Apex Legends™: August 2023 Lore Dev AMA
Catch-up on the Narrative dev team’s Lore AMA on r/ApexLore from August 1, 2023.
Thanks for Joining Our Lore AMA!
On August 1, 2023, the Narrative dev team for Apex Legends™ joined r/ApexLore for a Lore AMA following our launch of Kill Code Part 1 and Part 2. We hope you’ve enjoyed our latest expansion to the lore as much as we have, and we look forward to sharing even more Kill Code and lore with you soon.
We’ve compiled a list of all of the questions that the team were able to answer during our two-hour long session. Please visit r/ApexLore for the full thread.
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GENERAL LORE
Ballistic being (technically) the oldest human legend, do you think we could ever see the real death due to [the] age of the Legends?
That's up to the fans and their ability to keep Apex going long enough that Legends can, ahem, "age out."
[In] Dara La Malice’s teaser, we saw the name Hyacinth in the emails between Hammond and Silva. Are they related to Dr. Hammond? Will we see them in future stories?
From my good friend and writer Sam "All we can say is [that] Hyacinth currently represents Hammond's interests in the Outlands... "
How does dying in the games work? We've seen Mirage die so many times in trailers but somehow the Legends are still alive. Are the games played by clones? Just curious about that part.
No clones. Like we answered in a different question, the trailers take liberties to be fun and exciting. Legends can die, contestants have died, but none of our Legends have died yet.
I don't think it's a stretch to say that the lore of Apex is constrained by the format of what Apex is: a gameplay driven Battle Royale. Have [there] been any discussions or ideas to create an alternative or additional source of Apex Lore that is less constrained by the way the game works?
We all love the stories and characters so much that I think we all want more places for them to live! The short answer is while we're constantly pitching ideas and wish list items, there are a million moving pieces behind the scenes so... it's complicated? Never say never!
In Alanza’s letter to Loba, she gives advice on how to suss out liars. Does Loba suspect that Valkyrie is lying to her/keeping things from her?
When it comes to Revenant, Loba is too tunnel-visioned to pay attention to anything else that's going on around her. She assumes everyone is on the same page as her--even when her plans start to get extreme.
In game trailers Legends are shooting at each other, being shot at, and falling into magma, [they] seem to be engaged in dangerous life-and-death exchanges in the Apex Games. [Are they] participating in a virtual world or real life?
They really are participating in a violent bloodsport! It's not virtual. But the specific instances where they fall into lava or explode--let's call that artistic license for our awesome trailer teams.
Obviously Duardo has been taking on the role of "main antagonist" for a while now. I'm curious, how far in advance was the plan to shift towards having essentially one mega-villain who'd be a through line each season rather than the sort of disjointed, loosely connected plots? Was Duardo always supposed to be this sort of overarching villain?
We started to angle him towards some Mega-Villain stuff ages ago, without knowing when his plots would come to fruition. It just so happened to be when we decided to build a year-long story that he was the best candidate for the Big Baddie. The "Torres" of it all was something that manifested later on, as we looked at ways to deepen Duardo's character beyond "very bad dad." What makes him tick? Why is he who he is? What if he's NOT who he is?
The map changes happening on Storm Point, can you give us any teasers or info about that?
Seems pretty windy there. 👀
What’s the reasoning for Duardo wanting Revenant as his personal murderbot as opposed to Ash? Is it because of the nature of his source code being different from other simulacrums?
Revenant is a unique type of Simulacrum, he can easily come back thanks to his Source Code and his ridiculous amount of extra shells. Ash is in more danger of being permanently "killed" when she faces severe damage.
When did Valkyrie learn that the head wasn’t on Gridiron? Was it before or after Loba accused Bangalore of helping Revenant by wanting to return home in season 12? Did Jaime confide [in] her or did she find it in his place?
She and Jaime bonded over what her obsession with Revenant has been doing to poor Loba. Through this, Valkyrie learned the true fate of the Head, and subsequently concocted the plan to kill all birds with one Head-shaped stone.
Will Lifeline and Octane make up? Their friendship meant so much to me and seeing it ruined over Duardo’s doings has me hoping this storyline can help them fight against him together. Also - is Octane smarter than he acts, or is there something more happening?
Can never say what the future may hold, but these two will always have a relationship. Now, whether it's sunshine and lollipops, or clouds and...whatever the opposite of lollipops is--who can say?
As for Octane, I think he's smarter than many give him credit for, but smart in HIS way. And this experience will push Octane to mature a bit more, without Lifeline there to do the adulting for him.
