The festive season is in full swing, and the virtual world of Apex Legends is getting a major holiday makeover. Respawn Entertainment has announced the Merry Mayhem event, a limited-time celebration bringing a flurry of wintry changes to the popular battle royale's Wildcard mode.
When Does The Merry Mayhem Event Start?
The festivities are scheduled to commence on Monday, December 16. For players in the UK, the update typically goes live at around 6pm GMT. The event will run for over three weeks, concluding on Monday, January 6, giving competitors plenty of time to enjoy the seasonal chaos.
What's New In The Festive Update?
The core of the Merry Mayhem event takes place within the rotating Wildcard mode, where the Olympus map has received a dramatic snowy overhaul. A gigantic snowglobe now envelops a portion of the arena, covering the landscape in a layer of frost and adorning it with holiday decorations. Some of these festive items double as EVO orbs, offering a tactical advantage alongside their visual appeal.
High-Risk Guarded Airdrops
A significant new feature is the introduction of Guarded Airdrops. These coveted loot caches are now protected by AI-controlled Spectre bots. Players who successfully fight through this robotic defence will be rewarded with a powerful Mythic weapon from a past season. The potential arsenal includes devastating tools like the long-range Kraber sniper rifle, the returning Power Sword melee weapon, and several amped-up variants of the R-301 Carbine and Flatline.
The full list of possible Mythic drops is:
- Kraber: A .50cal bolt-action sniper with a variable 6-10x optic.
- Power Sword: A special melee weapon that can block and charge a lethal Ultimate.
- Vermilion R-301: Boasts higher critical hit chance and drops thermite on a knock.
- Hornet R-301: Increases speed, mobility, and grants Tactical/Ultimate charge on knocks.
- Grand Slam Bat: A baseball bat with huge knockback power.
- Road Rage Flatline: Turns knocked enemies into time bombs, with every 5th bullet causing an area-of-effect blast.
New Wildcards And Weekly Challenges
The update also introduces three new Wildcards to shake up gameplay:
- Flash Freeze: Silences enemy abilities when their shield is broken.
- Do-Over: Grants a free self-revive when a teammate scores a knockdown.
- Super Cells: A single Shield Cell will fully charge your body shield.
Throughout the event, players can tackle a set of weekly challenges that refresh each week. The objectives are consistent: play 15 matches, deal 15,000 damage with SMGs, and craft 10 Wildcards at replicators. Completing each challenge rewards five Battle Pass stars, and finishing the full weekly set grants an Amped Seasonal Pack.
With a transformed map, high-stakes loot drops, and fresh gameplay modifiers, the Merry Mayhem event promises to deliver chaotic festive fun for Apex Legends players throughout the holiday period.
