Respawn Entertainment heard complaints about the first season of its battle royale game Apex Legends, and is shifting gears in season 2.

The second season is called Battle Charge. It will introduce a new weapon (called the L-Star, seen below), a new legend (Wattson, also below), and other improvements on the first season. The team is also introducing a “Ranked Mode” to Apex Legends in the second season to help players hone their competitive skills, according to Drew McCoy, project lead on Apex Legends.

McCoy acknowledged during the game’s presentation at EA Play that the first season wasn’t as well received as the team hoped, and took community feedback to heart when implementing challenges for the second season.

Introducing new legends like Wattson is the start of a new approach to Apex Legends that Respawn Entertainment is taking to developing the game. Wattson grew up in the arena along with other legends, and her story will help to build out the lore of the game’s universe. The goal is to bring more of the universe’s lore into the game and build it out with new legendary characters.

During Apex’s first season, many players complained about boring skins and other cosmetic items that Respawn Entertainment made available. Fans were also upset over the lack of season challenges, something competitor Fortnite has gained plenty of recognition for. The second season is trying to rectify those problems by introducing a series of new components that will hopefully make it up to Apex Legends’ large player base.

One of the first big differences is in-game events. Respawn is introducing a new limited event called “the Legendary Hunt.” The event, which lasts two weeks, will include challenges for players to earn rare, epic, and legendary skins, alongside double XP points opportunities and limited-edition legendary skins. New cosmetic types are being introduced, and the dev team has removed badges and basic stat trackers.

Electronic Arts

It seems like Respawn Entertainment heard criticism about cosmetics, and is actively trying to win back its most dedicated players. Here’s a brief list of what the Apex Legends development team is bringing to the table, according to a blog post on the game’s site.

• Level up via Daily and Weekly Challenges.
• Time to Battle Pass level 100 should be significantly reduced.
• Three additional Legendary skins added to the rewards track.
• Three entirely new content categories replace badge and stat tracker rewards.
• You’ll earn enough Crafting Metal rewards from the full reward track to craft a Legendary item, or whatever your heart desires.

Apex Legends’ second season launches on July 2.

https://www.theverge.com/2019/6/8/18656834/apex-legends-season-2-weapon-legendary-wattson-cosmetic-skins-challenges-xp-e3-2019