Apex Legends Celebrates 5th Anniversary with Season 20: Breakout
Beloved free-to-play FPS game, Apex Legends, is gearing up to celebrate a major milestone this month. The game is set to launch its 20th season, coinciding with its 5th birthday. Since its shadow-drop release in 2019, the game has gained a massive following, becoming an instant classic in the world of online gaming. The game has received high praise for its lovable characters and expansive storyline, which has been captivating players since its initial launch.
The last five years have been a wild ride for the game’s lead writer, Ashley Reed, who started out writing content for Apex’s official website and has now taken the lead role in shaping the game’s narrative. In an exclusive interview with GameSpot, Reed revealed that Season 20: Breakout’s narrative arc will be centered around Horizon and potentially Ash, the game’s key characters.
In honor of the game’s five-year anniversary, Reed sat down with GameSpot to discuss Season 20: Breakout, the game’s biggest plot twists, and the challenges of writing for an ongoing storyline in a live-service game. Despite no new Legend joining the roster this season, Reed assured fans that Season 20 will be filled with narrative fun.
“Typically, with the anniversary seasons–the first season of the year–we try to let the celebration take center stage, so we try not to introduce a lot of plot-heavy stuff during the anniversary season,” Reed explained. “Especially this one, it’s a big anniversary! We don’t want to distract from that [by adding a new Legend with a new backstory].”
She also mentioned that there will be a focus on in-game lore drops in the form of “vignettes” and “radio plays” to engage players further in the game’s storyline. These vignettes will be fully voiced and feature animated bits, providing players with a more immersive experience.
The Apex Legends narrative has been steadily growing and evolving over the years, with Reed emphasizing the importance of “breadcrumbing” and subtle storytelling. “We got great reactions from the voicemail we hid below the Mirage Voyage where we hear Mirage talking to his mom, and people were really excited about the mysterious blue door that appeared in the game a couple of seasons ago,” Reed explained. “Variety is the spice of life, so we’ll always keep trying new things and experimenting with different ways to tell a story. But we’ve discovered a little can go a lot farther than we ever thought possible.”
Reed also hinted at a planned animated web series, similar to the successful Kill Code series, that will tie more closely to the game’s seasonal content, fueling fan anticipation for what’s to come.
As with any ongoing storyline, there are challenges to face for the narrative team. Reed stated, “Writing for a live-service game is a challenge, and I expect it always will be, but solving that puzzle is a big part of what makes the job interesting.”
Apex Legends Season 20: Breakout is set to launch on Tuesday, February 13, bringing new narratives, character developments, and immersive experiences for players to enjoy. With an ongoing commitment to engaging storytelling and an evolving gameplay experience, the future looks bright for Apex Legends as it continues to captivate its dedicated fan base.