Will we eventually [see] what Blisk has been up to for the past few seasons? I'm very curious to see how he's reacting to Silva's schemes, I would love to get our favorite Games Commissioner's take on the current situation.
Blisk is off doing his own thing--the glitz and glamor of the televised Apex Games doesn't interest him. He does, however, probably think Duardo's a windbag.
Would you guys ever consider making something like the in-game lore books from Destiny 2? If not, will there ever be another lore book like Pathfinder's Quest?
Bilal: A lot of us are huge fans of Destiny and Destiny 2. We are always looking for new ways in which we tell story both in and out of the game. Hopefully you'll see us continue to experiment with how we do that.
Ashley: I can't give away our secrets! But like Bilal said, we're always keeping an eye on what worked for us in the past, and how can we take what we learned and experiment with new ideas.
ON KILL CODE
At the end of part 2 when it says “to be continued”, what format will the story be continued in? (Cinematic, comics, etc.)
Cinematics! But effects of the events can be felt across other formats, like the Thief's Bane Chronicle and our Node Tracker BR takeover. You can expect that to continue in the future.
Can we expect to see some other characters that may not have been featured as much within the Revenant storyline coming in?
Most of the characters who are involved in Kill Code have been revealed. However, we have a big cast and know some characters end up being the focus at certain times. We need to keep an eye on that and try to plan stories for everyone!
Do you think Loba is changing her mind about keeping Revenant alive at this point? A twinge of regret perhaps?
No change of mind at the moment, but she can definitely feel her plans spinning out.
Due to Bangalore’s heavy involvement in the whole Loba, Revenant, source code lore, is there a possibility that we will see her involvement return in the new Kill Code lore or has her part come to a close? I would think she'd have an interesting reaction upon learning the head was never on Gridiron.
Loba has a nasty habit of being a lone wolf--even if that means keeping things from her friends. Even if Bangalore notices what is going on, Loba might not be willing to impart too much . . .
In Kill Code part 2, Loba says that “[demonio] is involved somehow, and I won’t have anyone else getting hurt.” Does any part of her regret not destroying the source code when she had the chance?
Loba is a complicated gal with layered emotions, but overall she puts the blame on Revenant. In her mind, everything comes back to Revenant killing her parents. The thing Revenant and Loba have in common is they both are desperately seeking control of their situations and they both blame other people for who they are.
How did Revenant slip into Crypto’s room so easily? Crypto’s the “Surveillance Expert” who had cameras and motion sensors around his building in his “Forever Family”, but here be didn’t even get alerted by the very unsubtle window shattering outside of the building he was in.
Revenant moves fast and we're only getting pieces of his POV - that window isn't necessarily the building Crypto is in... As for the building Crypto is in: The world's best surveillance expert verses the world's greatest and most quiet assassin, something was bound to slip through the cracks. Or through the vent.
How much does the Kraber weigh since Lifeline threw it with ease in Part 1? Lol
The real question is, how strong is Lifeline?! Answer: VERY.
Loba found out that the Revenant seems to be a part of something big happening right though investigation in Salvo, but why did she decide to cooperate with the Lifeline in the first place (even before she found out about Revenant)?
They're friends! Loba thought she was just helping a friend before she found something more important to her.
Revenant's eyeball was still connected to him (as he later tracked it to Crypto) and was it listening and recording information, or was it now a separate part of it as it seemed to "switch off"?
If you're referring to the moment when the eye jumps and smokes, it's not switching off! Revenant is straining to get control, and in his rage he momentarily gets control of that eye. But, it's an eyeball so... there's only so much that an eyeball can do.
Was it Maggie or Loba who set off the alarm in the abandoned lab in part one?
It was Loba! Though Loba setting off the alarm while snooping was covered by Maggie's messing around.
When would this "upgrade" for Revenant take place? Because at the beginning of part two of Kill Code we see him acting normally and then he starts manifesting problems with his abilities and his body…
In the trailer, his upgrades are happening gradually but he can't see it until they're being activated by whoever is working on his code.
Who is Nesbitt on the list of Revenant victims, who is between Forge and Quentin in one of the freeze frames in the Launch Trailer of Season 18? We know about everyone else, but we see these initials for the first time, is he/she/they so important to the plot?
Revenant has killed a lot of people in his centuries. There are tons of kills we haven't heard the story on yet. Maybe it was someone who loves tea…
Why does Valkyrie have her Birthright helmet on over her default skin in part 1?
Bilal: Cause she looks dope in it.
