Apex Legends Season 3 is about to being. Like the two seasons before it, Season 3 is expected to last for several months and will add a bunch of new content to Respawn's battle royale game. Below, we detail all the information we have on the new season, codenamed Meltdown.
Every season of Apex Legends brings with it a new battle pass, playable character, and exclusive cosmetic unlocks. Though the first season wasn't all that impressive, other than the addition of the adrenaline junkie Octane, Season 2 has been a wonderful boon for Respawn's Titanfall-themed battle royale game--adding the static defender Wattson, a substantial map transformation, two Legend-themed map takeover events, worthwhile battle pass rewards, two limited-time modes, and ranked play. It's certainly enough to inspire confidence for what to expect in Season 3.
When Does Season 3 Start?
Apex Legends: Season 3 is scheduled to begin on October 1. Given that Season 1 began in March and continued through to June, and Season 2 started in July and will continue until the end of September, it's probable that Season 3 will also be about three months long. Respawn hasn't announced an official end date yet, but Season 3 will likely continue until around the end of the holiday season in late December or early January.
Who Is Season 3's New Legend?
First teased during Season 1 and appearing in-game but unplayable in Season 2, Crypto has been confirmed to be the new playable character coming to Apex Legends in Season 3. This hacker's abilities still remain unknown, although a cinematic short of his backstory and the Season 3 launch trailer both seem to corroborate datamine leaks that point to his passive, tactical, and ultimate abilities being tied to his drone.
According to the leaks, Crypto's tactical ability allows him to summon a remote-controlled drone that can open doors, loot bins, and pick up teammates' respawn banners. His passive ability allows both him and his teammates to see targets marked with his drone. And his ultimate? It's an EMP pulse that does shield damage and slows enemies. Supposedly it's like the effect caused by walking through one of Wattson's Perimeter Security fences but on a much larger scale. Again, none of this has been confirmed, but these abilities do match the skills Crypto has used in cinematic trailers.
What Is Season 3's New Weapon?
Season 1 saw the addition of the Havoc, an energy assault rifle that could transition into an energy light machine gun or sniper rifle depending on which hop-up you equip to it. In Season 2, the L-Star was added--providing a brand-new legendary light machine gun for players to look for in supply drops. Season 3 will be adding a new weapon as well, one that should be familiar to fans of Titanfall and Titanfall 2.
The Charge Rifle is the first anti-titan weapon to be added to Apex Legends. It's a powerful laser cannon that must be charged before it can fire, but it has a tremendous range. In the Titanfall games, it's the primary weapon used by pilots looking to take down titans from a distance, but it can just as easily be used as a sniper rifle against other pilots--as it downs infantry in a single shot.
Respawn hasn't released exact details about Apex Legends' version of the Charge Rifle, but if it's anything like its Titanfall counterpart, it will prove to be one of the strongest sniper rifle-like weapons in the battle royale game. In the launch trailer for Season 3, we see the Charge Rifle operating more like a Spartan Laser from Halo, firing out a targeting laser before delivering the powerful shot. Whether that translates in the gameplay remains to be seen.
What Is Season 3's Map Change?
According to the Season 3 launch trailer, the map change this time around will be the biggest that Apex Legends has ever seen. We're not going to see new additions to Kings Canyon, we're getting a brand-new map on an entirely different planet. Respawn hasn't revealed any concrete information about this new map but we can infer more environmental hazards, city-like environments, and a moving train based on the Season 3 launch trailer.
In the Singh Labs--added during the limited-time Voidwalker event which saw Wraith's town takeover installed in King's Canyon--you can discover Crypto in-game. Upon spotting you, he runs off, but not before you have a chance to briefly see what he's been working on. It looks like he's trying to find a way to reach a place called World's End.
This could be the name of the new map or just a reference to something else coming to Apex Legends. Respawn seems to enjoy teasing new Apex Legends content months before it actually releases in-game (Octane is in one of the announcement trailers released on the game's launch day, for example, and Crypto has been teased since Season 1). So World's End could just as easily be a clue to something larger we can expect later. Or maybe it's nothing. We'll have to wait and see.
What Comes In Season's 3 Battle Pass?
Respawn hasn't detailed the exact contents of Season 3's battle pass, other than that it will include over 100 items--just like Season 1 and 2's pass. Although Season 1 didn't have a very impressive battle pass, Season 2's included cool-looking emotes you could pull off while dropping in mid-air, music packs, and additional pieces of lore for each character. It was also easier (and thus more fun) to complete, thanks to the addition of daily and weekly challenges that encouraged you to play with characters and fight in areas you might not be accustomed to.
How Much Will Season 3 Cost?
Although the season itself is a free download that all players will receive on October 1, some of the content included in Season 3 will require you spend in-game currency. Specifically, both the battle pass and Crypto, the new character, will cost money. Everything else though--like the map changes and new weapon--is free.
If Respawn holds true to tradition, then the battle pass should cost 950 Apex Coins, which is about $9.50 USD. If you've completed most of the Season 2 battle pass, you should already have that much saved up. If not, you'll need to either buy the Apex Coins with real-world money or earn them by leveling up and unlocking loot boxes.
Respawn has previously priced new characters at 12,000 Legend Tokens / 750 Apex Coins, which is about $7.50 USD, so Crypto will most likely be the same. If you're like me and you've been steadily playing Apex Legends throughout Season 2, then you should have almost triple the number of Legend Tokens you need. You probably have more Legend Tokens than you know what to do with. Otherwise, like the battle pass, you'll have to drop real-world money or unlock loot boxes to earn enough Apex Coins.
