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Newcastle was once one ofApex Legends‘ least-used characters but in Season 23, he joins the list of one of the most broken characters the game has ever seen. This underused legend got a buff in Season 23 which addressed a lot of his issues.
But this wasn’t all because the Support class itself got a buff, and now it’s theSeason of Support. Now people are running double or triple support teams and wreaking havoc, and Respawn is stepping in. Let’s look at how Newcastle went from barely being used to causing big changes in professionalApexplay.
TheApex LegendsHas Seen a HARD Shift in Season 23
Season 23 has been a game-changer for support characters and Newcastle has been the biggest winner alongside the newly reworked Lifeline. In Season 22, Newcastle was among the least-picked Legends. But after these new buffs, he’s shot straight to the top.
🚨ALERT🚨After recent meta changes for Apex Legends, all professional teams are in search of world-class Newcastle players. 🤣Now’s your time to be a one trick pony.Patch Note ⬇️pic.twitter.com/PkjH2BpPLC
These buffs include better shield durability and faster revives, his pick rate surged to 22.7%, briefly dethroning Pathfinder for the top spot. Newcastle’sRetrieve the Woundedability, combined with his Mobile Shield now offers the best protection for your team.
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While casual players have welcomed these changes, the competitive scene quickly realized Newcastle’s potential for abuse, particularly when paired with the gold knockdown shield which gives the teammates you revive additional health and shields.
NO MORE GOLD KNOCKDOWN SHIELDS IN COMP CONFIRMED!!!
Because of his synergy with the gold knockdown shield, every fight in the late game of a professionalApexgame has just become a series of endless reviving cycles.
hey i tested it in customs and confirmed myself 😅
In response to thisintense shift in the game’s meta, Respawn Entertainment has allegedly decided to remove gold knockdown shields from competitive play soon. This change was first reported by former TSM coach Elias ‘raven’ Ghribi and has possibly been confirmed by Respawn’s senior producer Josh Medina.
The Season of Support Has Been an Entertaining One
The discussion on the removal of gold knockdown shields has gotten a lot of different opinions from theApex Legendscommunity. Many playersagree that it’s an essential fix, but others question whether it’s gonna hold up in the long term.
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Fans argue that tweaking his support mechanics, such as removing health regeneration during revives or making his Mobile Shield destructible, would be a better long-term solution. For now, the gold knockdown removal is a temporary bandaid.
From a spectator POV this is the most fun meta we have had to watch since gibby was last core metaNuke catalyst so visual clutter is lessened and its perfect spectator wiseGibby and Newcastle are two of highest skill ceiling legends in the game, its great for spectatorshttps://t.co/1GE6rutKBt
Season 23, unofficially dubbed the “Season of Support,” has focused heavily on buffing support legends like Newcastle and Lifeline. Lifeline received a big rework that completely changed her ult and tactical ability.
Unironically enough though, despite how busted they are, people seem to genuinely enjoy the meta. For now, this new change is only limited to competitive esports games so we casuals have nothing to worry about.
But Respawn may be using this to test the waters and see if it’s a change that could be implemented in ranked lobbies as well.
Daniel Royte
Gaming Writer
Articles Published :1370
As part of the FandomWire team, Daniel has followed the hero-shooter genre closely with a focus on titles like VALORANT, Apex Legends, and Marvel Rivals. you may also find him providing insight on the latest AAA titles from Elden Ring to GTA 6 and exploring the world of gacha games like Genshin Impact and Wuthering Waves. With more than 1,000 articles under his belt, you’ll need to look no further for a unique insight into every situation.If he’s not looking for the latest video game news, you’ll find him cheering on Ferrari in the race tracks of Formula 1 or at the theatres for the latest MCU releases.
