Key Highlights:
- Gas Daddy’s Nox Gas now deals more damage, while Banglore gets faster smokes and breaching upgrades
- No more Fragment madness as Squads can now start spread out for fairer early-game fights
- Play Apex on Nintendo’s new console by Sept 16 to unlock the exclusive “P.A.T.H” skin
Respawn Entertainment has dropped a massive update for Apex Legends with the Showdown Patch. The new update will bring impressive changes to Legends, Ranked play, and even a surprise release on Nintendo Switch 2.
According to the official page, the Apex Legends update will enhance the gaming experience in big ways, from Caustic’s deadly gas buffs to a revamped Ranked Drop Zone system
Legend Updates: Caustic & Bangalore Return to the Meta
- Caustic
Caustic’s Nox Gas has been a shadow of its former self, but no more. The latest patch makes his toxic traps far more deadly, which will help players dominate opponents.
- Damage increased from 4-10 to 10-15 per tick.
- Gas now slows enemies, drains movement abilities, and causes aim punch.
- Trap health increased to 225 with a larger activation radius.
- In Field Research, Caustic can now unlock all four Legend Upgrades in a match by earning research points.
Dev stated that “Caustic’s gas should be deadly enough to live up to the fantasy, but lately it’s felt a little toothless. With the updates detailed below, Nox Gas has become something Caustics can trust to threaten or hold an area for a long time with windows that attackers can play around with.”
- Bangalore
Dev mentioned that, “With a whole new Legend Upgrade tree, Bangalore’s been given tons of new flexibility. Among these new options are new breaching mechanics that allow you to clear out entrenched enemies.”
Bangalore’s upgrades have been completely reworked, which will give her more flexibility in fights. Here are the upgrades:
- Smoke Launcher now breaks through doors and has a faster cooldown (30s).
- Rolling Thunder deploys faster and has a shorter cooldown (210s).
- Battle upgrades include ECM Payload, which electrifies her ultimate, dealing extra damage. Moreover, Medal of Honor will make faster revives when rushing to downed teammates.
New Gameplay Additions in Showdown Update
- Legend Amps
With a new purple-tier loot category, Amps will provide powerful passive effects like below
The Infinite Ammo Amp removes reloads but locks two inventory slots, while the Bottomless Batteries Amp lets you use shield cells infinitely. The Over Armor Amp adds 25+ extra shields.
In the new update in Apex Legends, the Heal overflow Amp slowly refills your health after healing, and the Power Booster Amp speeds up Tactical and Ultimate cooldowns. These Amps let you customize your playstyle, where you are an aggressive fragger or a support player.
- Elite Weapons
For a limited time, standard weapons will be replaced with Elite variants. The first is the RE-45: Burst, which swaps Light Ammo for Energy Ammo. It can fire 3-round bursts with a spin-up mechanic.
- No More Looting for Attachments
Hop-Ups are now pre-equipped on weapons but must be unlocked by dealing damage, collecting Hop-Up Boosters in loot bins or getting upgrades at an Arsenal Station.
For example, the Skull Piercer for Wingman/Longbow now requires 400 Locked Hop-Up Points to activate.
Drop Zones and Scoring Changes in Apex Legends
Ranked matches now start with squads automatically spread across the map in Apex Legends, where each team gets a preview of their Drop Zone before Legend selection. Loot is evenly distributed, reducing early-game RNG. Contested drops are still possible, but less chaotic.
Dev says, “No more half the lobby dropping on Fragment. This makes early-game fights more strategic.”
Ranked Scoring Adjustments
- Entry Costs Increased (Bronze now costs 10 RP, up from 0).
- Challenger Bonus – More RP for killing higher-ranked players.
- Placement Rewards Buffed – 2nd place now gives 100 RP (up from 95).
- Heat Shields Disabled – Late-game ring rotations are riskier.
Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox, PC, Nintendo Switch & Switch 2.
The Showdown Update is one of Apex Legends’ biggest yet, with Caustic and Bangalore reclaiming the meta. Also, Ranked is becoming more competitive, and new loot mechanics are shaking up Apex Legends’ gameplay.
