New Apex Legends players who join after season 16 won’t have their baptism by fire in one of the multiple maps in the battle royale. Instead of getting mowed down by Apex Predators, veterans, and bald Wraiths, newcomers will have a slew of orientation matches ahead of them, letting them square off against bots before taking off their training wheels.
“People who are just trying out Apex for the first time, new players will now have to complete a few orientation matches before they head into the full 20-team battle,” experience design director Aaron Rutledge shared in a press conference ahead of season 16. These matches will match up “truly new players” in a server mostly full of bots. Veteran friends may not be subject to orientation matches, but they can help their newcomer friends complete their starting games and join the action more quickly.
Orientation matches boast 16 squads of bots, while the remaining squads will be comprised exclusively of human players. This means players shouldn’t be matched with the AI, and can instead work as a team with fellow newcomers. Players can “graduate out” of their training by coming in first place, finishing in the top five a few times, or just by playing enough orientation games, according to Rutledge.
“This will help to take off the pressure, let them get their bearings, understand what a dropship is, how the Ring works, things like that, and go through a full loop of the battle royale with a little less pressure to complete,” Rutledge added.
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In addition to the new orientation matches, players can also watch an introductory cutscene narrated by Mirage, which will give fans a basic rundown of how Apex works. All players will also encounter a new set of challenges that focus on “more Apex-specific mechanics,” such as shield-swapping and breaking down doors. Completing all of them unlocks the Apex 101 banner badge, according to Rutledge.
Though the overhauled experience can give new players a more forgiving start to the battle royale, all players can also enjoy a series of Firing Range updates starting in season 16. The new menu lets users control whether the dummies will stand still or strafe, change the armor level for their targets, toggle infinite ammo, and check their damage more quickly. Of course, new players can also take advantage of the new tools if they want to get better.
Newcomers can try the overhauled welcome experience when season 16 lands on Feb. 14, and all players can also try the improved Firing Range and get their Apex 101 badge.
