Apex Legends is starting Season 21 soon, and Respawn Entertainment is spicing things up with a revamped ranked mode and system. The EA-published battle royale game has been going strong since its release in 2019.
Respawn Entertainment
is constantly evolving the game to keep the player base engaged. Many gameplay, ranked, and reward changes come directly from player feedback, which is one of the reasons Apex Legends still attracts 300,000 gamers daily. The fast-paced gameplay of Apex Legends requires constant fine-tuning to keep the game running smoothly, and that applies to more than just the gameplay. Respawn is introducing a brand new system for ranked matchmaking in Season 21 with the aim of making better matches faster. The new Apex Legends season aims to bring quite a few changes to the ranked system, how it works, and seasonal rank rewards.
Apex Legends Season 21 ranked changes
Apex Legends Season 21 ranked changes how ranks are carried over from season to season and tightens the spread in parties.
The most significant change is to queuing and matchmaking. Like in previous seasons, a group of players must be within three rank tiers to queue for a ranked match. This condition is meant to discourage rank carrying, where a higher-ranked player taking their lower-ranked friend to a higher ranking. By limiting the spread of ranks in a match, games will hopefully be more even and give any team a better chance to win.
Apex ranked system season 21
The rank of the previous season will determine the new seasonal ranking. The season reset will ensure that all players start fresh, with their ranks adjusted based on their performance in the previous season. If a player ends Season 20 at the rookie rank, they’ll be placed in 1 RP. If the player ranked better than rookie last season, they’ll have a place in bronze. Split timings have also changed this season. Split 2 will start with Split 1 after the patch is released. Previously, the second split would start a week after the update. Respawn will also continue cracking down on bad actors, hopefully preventing more high-profile hacking incidents.
Apex Legends Season 21 reward changes
Season 21 also shuffles how end-of-season rewards will work in Apex Legends.
A player’s highest rank in
Season 21
will determine their end-of-season rewards. Even if a player ranks down after reaching their peak, they’ll still get rewards for the highest rank. The change will aid in keeping ranked matches exciting and rewarding for players.
Players who surpass their Split 1 rank in Split 2 will get a special animation medal to signify their improvement. Players failing to do so will still receive the reward, but the medal will be the standard, unanimated version.
Apex Legends Season 21 Ranked Changes Patch Notes
Premade Squad Restrictions
All players in a premade ranked squad must be within three Rank tiers of each other or they will not be allowed to progress to matchmaking.
Ranked Scoring Stability
No tuning changes are to be made to ranked scoring for the launch of Upheaval.
Season Reset
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Where you ended in your last season of ranked play will determine where you start in Upheaval.
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If you ended your last season in Rookie, you will be reset to 1 RP.
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If you ended your last season above Rookie, you will be reset to Bronze IV.
Split Timing
Split 2 will take place at the same time as the .1 patch, not a week after like in previous seasons.
Upheaval Ranked Rewards
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Your end-of-season rewards will now be determined by the highest rank tier you achieved during the entire season.
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Split Rewards: Your season-end reward badge will be animated if you match or surpass your Split 1 Rank in Split 2. If you do not achieve this, you will get the normal version of your badge.
Ranked Mode Changes in Season 21 (Upheaval) of Apex Legends
From the patch notes, several key changes are highlighted:
Rank Queue Restrictions
You and your friends must be within three Rank tiers to queue, consistent with previous seasons.
Ranked Scoring Unchanged
Ranked scoring will remain unchanged for Upheaval.
Rank Placement Based on Previous Season
Your rank in the current season will determine where you start at the launch of Upheaval:
Split Timing Adjustment
A notable adjustment is in Split timings. Split 2 will commence at the same time as the .1 patch release, unlike previously where it would start a week later.
Apex Legends Season 21 Upheaval Ranked Rewards
End-of-Season Rewards
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The highest rank you reach during the whole of Season 21 will determine your end-of-season rewards.
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Animated Reward Badge: The season-end reward badge will be animated if your Split 2 Rank matches or surpasses that achieved in Split 1. If this objective is not met, you will receive a normal version of the season-end reward badge.
Consistency in Rewards
No other changes have been made to rewards in the Apex Legends Season 21 ranked changes.
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