Apex Legends developer Respawn is getting ready to release the mid-season update for Season 26.
The new Apex Legends update has a September 16 release date on PlayStation, Xbox and PC. It’s expected to be available from around 5pm BST UK time.
As you can see from the patch notes below, the mid-season update makes a variety of balance updates and quality of life improvements.
For example, Mad Maggie’s Riot Drill animation will be sped up by 10%, while Seer’s Heart Seeker Passive now has one constant heartbeat instead of differing beats for each enemy.
New quality of life improvements include Wildcard respawn notifications, as well as a reduction in the size of the announcements to take up less screen space.
Of course, the most exciting element of the mid-season update is the beginning of the Wild Iron event, which runs until September 30.
Respawn explains more: “It’s cybernetic supremacy versus the raw power of nature in the Wild Iron event, Legends. Wildcard gets explosive. Loot the new Mythic Flatline from Rampart Care Packages and try its two devastating abilities: knocked enemies turn into time bombs and every 5th bullet fired does double damage plus an AOE blast.”
You can check out the Apex Legends Season 26 mid-season update patch notes below.
Apex Legends Season 26 mid-season update patch notes…
BALANCE UPDATES
EVO Harvesters (Previous Hotfix)
• Spawn rate increased to 10-11 depending on map size (was 7-8)
• Reduced likelihood of multiple EVO Harvesters spawning in a single POI
Ring Exploit Prevention
• Adjusted to prevent system abuse
LEGENDS
Assault Class
• Stowed Reload: time to reload while stowed increased to 4s (was 2s)
ASH
Abilities
• Passive: Predator’s Pursuit
• Increased dash cooldown to 12s (was 8s)
• Dash gives less of a boost when not dashing in the direction you’re moving
• Tactical: Arc Snare
• Breaks more easily, base duration now 6s (was 8s)
• Less pulling strength
• Doesn’t deal extra damage to shields
Upgrades
• Level 2
• Dual Breach & Marked for Death: removed
• NEW Longer Reach: increases Phase Breach range by 25m
• NEW Ultimate Cooldown: reduces Phase Breach cooldown by 30s
CAUSTIC
Nox Gas
• Damage from gas ramps up more slowly, increases every 2 ticks (was every tick)
• Removed aim punch when taking damage
MAD MAGGIE
Abilities
Tactical: Riot Drill
• Firing animation sped up by 10%
• Drill now comes out immediately after releasing the button (was delayed by a few frames)
Ultimate: Wrecking Ball
• Throw animation sped up 25%
• Wrecking Ball is now more reliable at moving around/over obstacles
• Explosions deal up to 25 damage (was up to 20)
• Reduced lifetime to 7s (was 10s)
• Speed pads increase movement speed for 3.5s (was 2s)
• Speed pads give fortified buff for the duration, doesn’t stack with already fortified Legends
• Speed pads last 20s (was 60s)
• Speed pads deactivate 6s for the player using it after being used
• Speed pads no longer drop from the final explosion
Upgrades
Level 2
• Shots Shots Shots: removed
• NEW Gunrunning: Passive movement speed increase also works with SMGs and Pistols
• Fire Ball: now drops magma patches along the ground as it moves and Mad Maggie takes 50% less fire damage from all sources
SEER
Abilities
Passive: Heart Seeker
• Long View upgrade now permanent, increasing range for Passive + Tac to 75m (was 50m)
• Now one constant heartbeat instead of differing beats for each enemy
• UI and audio pulse to indicate when the heartbeat scans happen
• Directional waveforms are now taller or shorter depending on whether the enemy is close or far from where you are aiming
• Improved UI visibility
Tactical: Focus of Attention
• Reduced weapon holster time by 60% when activating Tac with a gun out
• Scanning someone with Tac now gives Seer a speed boost for 4s
• Scan duration increased to 4s (was 2.5), slow duration to 1s (was 0.5s), and silence duration reduced to 2.5s (was 8s)
• Cooldown reduced to 20s (was 30s)
• Increased delay before the scan goes off to 1s (was 0.7s)
• VFX adjusted including extra clarity on AOE effects that let you know where the scan will hit
Ultimate: Exhibit
• Artist’s Reach upgrade now permanent, increased throw range to ~50m (was 15m)
• Sphere radius increased to 38m (was 34m)
• Seer gains enhanced jumping and ADS hover while inside any Exhibit
• Added threat indicator within 15m of the center that enemies will see
• Adjusted throw’s pitch while aiming so you don’t have to aim as far up to get longer throws
Upgrades
Level 2
• Artist’s Reach: removed (improved and added to base kit)
• Ultimate Cooldown: removed
• NEW Lasting Beats: enemies who leave the dome have their locations shown for 5s
• NEW Home Base: Tac recharges 4x as fast in your Exhibit sphere
Level 3
• Long View: removed (added to base kit)
• NEW Energizing Focus: regen 25 shields when hitting an enemy with Tac
• Split Focus: no longer has a downside
SPARROW
Abilities
Tactical: Tracker Dart
• Tracking duration now 12s (was 15)
• New VFX when aiming to show if your dart will activate a nearby Enemy Scan Beacon
Ultimate: Stinger Bolt
• Bolt health now 400 (was 550)
• Bolt’s pulsing now slows Sparrow and his allies, not just enemies
• Adjusted the animations when aiming Stinger Bolt to make it easier to see the trajectory
Upgrades
Level 2
• Extra Traps: now gives 1 additional trap in world (was 2)
QUALITY OF LIFE
• Added “For You” section in the shop that contains personalised offers that rotate weekly
• Ranked Drop Zones: removed the jumpmaster, now all teammates skydive independently
• Wildcard Respawn notifications
• Reduced the size of the announcements to take up less screen space
• Removed the announcement for when individual teammates have died
• Reworded death banner to read “Last Legend Standing”
