Apex Legends is a free-to-play† Battle Royale shooter. You play as a Legend and fight against other teams in the Apex Games.
There are six main game modes you can choose from.
When you first start playing Apex Legends, you get access to the Welcome Pass, where you complete Welcome Challenges to earn rewards. You can complete Welcome Challenges in the standard game mode or play against bots in Bot Royale.
As you progress through the Welcome Pass, you’ll unlock additional Legends: Bloodhound, Gibraltar, and Pathfinder. Once you’ve completed the Welcome Pass, you’ll get 12,000 Legends Tokens so you can unlock any Legend of your choice.
Want to learn the basics of how to play? Bot Royale lets you play against squads of bots on a smaller map while you learn how the game works.
You can play alone or with a squad. If you want to play in a team, you can join a squad of bots or play with a premade squad.
You’ll gain XP until you reach Level 10. You can’t earn badges in Bot Royale.
Yes. Cross Progression and cross-play are automatically turned on in Apex Legends. You can’t opt out of Cross Progression.
Legends are the playable characters in Apex Legends. When you start playing Apex Legends, three Legends are unlocked: Bangalore, Lifeline, and Wraith.
You can unlock four more legends (Bloodhound, Gibraltar, Pathfinder, and one more of your choice) by completing the Welcome Pass.
No Legend is the best. Legends are equally matched in the Ring, but they belong to different classes with different strengths and weaknesses. To play at your best, find a class and a Legend that matches your playstyle.
There are five classes to choose from.
Try different classes to see which feels best, and remember to take advantage of your Legend’s unique abilities.
You can unlock or get new Legends in the store. You need 12,000 Legend Tokens to unlock a new Legend or 750 Apex Coins to get one. The only way to get Legend Tokens is by leveling up.
There are five currencies in Apex Legends: Apex Coins, Crafting Metals, Legend Tokens, Heirloom Shards, and Exotic Shards.
You can use different currencies for different things, like:
Learn more about Apex Legends items, currencies, and crafting.
Guns are your main weapon in Apex Legends. You can also use throwable items like grenades.
Check out our guns and weapons guide for help getting started in the Ring.
Here’s what you need to know as an Apex Legends beginner. Once you’ve mastered these skills, check out our tips for more experienced players.
Need help picking the best settings for your game? Check out our guide for PC players.
The drop is one of the most important tactical moments in the game. Your squad’s Jumpmaster controls the speed and direction of the drop, and they choose where you’ll land. Here are some tips for being the Jumpmaster.
Apex Legends has an efficient ping system that lets you share important information quickly without needing to type or use a microphone. To access the ping system, hold down the mouse wheel on PC or the right bumper on console. Use ping to:
While you play, keep stocking up on loot from the ground, Supply Bins, or eliminated player bins. Look out for:
These will keep you prepared and safe from incoming damage, enhance your performance, and help recover your health as you go.
For more info on items and match terms, check out our guide of key Apex Legends terms.
Always make sure you stock up on:
If you’re knocked out and don’t get revived in time, you can respawn until round 4 of the Ring closing if one of your squadmates is in play. There’s a timer that shows when you’ll respawn nearby a safe teammate.
Apex Legends is a fast-moving game, and you want to be able to get around the map as quickly as possible.
Always make sure to:
If you’re following tip #3, your inventory should already be bursting at the seams, but make sure you always have at least one grenade on hand.
Grenades can be used strategically to:
While it can be tempting to wander off and explore all there is to see on the map, early on you should try to stick as close to your squad as possible. This prevents other teams from ambushing you where you won’t be able to ping for help.
If you ever fall behind, check the map to see where your team is, and use a Zip Up Balloon to jet pack closer to them. This is also effective if the Ring is closing in and you’re too far away to sprint there.
If you’re a beginner, we suggest focusing on two or three of your favorites to play as first so you can master their abilities. This also ensures that if another player chooses the Legend you want, you still have a few other go-to options you feel familiar with.
Not sure who to pick? These are our picks for the best Legends to play as a beginner:
Ready to try out different Legends? Find out more about the Legends and their abilities.