A recent one Apex Legends The update has nerfed Octane and Horizon, as Respawn appears to be reducing some of their power. These two characters are among the most popular choices Apex Legendsso the latest update could have a significant impact on the game's meta in the coming weeks.
When January ends, many Apex Legends fans have their sights set on the launch of Season 28. However, Season 27 has already brought many changes to Battle Royale over the past few months, including some notable changes to Legends like Horizon and Octane. In the case of Apex Legends' gravity manipulator, the developers polished her kit at the beginning of the season, making her Gravity Lift more like it was when she was released in Season 7 of Apex Legends. Later, during the Mid-Season Update, Respawn reworked Octane, giving the high-speed daredevil a new Tactical called Stim Surge, among other things. Unsurprisingly, these changes saw the pick rate of both characters increase in Season 27. According to Apex Legends Status, Octane currently has a hefty 16.5% pick rate, while Horizon sits in ninth place at 4.5%.
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Respawn Nerfs Octane and Horizon in the January 23rd update
Although both characters can be fun to play as Apex LegendsRespawn thinks their power needs to be channeled. As part of a January 23rd update, the developer tweaked Octane and Horizon to help them fit better in the current meta. Among the changes, the effectiveness of Octane's Swift Mend ability has been reduced. Specifically, maximum healing has been reduced from 9 to 6, and minimum healing has been reduced from 3 to 2. At the same time, Horizon's NEWT Scoot upgrade has been weakened. Players can now only glide for a maximum of 2 seconds, down from 5 seconds. Additionally, her max speed has been lowered from 700 to 550, making her potentially an easier target.
Respawn explained the reasoning behind the changes in the patch notes. According to the developer, Octane's pick rate has not decreased to a “healthy” level since the mid-season update. These latest changes should make him slightly less durable; they come after his recent rework made him harder to kill. The Horizon changes are a bit more interesting, as Respawn noted that they were happy with the character's pick rate since the launch of Season 27. However, the synergy with Octane was described as “squirrely”, which earned the nerf to NEWT Scoot. It's worth pointing out that this is an upgrade for Horizon in Apex Legendsmeaning that not all players will notice a change if they choose to select the quickfall option instead.
It may take time to see to what extent these changes will have an effect Apex Legends meta. But they are undoubtedly a disappointment to some Octane mains. Since his introduction to the roster in Season 1, he has become a fan favorite thanks to his movement-based abilities. Unfortunately, Octane has become less profitable as better alternatives have entered the fray. The latest mid-season update for Apex Legends finally gave the character a meaningful rework, but it remains to be seen how long the character can stay at the top of the popularity charts after this latest nerf.
These changes will come when the Winter Wipeout Event ends on January 27th. This event brought changes to the Wildcard game mode i Apex Legendsincluding HoverBoards. Additionally, new winter-themed cosmetics were added, along with the Apex Stellaris Prestige Skin for Horizon. With this event wrapping up, fans should hear more about what's next for Battle Royale in the coming days, as the current season is expected to end on February 3rd. Time will tell what other Legend tweaks may come in Season 28.
Apex Legends Update January 23 – Patch Notes
Hello legends,
We've just sent a patch that includes the following tweaks and fixes:
Octane:
We've seen an organic drop in his pick rate since the mid-season patch went live, which we expected, but it didn't drop enough to a level we considered healthy so it indicated that some of the interactions in his new kit are unhealthy.
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Reduced Swift Mend max healing from 9 to 6
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Reduced Swift Mend my healing from 3 to 2
Horizon:
Horizon landed at a comfortable pick rate after her recent buffs, but combined with Octane, the team comp has proven a bit squirrely.
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Reduced max Newt Scoot time from 5 to 2.5
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Reduced New Scoot max speed from 700 to 550
Thank you for your continued feedback. See you at Dropship!
- Released
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February 4, 2019
- ESRB
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T for Teen: Blood, Violence
- Publisher
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Electronic Arts
