The battle royale landscape is getting a frosty shake-up as Respawn Entertainment launches the Apex Legends Winter Wipeout event. This major mid-season update, which went live on the afternoon of 6th January 2026, introduces a radical new movement item, significant reworks for three Legends, and a host of winter-themed content to dominate the games in the new year.
Hoverboards Headline Winter Wipeout Additions
The standout feature of this seasonal event is the debut of the Hoverboard. This exciting new item occupies a player's Survival Slot and is replenished upon each respawn within the event's Wildcard mode. When deployed, it provides a substantial speed boost and unlocks a suite of advanced movement techniques, including a double jump, wall riding, and the ability to surf on zip-lines. Players can even earn crucial EVO points by performing aerial tricks while riding.
Hoverboards aren't the only new twist for the mode. The Winter Wipeout introduces three new Wildcards that will change match dynamics:
- Brain Freeze: Headshots deal extra damage and severely slow opponents.
- Love Potion: Using a healing item also applies its effects to nearby teammates.
- Protective Launch: Taking a jump pad grants a small shield regeneration boost.
Major Legend Reworks: Octane, Crypto & Newcastle
Three characters have received substantial updates aimed at refining their roles and power.
Octane has been transformed to better embody his high-speed, high-risk identity. His passive Swift Mend now heals more effectively the lower his health is. A new layer called Stim Surge activates if he uses his Stim tactical twice consecutively, granting him Fortified damage reduction and allowing his healing to continue through incoming damage. His Jump Pad ultimate now has two charges and incorporates previous upgrade perks into its base kit.
Newcastle sees changes to make him more appealing in public matches without breaking his competitive utility. Key speed upgrades have been baked into his base abilities. His new upgrades focus on strengthening his defensive revives: Ready To Rumble automatically reloads his weapons after a revive, and Defensive Line makes his tactical and revive shields knock back enemies once.
Crypto receives a bundle of quality-of-life improvements to reduce his downtime. The time to deploy and recall his drone is significantly faster, and he now cloaks while piloting it. His new Ally.MoveTo() upgrade allows him to Trailblaze to teammates, and Power Coupling lets him gain ultimate charge from scanning beacons and enemies.
Weapon Tweaks, Map Changes & Full Notes
The update also brings a fresh rotation of gold weapons and several weapon balance adjustments. Notably, the R-301 Carbine damage increases to 15 (from 14) and the VK-47 Flatline now hits for 20 damage (up from 19). The Rampage LMG's revved state lasts longer, and the Prowler SMG gets a slight damage buff when using its Selectfire Receiver.
Map changes focus primarily on Olympus, with performance optimisations, additional loot and cover at locations like Dockyard and Somers University, and adjusted drop zones for Ranked matches. The update also fixes numerous bugs, including issues with Valkyrie's tactical and Vantage's range finder.
The Winter Wipeout event, along with its new Wildcards and content, will run until 9th February 2026. Players can unlock a range of new cosmetic items through event packs and the in-game store during this period.