David: You'll notice she's wearing it in many trailers, it's part of the suit! The "Birthright" skin is an older version of her current suit, the one Rampart initially helped her build."
Will these narrative revelations affect the Legends seen so far in Kill Code (I assume mainly Loba and Valkyrie) or will all be involved?
You've met the starring cast of Kill Code already, but that isn't to say other Legends won't make an appearance!
ON LEGENDS
Are the voices [Wraith] hears from [a] different dimension of herself traveling through the void or solely from void-walker herself? Does she only hear the voice when someone is looking at her, or when she needs guidance? Also is Bangalore still helping Wraith with finding her family, what is their relationship like now, are they friends?
She hears the voices of other Wraiths in close dimensions, those Wraiths are also fighting in the Apex Games. Similar to how Voidwalker saw other Voidwalkers exploring the facility when using her abilities.
As for Bangalore and Wraith, Bangalore made some mistakes following the resurgence of her 'believed dead' brother, but they're partners.
I just wanna know what kind of music rev listens to so i can clown him on twitter.
Heather: DEATH METAL.
Kevin: Halloween sound effects tapes.
If it were possible to put karaoke on a map like in the Busan setting in Overwatch, which Legends would sing and which ones wouldn't?
Mirage would force Crypto to sing. Vantage would holler along to the songs until noticing the lyrics on the screen, which she'd start to read in her normal voice then ask what this message was and why didn't it make any sense and then the song would end.
One of the Legends now joins the Respawn dev team working on Apex Legends. Which legend would you be happiest to have as a coworker? Which one would be most likely to get themselves fired within a week? And who would be the worst legend to become the new HR specialist?
Heather: Happiest to have as a coworker - Wattson! Incredibly smart, detail oriented, a delight to be around and I have a feeling she'd bring the best snacks in. Most likely to get fired: Pathfinder, he's never been able to hold down a job. Also Maggie because she answers to NO ONE. Worst HR specialist: Bangalore. Too much tough love.
Kevin: Happiest to have as a coworker: Gibby! Upbeat, supportive, and gets the job done. Which would get fired: Vantage. She'd steal supplies without realizing you shouldn't and, well, bat droppings everywhere. Worst HR specialist: Ash. She'd have no time for anyone's complaints.
Please can I get one wraith fact (that we don’t know of) to hold me over until we see her featured in the story again?
She LOVES Bamboozles cereal.
What are the favorite drinks and foods of each legend and why?
Wraith loves Appletinis. Loba's a fan of crab legs. We all know how Mirage feels about pork chops. And that is all a shameless plug for . . . a thing we'll be talking about soon. ;)
What is each legend's favorite animal and why?
In a shocking twist, Loba likes wolves. But she's also a fan of flyers. Vantage, it's bats #1, then EVERY OTHER ANIMAL ties for #2. Crypto secretly likes cats. Ash almost-barely-kind-of doesn't malign HER rat. Caustic appreciates guinea pigs.
What kind of animal is on Rampart’s shirt?
It's a cat. She likes cats.
What's the story behind Seer's drones? Did his dad make them, and for what reason? And did his dad also create his Showstoppers heirloom? I feel [they’re] connected enough in design that the answer should be similar.
All of Seer's tech he made with his dad's help, and his art/movement was developed with his mom's help. They did this to support him as he developed the "Seer" persona while fighting in the underground Arenas matches. Safe to say his dad helped make his heirloom, too.
Which Legend's lore has been your favorite to write/work with?
Ashley: Coming on with a fresh take on Ash was a lot of fun for me. She's a character we know and love, but what's a new direction we can take her in? That was a lot of fun to figure out. Also, fun fact: I wasn't on the narrative team yet when Apex launched, but I found out that Lifeline and Octane were friends (the first two characters in Apex who had a relationship) and I fell in love with that and them immediately.
Heather: I wrote Kill Code Part 2 so I'm biased, but my favorite ATM is writing for Revenant. It would be easy to make him one note - nothing but a killing machine - but it's been so fun to give him more nuance. Even monsters have buttons to push, and figuring out how a freaking-out-Revenant behaves was a very cool thing to write. Plus, his voice actor (the incredible Darin De Paul) can do anything which makes it very exciting to give him different emotions to play with within our Murderbot."
Which of the Legends are the best at melee combat? I imagine Loba must be up there with how badass she is with her staff, but I’m curious about the other Legends.
Kevin: Bangalore and Newcastle for sure -- they took down a PILOT. Mad Maggie, so long as using brass knuckles or palming a roll of quarters is allowed. Wait, what'm I saying? She'd use those anyway.
