patch · November 2, 2026
Apex Legends Cipher Update Adds Akimbo Wingman and Strongholds
Apex Legends Season 31 introduces the Akimbo Wingman, mid-game Strongholds, Legend bans in Diamond lobbies, and extensive balance updates. Crypto, Lifeline, and Revenant receive substantial rework passes, while Loba faces increased cooldowns.
Apex Legends: Cipher launches on November 3, 2026, bringing major changes to weapon loadouts, map objectives, and competitive rulesets. Season 31 introduces the Akimbo Wingman, airdropping Strongholds, and a new Legend banning system for high-tier matches.
Weapon Additions and Meta Shifts
The Wingman shifts from Sniper ammo to Heavy ammo and gains an Akimbo mode when players loot a second pistol. Akimbo mode doubles magazine size and increases fire rate while reducing the headshot multiplier to 1.25x. The L-Star returns to ground loot with reduced base damage and smaller stockpile sizes, while the Akimbo Mozambique enters the Care Package equipped with the Executioner Hop-Up. The Hemlok Burst AR returns to the game with its Elite variant and automatic firing modes removed in favor of standard burst and single firing modes. Meanwhile, the EVA-8 Auto drops the Double Tap Trigger in favor of Disruptor Rounds, and the Prowler receives increased recoil and removed selectfire capabilities to curb its medium-range dominance.
Map Objectives and Strongholds
Strongholds arrive as locked, bunker-style structures that airdrop near the mid-game during Round 2. These structures deploy dynamic cover including indestructible barriers and Hardlight frames upon landing. Teams must control the surrounding capture zone to unlock the Stronghold, which rewards a level up to each living member of the capturing team and contains high-tier loot including a Care Package weapon. Strongholds crush any players or objects underneath them upon impact. In addition, map lighting and rendering receive global updates across Storm Point, E-District Night, and Broken Moon to improve target visibility and reduce visual noise.
Legend Adjustments and Reworks
Crypto receives a reworked tactical and passive kit, replacing his infinite drone with a 25-second battery system and integrating his Ally MoveTo speed boost into his base kit. Lifeline gains passive healing while gliding and a reduced tactical cooldown of 15 seconds alongside restructured level upgrades. Revenant sees reduced tactical and ultimate cooldowns alongside three new upgrades and integrated base kit changes. Loba faces nerfs with her tactical and ultimate cooldowns increased to 30 and 150 seconds respectively.
Ranked Adjustments and Matchmaking
Diamond and higher lobbies now feature a Legend banning system where players vote on two Legends to ban at the start of each match. Wide-skill matches introduce entry cost adjustments, discounting entry fees by 30 percent for Challenger matches where a squad is two tiers below the lobby, and increasing entry fees by 50 percent for Goliath matches where a squad is two tiers above the lobby.
Why this patch matters
Cipher shakes up the meta by completely overhauling several high-tier Legends, introducing high-impact map objectives, and finally letting players ban dominant picks in competitive queues.