Apex Legends season 26 is right around the corner, and as players have come to expect, there are new features, new weapon and legend meta changes, and more adjustments to the battle royale game. Among them is the inclusion of a brand new permanent game mode, Wildcard, and some surprising additions to the loot pool. Plus, Apex Legends will have Aura Farming this season and presumably every season from here on.

Overall, it looks like a strong new season for Apex Legends. There's plenty of new content mixed in with the expected seasonal changes of the game, while ensuring a rather comprehensive look at everything involved from season to season. It remains to be seen how players enjoy it, of course, but there sure is a lot to enjoy.

apex-legends-releases-new-update-for-july-2025-game-rant
Apex Legends Releases New Update for July 2025

Respawn Entertainment releases a new update for hit battle royale shooter Apex Legends, bringing balance changes for several playable Legends.

1
By 

New Apex Legends Permanent Game Mode: Wildcard

Wildcard is a new permanent addition to the Apex Legends list of game modes, designed to be a faster, more streamlined experience than traditional BR. Its emphasis is more on fun, although it retains its competitive edge. Wildcard also brings with it brand new Apex Legends features, like the ability to stack Legends (i.e., play 3 Lifelines in a single squad).

  • 30 players on a modified version of Kings Canyon
  • Smaller Rings, Self-Revive Kits, and loot belts level up.
  • As long as one teammate is alive, players will revive based on a timer.
  • Evo Orb-based progression system + auto-pickup loots from death. Death bins are only weapons.
  • Players can unlock new randomized Wildcard Abilities and perks from Replicators.
  • Simplified loot and inventory management systems.
  • Legend Stacking

Bangalore and Caustic Get Buffs

While it remains to be seen how dust settles with the Apex Legends character meta in season 26, there are two clear winners: Bangalore and Caustic. Each is getting significant buffs. Caustic gets a new ability called Field Research, and his gas will now deal more damage and have feature-enhanced visuals. For Bangalore, her Smoke can now breach doors, and it can be further upgraded with an EMP charge that shocks enemies and destroys traps.

  • Caustic: New Field Research ability, increased damage and feature-enhanced visuals for his gas.
  • Bangalore: Smoke can breach doors and be upgraded with an EMP charge that shocks enemies and destroys traps.

New Loot

It's not a new season of Apex Legends without the weapon meta getting some tweaks. Akimbo P-2020s will be Care Package weapons, the Mozambique is getting some love, LMGs (including the Havoc) are getting some tweaks, and extended supply bins will not have loot assigned to the type of bin. However, the big draw is the new loot in Apex Legends' weapon meta: Amps, Locked Hop-Ups, and Elite Weapons.

  • Amps: These are mid-to-late game loot that includes infinite ammo, healing upgrades, and bonus armor.
  • Locked Hop-Ups: Removing RNG from Hop-Ups and focusing on skill expression instead, Hop-Ups are now built directly into weapons and must be unlocked through gameplay and dealing damage. Once activated, the Hop-Up is active on that weapon as long as the player wields it. If the Hop-Up could previously be deactivated, it still can be.
  • Elite Weapons: Instead of standard RE-45s, this season features the Elite RE-45. This is a new version of the RE-45 that has precision-based 3-round Energy bursts. Elite Weapons may be a recurring, temporary seasonal adjustment to parts of the weapon meta, depending on player reception.
All_Amps_Pic copy

E-District's Time in the Sun

E-District now has a new skybox that brightens the map and sharpens visibility, giving it a full daylight makeover. It's still classic E-district, but more designed for a showdown (befitting the season name) than nighttime chaos.

Ranked and Accolades

  • Apex Legends will no longer have a jumpmaster in Ranked, with squads now assigned a POI Drop Zone. Loot and Beacon placements have been adjusted so that Ranked is less about RNG and more about skill expression.
  • Ranked Auras are new in-game cosmetics that show a player's current Rank, with a visible halo on their back depicting it. Apex Legends season 26, thus, may be the season of literal aura farming.
  • Accolades is a new system for bonus XP based on skilled plays in Apex Legends, like wiping a squad or downing an enemy mid-slide.
Rating block community and brand ratings Image
Apex Legends Tag Page Cover Art
8 /10

Apex Legends
Display card tags widget
Battle Royale
First-Person Shooter
Display card system widget
Systems
phone transparent super greyscale 8-bit logo PC-1 PlayStation-1 Xbox-1
Display card community and brand rating widget Display card open critics widget
Top Critic Avg: 81 /100 Critics Rec: 74%
Display card main info widget
Released
February 4, 2019
ESRB
T for Teen: Blood, Violence
Developer(s)
Respawn Entertainment
Publisher(s)
Electronic Arts
Engine
Source on console/PC, Unreal Engine 4 on mobile
Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer
Cross-Platform Play
PC, PS4, Switch & Xbox One
Display card main info widget end Display card media widget start Display card media widget end

WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info

Conquer with character in Apex Legends, a free-to-play* Hero shooter where legendary characters with powerful abilities team up to battle for fame & fortune on the fringes of the Frontier.

Master an ever-growing roster of diverse legends, deep tactical squad play, and bold new innovations that go beyond the Battle Royale experience—all within a rugged world where anything goes. Welcome to the next evolution of Hero Shooter.

This game includes optional in-game purchases of virtual currency that can be used to acquire virtual in-game items, including a random selection of virtual in-game items.

Genre(s)
Battle Royale, First-Person Shooter