Apex Legends Season 2 Release Trailers Tease Another New Legend And Big Map Changes

Apex Legends Season 2 begins in just a matter of hours, with a big update releasing today, July 2. We already know a fair amount about what's in store. A new hero named Wattson will debut in Season 2, which will also bring a bunch of balance changes, a revised battle pass, map changes, and a new gun. However, thanks to some recent trailers (now officially released after an initial leak), we have a few more clues as to what Season 2 will offer, and there's a glimpse at what appears to be another brand-new character.

A pair of trailers set to hype up Season 2's launch leaked ahead of their premiere last week. Significantly, there seems to be a glimpse of a new character--not the previously revealed Wattson, but another fighter named Crypto. This hero has been rumored for some time and can be seen in the trailers below.

Considerable map changes are also on the way, it appears. The trailers show a number of new buildings and structures, as well as hazards in the form of pterodactyl-like monsters and a bigger dinosaur named the Leviathan. (Apex's E3 showing at EA Play teased that a giant creature of some sort was coming, and recently, dragon-like flyers began appearing in the game.) In addition, an EMP blast has seemingly changed the previously barren wastelands area in the east into a thriving area of wildlife and vegetation. [Update: The first of these trailers, a cinematic that showcases Wattson and teases the impending map changes and Leviathan, has now been officially released. The second trailer has also made its official debut, and you can see that at the top of this post.]

Apex has been criticized for not introducing enough content, no doubt due in part to the rapid pace of updates for competitor Fortnite. However, Respawn has said it doesn't plan to meet that cadence but will be receptive to the feedback it received from the game's first Battle Pass. Season 2's Battle Pass will focus more about challenges, much like Fortnite's.

We awarded Respawn's battle royale game a 9/10 in our Apex Legends review. Critic Phil Hornshaw wrote: "Apex Legends is a mix of smart shooter ideas that makes for a competitive, team-based game that gets at all the best parts of battle royale while addressing a lot of the weaknesses. Respawn's intense focus on team play makes Apex more than just a worthy addition to the genre; it's an indicator of where battle royale should go in the future."