Apex Legends guide: Everything you need to become a Champion of the battle royale

Apex Legends came almost out of nowhere in February 2019, hitting the scene with very little build up or fanfare – though if it seems familiar, that's because this battle royale is made by Respawn and is set in the Titanfall universe. In Apex Legends you'll see 60 players, split into 20 teams of trios, fighting it out across Kings Canyon and World's Edge to be the last one standing and crowned the Champion. The game brought some new features to the table, including the revolutionary Apex Legends ping system which was quickly adopted by other online battle royales such as Fortnite and Call of Duty Warzone. A lot has changed in the year since launch, so our Apex Legends guide has all the information you need to become a Champion.

How to download Apex Legends on all platforms

Ok, first things first, you need to actually download Apex Legends! It's free on all platforms so you can put your wallet away, but it isn't the easiest thing to find. To get started, this is how to download Apex Legends on PS4, Xbox One, or PC.

Apex Legends patch notes - what's new in the game?

We're now into Apex Legends Season 5, and the battle royale continues to evolve. To keep up with the changes and updates taking place, be sure to check out the latest Apex Legends patch notes.

Apex Legends tips - colors, ammo, weapon types, and more explained

As with most games, Apex Legends introduces lots of its own systems which you need to understand in order to get the most out of them. If you want to know what the colour of damage numbers, loot, or ammo means, how to get around quicker, how to manage what items you're carrying, and more, then check out our essential Apex Legends tips for the lowdown.

Apex Legends map guide - the best places to drop

There are plenty of different spots you can drop in to, and knowing the right place to land can be the difference between a gentle warmup and stumbling straight into a hectic firefight. We've picked out the best places to drop on Kings Canyon and World's Edge in our Apex Legends map guide to grab some loot, and find an early fight if that's your bag.

Best Apex Legends characters - who are the best characters to play as

There are plenty of different characters you can use now, and each of these heroes has their own unique abilities to master. We've analysed all of their skills and tactics, as well as the size of their Apex Legends hitboxes, to determine which are the best Apex Legends characters for you. We also have the following individual guides:

• Apex Legends Bangalore character guide
• Apex Legends Bloodhound character guide
• Apex Legends Caustic character guide
• Apex Legends Crypto character guide
• Apex Legends Gibraltar character guide
• Apex Legends Lifeline character guide
• Apex Legends Loba character guide
• Apex Legends Mirage character guide
• Apex Legends Octane character guide
• Apex Legends Pathfinder character guide
• Apex Legends Revenant character guide
• Apex Legends Wattson character guide
• Apex Legends Wraith character guide

How to level up fast in Apex Legends and speed up your progress

If you want to know how to level up fast in Apex Legends then the trick is to maximise the amount of XP you're earning each week, and although some of the systems involved in this are confusing we've got all the explanations you need to shift your way through the ranks.

All the best Apex Legends weapons explained, and how to use them

Apex Legends has a whole host of weapons to find on the battlefield, including submachine guns, assault rifles, light machine guns, sniper rifles, shotguns, and pistols. Knowing their capabilities and strengths will help you pick the best Apex Legends weapons to suit your playstyle, so go and check them out.

How to perform Apex Legends skydive emotes, and drop in style

You're going to be leaping from the dropship in every match you play, so you might want to mix things up by performing Apex Legends skydive emotes on the way so you can arrive in style.

How to use Apex Legends Finishers, and the best ones for each character

Although shooting opponents is the obvious way to eliminate them, there's a much more stylish way to dispatch them. Each character has up to three finishing moves that can be triggered by approaching a downed opponent then hitting the appropriate button, and we've got all the details on how to perform them in our Apex Legends finishers guide.

Apex Legends high level loot guide - legendary gold items, hot zones and high tier loot areas explained

Unlike in some other games, there aren't set areas in Apex Legends that will always yield the best loot - otherwise players would always head to the same places each round. Instead, the quality of loot is randomised for each game, but our Apex Legends high level loot guide will show you how you can always pick up some useful supplies.

That being said, there is now an Apex Legends loot vault found in several locations around the map that will supply you with lots of high tier loot. We've got all the info on where to find them, and how to get a key to open them up.

Apex Legends heirlooms - what are they and how do you get them?

Heirlooms are a cosmetic variant that are even rarer than legendary items, and will really make your character stand out from the crowd. They are the rarest drop available in the game and can't even be crafted, but we've got all the information you need about Apex Legends heirlooms and how to obtain them.

Where to find Apex Legends loot ticks

Loot ticks in Apex Legends are those small robots you'll sometimes find in the corners of buildings or on roofs. If you want to know where you can find more of them, look no further because we've narrowed down everything you need to find the Apex Legends loot tick locations.

Apex Legends crafting metal - what does it do and how do you earn it?

Crafting metal is one three types of currency you can earn in Apex Legends, in addition to legend tokens and apex coins. Its purpose can be somewhat confusing at first, but we'll explain how Apex Legends crafting metal is used to unlock cosmetics, and what you need to do to earn it in the first place.

How to make the Loch Ness Monster spawn in Apex Legends

The first Apex Legends easter egg is here, and you can make the Loch Ness Monster spawn by shooting 10 Nessy toys around the Kings Canyon map in order. Visiting the Apex Legends Nessy locations is a callback to Respawn's previous Titanfall games, and we've got a guide that covers everything you need to complete it.

Apex Legends battle pass - how to complete the Apex Legends challenges

We've taken a look at the challenges available through the Apex Legends battle pass, to determine how they work and what you need to do for them, along with the rewards available for completing the challenges.

How to enable cross platform Apex Legends matches

As with other battle royale games, one of the main requests from players it to be able to play with friends (or foes) across PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Respawn have confirmed that they're working on it, and here's everything we know about when Apex Legends cross platform play will be available.

How many people play Apex Legends

After a stealth launch, Apex Legends has absolutely blown up and built a huge player base in only a few days. If you want to know how many people play Apex Legends then we can tell you it's a lot - with over 10 million registered players alone in just the 72 hours after launch!

Apex Legends has a free PS Plus pack

If you're a PlayStation Plus subscriber, then make sure you don't miss out on your bonus goodies in the game. Apex Legends has a free PS Plus pack with six very blue items, including two skins and banners for Bloodhound and Gibraltar, plus two weapon skins for the Flatline assault rifle and RE-45 pistol.

Looking for more Apex Legends? The check out how Respawn used fake names and disabled voice chat to test Apex Legends' amazing ping system.