Ashley: Ash. She literally brought a sword to a gunfight.
Heather: Pathfinder! Have you ever been punched by a metal hand?
Who is your personal favorite Legend in Apex and why?
Kevin: My favorite is whatever Legend vibes with how I'm feeling at the moment of writing them. Going through a bad time? Revenant is a blast. Feelin' like a silly-billy? Mirage and Pathfinder, plz. Brooding? Wraith and Caustic ftw.
Heather: What Kevin said! There's a Legend for every mood. But if I had to choose just one, my heart belongs to Mirage... I love a high-confidence dummy.
Would you ever consider giving all the Legends official birthdays or maybe even just Vague birthdays (like 'catalyst was born sometime in october')? I need to make Bangalore's birthday a national holiday.
David: I keep telling them to reveal them! But they say "NO FROH!" every time!
Ashley: NO FROH
ON PROCESS
How much input does the writing and narrative side have when it comes to things like new maps and Legends? Is it more of a, "Hey, in S7 we're having a new map that floats in the sky, figure out how to make that work" or is more "Hey we're looking to make a new map, here's some of our design goals, do you have any ideas on an aesthetic/location that could make sense?"
It can be any of these, to be honest. But since so many things happen simultaneously, it's often the former: design or maps have something cooking, and narrative is brought in to add story which then can inform the other disciplines as they develop the feature, which then feeds back into narrative, and so on and so on until it gets released.
I remember a while back a dev said lore events like the one from season 4 would not be allocated enough resources to be made anymore. After this rework, can we expect more events that are more involved story-wise? Have priorities shifted?
Something of the style and scale of Broken Ghost (guessing that's what you meant?) is still beyond what we'll do within Apex going forward. But! We learned a lot from that experience, and that's helped us develop other methods of storytelling that work better for our game. You can keep an eye out for more of those coming this year and in the future.
Is there anything within the now 4 years of Apex Lore (that's insane, by the way, 4 years of this. Y'all are awesome) that you wish you'd written differently or taken in a different direction?
There's a famous saying that I'm going to lean on here--"Art is never finished, only abandoned." There's always something you wish you could have done better, or go back and change once you see how it was received (or after you've grown as a creative). But you can only go forward! And sometimes, things actually turn out BETTER when they don't turn out exactly the way you planned, because then you test the limits of your imagination. I would say, when you have those moments, finish that last 25%!
What all is needed to help become a narrative writer for apex?
A love of storytelling, an ability to write in many different character voices, and MOXY.
What comes first? The lore of a character or their abilities?
Their abilities. Lore comes later.
What made you all decide to put all of the extra work into telling the story in so many different mediums this time around, and is it something we can hope to see more of in the future?
Yay, glad you think so! It's hard to say with certainty what we'll do in the future, but I can say that it's been awesome seeing the reactions to all the different parts of Kill Code, and we'll keep that in mind as we plan future content.
ON REVENANT
Clearly Revenant isn’t happy with the tinkering of his brain, but how does he feel about the upgrades to his body?
He hasn't had time to process that yet, all he knows is someone is in his brain and he want them OUT. (Heh heh heh... "process". Like a robot.)
Is it possible to know what are the inspirations for this new Revenant design or is this topic a spoiler too?
Inspirations internally within the team, or within the lore? Within the lore is definitely a spoiler. ;)
Is the "other" revenant, from the shadow world, changing too or will he be the same?
"King Revenant" (as we call him) has his own thing going on--he's not impacted by any of this. But if he knew about it, he'd get a good, evil laugh out of it.
It can be said that Torres together with Hammond (especially how he convinced the aforementioned corporation to work with him on the simulacrum that worried them so much) wants to make Revenant his personal henchman or is it still a spoiler topic?
I can say Torres and Hammond Robotics are definitely not working together. Both have their own plans and "Projects". Eagle eyed fans might've found an email between Silva and Hammond Robotics CEO…
What is the lore reason Revenant was glitching out in Storm Point in that specific POI? To show in that moment he was being tempered with or something in the room is messing with him?
Good eye! I congratulate you on catching that . . . but I can't tell you what it means without spoilers. Keep those eyes peeled.
What was the process like behind creating this new version of Revenant? What came first? The idea to rework Revenant?
It's truly a chicken and egg thing. The decision to do the Revenant rework this season came from our Design team, and that was our first real "stake in the ground." However, we knew something LIKE this one was going to be essential for Revenant's story at some point. Game narrative has to be flexible! We call that "seamless storytelling."
