Apex Legends Season 31 Cipher Update Introduces Akimbo Wingman, Strongholds, and Major Ranked Changes

Apex Legends has launched its Season 31 update, titled Cipher, introducing significant gameplay changes across its Legends, weapons, maps, and Ranked mode. Available from November 3, 2026, the update focuses on making information gathering more important during combat while giving players additional ways to compete for valuable loot.

The biggest additions include the Akimbo Wingman, a dual-wielding version of the iconic pistol, and Strongholds, new map objectives that reward coordinated squads with high-tier equipment. Respawn Entertainment has also reworked Crypto’s abilities to encourage more aggressive drone usage instead of keeping players away from their teammates for extended periods.

Season 31 also introduces Legend banning in Diamond and higher Ranked matches, alongside adjustments to matchmaking costs for squads placed in lobbies with significantly different skill levels.

Apex Legends Cipher Adds Akimbo Wingman and New Stronghold Objectives

The Akimbo Wingman is one of the headline additions in Season 31. Players can now pick up a second Wingman to automatically activate its dual-wielding mode, allowing both pistols to fire in quick succession.

The weapon has also received several changes to accommodate its new configuration. It now uses Heavy Ammo and Heavy Magazines instead of Sniper Ammo and Sniper Magazines. Its standard damage has been reduced from 50 to 45, while Akimbo mode introduces a 1.25x headshot multiplier, resulting in 56 headshot damage.

Dual-wielding increases the magazine capacity and rate of fire but also introduces greater recoil and a longer reload time. Players can find the weapon through ground loot and Heavy Ammo Arsenals.

The other major addition is Strongholds, bunker-style structures that arrive during the middle stages of a match. These locations contain valuable equipment but remain locked until a squad successfully captures the surrounding area.

Teams must control the Stronghold’s capture zone to unlock its doors and roof entrance. Capturing one rewards every surviving squad member with a level-up and grants access to high-tier loot, including one Care Package weapon, three Gold Guns, three Amps, and two Corrupted Attachments.

Strongholds also deploy dynamic cover when they land, creating additional opportunities for teams to establish defensive positions during fights.

Crypto Rework Encourages More Aggressive Drone Gameplay

Crypto receives one of the most significant gameplay changes in Season 31. Respawn has redesigned his Surveillance Drone to encourage players to gather information while remaining closer to their squads instead of spending extended periods controlling the drone.

The drone now operates on a 25-second battery rather than a traditional cooldown. Once its battery runs out, it automatically returns to Crypto, who can redeploy it after a six-second recall period. Its handling and movement speed have also been improved, making it easier to use during active engagements.

Another important addition is its ability to automatically mark enemies within its line of sight. The updated scanning system covers a 360-degree area, and marked opponents remain trackable for eight seconds, even if the drone is recalled or destroyed. Crypto can also manually mark enemies while controlling the drone.

His EMP Ultimate has received additional flexibility. Crypto can now activate it without manually piloting his drone, allowing the deployed drone to trigger the explosion after a short delay. If an enemy is within its line of sight, the EMP deals full shield damage and applies a stronger slow. Without line of sight, it deals 50 damage and a lighter slow.

The update also improves Crypto’s mobility by integrating his teammate-directed speed boost into his base abilities.

Lifeline and Revenant receive buffs alongside Crypto. Lifeline’s D.O.C. tactical cooldown has been reduced from 25 to 15 seconds, and she can now heal herself while gliding. Her updated upgrades also introduce improved flight control and a protective shield when reviving teammates.

Revenant receives a reduction to his Tactical cooldown from 20 to 15 seconds, while his Ultimate cooldown drops from 180 to 150 seconds. His new upgrades provide additional combat options, including extending his Ultimate after securing a knock and silencing nearby enemies after landing from a Tactical leap.

Apex Legends Season 31 Changes Ranked Matches and Weapon Balance

Competitive players also have a major new feature to explore. Season 31 introduces Legend Banning in Diamond and higher Ranked matches, allowing every player to nominate one Legend they want removed from selection.

The game collects all votes and uses their distribution to determine the probability of a ban. Two Legends are currently selected for removal in each match. This system is intended to disrupt dominant team compositions and encourage players to prepare alternative Legend choices.

Respawn has also introduced adjustments for matches involving significant differences in squad skill levels. Challenger Matches reduce entry costs by 30% when a squad is at least two ranks below the lobby tier. Goliath Matches increase entry costs by 50% when a squad is at least two ranks above the lobby tier.

The weapon rotation brings several other changes. The Hemlok Burst AR returns to the game, replacing the Hemlok Breach AR, while the L-STAR returns to ground loot. The Akimbo Mozambique moves into Care Packages, and the Prowler and Nemesis receive recoil increases to reduce their effectiveness.

The update also introduces the Cryptic Core Mythic Volt SMG, featuring a built-in pixel-art PALS assistant and customizable nanite appearances through Exotic Shards. It is available as a possible drop from Cipher Seasonal Packs, although availability varies by region.

Map improvements are another important part of the update. Respawn has implemented 99 targeted quality-of-life fixes across its map rotation, addressing collision problems, hiding locations, and unintended out-of-bounds areas. E-District Night also receives lighting improvements to make enemy silhouettes easier to identify without removing its cyberpunk atmosphere.

According to the official Apex Legends: Cipher patch notes, the update also reduces disk usage compared with Season 29 by approximately 30 GB on most platforms and 17 GB on Nintendo Switch 2.

Apex Legends: Cipher is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC through Steam, the Epic Games Store, and the EA app.