Apex Legends Season 26 is right around the corner, so here is everything we know so far.
In Apex Legends Season 25, Respawn Entertainment introduced a new Legend, overhauled audio and matchmaking, and reintroduced Arenas as a limited-time game mode. On Steam, the update increased the average player count in May from around 106,000 to 134,000.
However, in June, that number dropped right back down to 106,000 as interest slightly tapered off. Season 26 aims to reinvigorate excitement.
Does Apex Legends Season 26 Have a Release Date?
Apex Legends does not have a confirmed release date. That being said, Season 25 started on May 6, and seasons usually last around three months.
Operating under that logic, we expect Season 26 to start in early to mid-August.
Apex Legends Season 26 Possible Start Time
We expect Apex Legends Season 26 to start around 10 AM PT / 12 PM CT / 1 PM ET / 6 PM BST.
This is based on the start time for previous seasons, but it is subject to change due to server maintenance or any other unexpected circumstances.
Leaked Content in Apex Legends Season 26
Apex Legends leaker HYPERMYST reported that Season 26 will be themed around Mad Maggie and Fuse.
Mad Maggie is an Assault Legend that was first introduced in Season 12. As is the case for most characters in the class, Maggie excels at disrupting enemies and causing chaos. Her skill set is ideal for aggressive players seeking a counter to defensive Legends.
As part of the Season 24 update in February, Respawn buffed Mad Maggie’s Ultimate, Wrecking Ball, re-enabling it to destroy Gibraltar’s Dome of Protection and Newcastle’s Mobile Shield. The devs expected this to cause a spike in popularity, but that didn’t happen.
Out of all 27 Legends in the battle royale, she only has the 14th highest pick rate, according to Apex Legends Status. Putting Maggie in the spotlight in Season 26 could be just what the Legend needs to become relevant again.
Meanwhile, Fuse is in an even worse spot, currently sitting in the 16th spot for pick rate. Fuse first appeared in Season 8 and is an Assault Legend that specializes in explosives. His tactical shoots a cluster bomb to surfaces that slows them down, and his passive ability allows him to hold two grenades per inventory slot, and he can throw them farther, faster, and more accurately.
It’s always helpful to have an explosive specialist in battle royale games, but new characters have outclassed the rather one-dimensional Legend. Fuse is in desperate need of a refresh, and Season 26 could be that opportunity.
Besides that leak, we don’t know anything else that Respawn has up its sleeve. What would you like to see in the upcoming update? Let us know on the Insider Gaming Forums.
In other Apex Legends news, EA made Sapporo the Apex Legends Esports Hub, with a Two-Year ALGS Champs Partnership, and EA expects a monumental decline for the battle royale this year.