Will you ever delve into how exactly Revenant gained his shadow powers? I remember back with his initial release in Season 4 we were told that a future legend would be added to explain Revenant's supernatural abilities.
Revenant has had a variety of "features" added to him over the years by different owners. The exact tech behind Revenant's shadow powers is a mystery that a previous employer (probably) took to his grave, but there's lots of visual tech and illusions at play.
ON THE FUTURE
After what we just witnessed over the past few seasons and now with Kill Code and how she's spiraling with her obsession with Revenant, where does Loba’s Relationship with Valkyrie stand? Will Loba EVER find peace and Leave Revenge in the past and move on?
Love the passion for their relationship, but we can't spoil what's going to happen between them! C'mon! :) But at the moment, there's tension between them, but one-sided. Valk's frustrated by Loba's obsession with Revenant, but Loba doesn't see that as an obsession. For Loba, it's an appropriate reaction to the robotman who killed one's parents. The main issue, as it almost always is in a relationship, is that they're not talking about the problem. It's one of those things where Valk doesn't think she can broach with Loba because it's such a sensitive topic. "Stop being upset that your parents were assassinated in front of you and pay attention to our relationship!" Who wants to be that girlfriend? Not Valk. Her deal with Rev is her attempt to solve things without having that conversation, doing what she thinks is ultimately best for everyone. Her intentions are pure, the execution...not so much.
Hammond has been well established as an important character in the APEX universe. In the recent stories, Hammond for the first time confronts another key character – Silva. Could we see more groups or organizations entering the main story in the future?
Other organizations will factor only insofar as they serve the Legends' stories, which are always the main focus.
Horizon’s Story from the Outlands has touched a lot of players. The in-game Easter egg of Newt’s messages in Season 7 Olympus map has always been a mystery. Are we going to see more of this story? Will she reunite with Newt one day?
It isn't over until it's over!
I would love to have an option to set character’s dialogs to specific season to hear my favorite lines from the past once more and to experience backstories that I’ve missed. Have you considered adding such option?
The nature of a live game that is ever evolving means we have to be extremely diligent about the content that goes into every release. There are a ton of technical limitations that typically means we can't keep content from past seasons in the game forever. We've recorded a TON of audio for our game across all our seasons - it's something we've got to keep an eye on from season to season with our extremely talented audio team.
Is there a future for the development of the lore plot with the Crypto (And Mila) Line? Can it become something more in the future, as it happened with the Bangalore/Newcastle Line, or will it become a link for other branches of the lore like the Revenant/Loba Line?
Hey, it isn't fun if I just tell you what's gonna happen! But I can say this--we're always keeping an eye on our character's big stories and looking for places where we can explore them. Kill Code itself is a good example of that.
Is there a possibility that the Forge will appear again?
Heather: He's pretty darn dead...
Ashley: Big dead.
Vantage's Story from the Outlands seems a bit distant from the current Year of Story. Will we see Vantage’s story cross with the main storyline soon?
She doesn't factor in the Kill Code story. But in the future, who's to say?
What are the plans when it come to stories mission and potentials side games with a lore focus ? Like riot forge with mageseeker and ruined king,would such a thing be possible ? And can we expect more lore missions in the future?
We are always excited when we can get lore and gameplay intertwined. That's the magic of video games! That's why we are super excited about the Neon Network event and how using the Node tracker unlocks motion comics. We'll be doing a lot more of this sort of stuff in the future. Regarding side games nothing to announce at the moment.
Will we get to see where things are for the Williams siblings? Is Bangalore still unwilling to talk to Jackson due to how much he hurt her? Does Jackson actually want to mend their relationship or is he just covering his butt because he got found out?
They're at a bit of an impasse--Bangalore and Jackson are both still hurt by what the other one has done to them, but they're still siblings, and they love each other dearly. They're reaching out to each other in small ways, even if they're too proud, or too unsure, to reach out and have a real conversation.
Would it be possible to get seasonal quests with cutscenes and voice acting like A Thief's Bane? Also with some combat and for us to be able to do it in co-op. I have fond memories of Quest Mode from Season 5 and waiting each time to do another quest was awesome, especially seeing the ending.
We are always looking for different and unique ways to tell stories in our game. Sometimes that means we'll do stuff like Old Ways New Dawn or Kill Code: A Thief's Bane. As for the future, I think expect the unexpected. We are going to be trying our best to push the boundaries of how we tell the story.
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If you’ve made it this far, thanks for reading! We’re looking forward to hosting more AMAs with various Apex subreddits and communities in the near future. Stay tuned!
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