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In Season 23 of Apex Legends, players are facing a radical shift in meta due to game-altering buffs to Support Legends. This season, called “From the Rift,” has been labeled the “Support Season” by Respawn Entertainment, and it’s evident why. As Thoron Smash, a prominent Apex content creator, points out, “Everyone’s pick rates are down, except for… the Support Legends.” The changes mark a strategic shift for players, with pick rates for Support characters like Lifeline, Newcastle, and Gibraltar skyrocketing as their enhanced abilities create an overwhelming advantage on the battlefield.
Support Legends Rise to Dominance: Lifeline, Newcastle, and Gibraltar
Historically, Apex’s meta has revolved around offensive and mobility-based Legends, but Season 23 has seen Support characters emerge as the meta’s powerhouses. Lifeline now glides through the air mid-battle with her healing bot, D.O.C., giving her new mobility and versatility. Newcastle has been reinforced with a repositionable shield, massive buffs to revive speed, and boosted movement speed while reviving. As Thoron Smash highlighted, Newcastle might “actually be the best legend in the game,” thanks to his tanky support role. Gibraltar, or “Gibby,” also saw his Dome of Protection ability improved, now with a reduced cooldown and increased resilience against enemies’ EMPs and wrecking balls.
The impact of these changes is undeniable, as Thoron Smash describes: “Lifeline is up 152%, Newcastle is up 159%, and Gibby is up a staggering almost 300%.” Meanwhile, popular Legends like Horizon are seeing pick rate decreases of nearly 40%, marking one of the most substantial meta shifts in recent Apex history.
The Strategic Shift: Enhanced Abilities in the Support Class
In addition to individual buffs, the entire Support class has gained perks that enhance their value to any team composition:
- Healing Efficiency: Support Legends can now move at full walking speed while healing, and their healing is doubled with small med items, effectively increasing their survivability in battles.
- Revive Boosts: Faster revive times (now 25% quicker) make Support Legends crucial for reviving teammates, who also regain partial health immediately upon being revived.
- Enhanced Crafting and Loot Perks: Support Legends can craft ally banners and even have exclusive access to Mobile Respawn Beacons, giving their teams more resilience and options for staying in the game.
These buffs are intentional, according to Respawn’s lead designer, Devon Maguire, who admits that newly released Legends are often deliberately overpowered to generate excitement. As Maguire explains, “It needs to come out of the gate feeling like it’s… something people want to try and experiment with.”
Community Reactions and Developer Insights
The community’s response has been mixed, with many players enjoying the fresh gameplay dynamics, while others voice concerns about balance. “The meta right now is in a state where… yeah, there are going to have to be a lot of nerfs,” remarks Thoron Smash. Indeed, some players worry that Support’s dominance could discourage experimentation with other Legend classes, leading to predictable matchups centered around Newcastle, Lifeline, and Gibraltar.
A Respawn senior developer, Nikolich, noted the developers’ intent: “It’s really to push Support to the top of the stack, get more people playing them.” He clarified that while the goal wasn’t to diminish the appeal of movement Legends, the aim was to encourage players to consider their team compositions more strategically, making Support characters essential components of any successful squad.
The Future of Apex: What to Expect as the Meta Evolves
The current state of Apex is pushing players to rethink their approaches and compositions. This meta shift brings with it questions of how Respawn will balance the game in future updates, as players debate whether these buffs to the Support class have gone too far. Thoron Smash sums up the sentiment of many players: “It could be a really good thing for Apex Legends… or it could completely backfire as players get fed up with having to go against the same three Legends.”
In the meantime, Support Legends are seeing newfound prominence in strategies. The introduction of Rift Relics—powerful in-game relics that temporarily grant unique buffs—adds further unpredictability to gameplay. As Thoron Smash explains, these Relics can grant boosts to movement speed, weapon handling, or even drop an overpowered weapon. However, as players explore the potential of these items, some worry they may unbalance matches and add layers of complexity that could hinder fair play.
Conclusion: Adapting to a Support-Centric Meta
As Apex Legends embraces the “Support Season” in Season 23, players are encouraged to adapt their strategies to the game’s evolving landscape. Will Respawn continue to focus on team-oriented gameplay, or will we see a balancing patch in the coming weeks? Regardless, this meta shift challenges players to explore new tactics and redefine their team compositions in ways that could change the game’s competitive scene for the foreseeable future.
Let us know in the comments: Are you finding Season 23’s Support meta refreshing, or do you think these changes have tipped the balance too far?
