it] is only a cleaner possibility for the participant.”
With all of the adjustments coming to the sport in Season 22, we needed to know which new function the dev group was most pleased with, and most excited to see gamers react to.
“I am gonna say Bot Royale, giving gamers a possibility to have that type of secure area to have the ability to apply and onboard their pals,” design director Chris “C4” Cleroux answered, referring to a brand new PvE limited-time mode that can launch throughout the brand new season. “It is accessible to all people, and it is not [like] that restricted orientation match. I actually hope gamers will get pleasure from that have.”
Apex Legends gamers will get a first-hand have a look at all the brand new options mentioned above when Season 22: Shockwave goes reside on Tuesday, August 6 at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET.