A few days into the newApex Legendsseason, and the dust has yet to settle. It’ll likely be a few weeks before any game-changing metas are effectively decided, while players learn more about theIMC Armoriesand loot pool changes in practice. The biggest question, as it is with every seasonal character, is where Newcastle falls.
At the beginning of every season, the new character has a high pick rate. It’s very common right now to see anApex Legendsteam with a Newcastle, as well as to see his Castle Walls planted in past battlefields. Interestingly, Newcastle’s early reception does stand out from past additions.
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His popularity aside, Newcastle’s release differs in a lot of ways fromcharacters like Seerand Ash. Their popularity was perhaps threefold, and they quickly cemented a high place in the meta. Seer, for example, released incredibly strong and was adjusted post-release, while many players called for Ash to be nerfed too. Respawn has a tendency to release legends strong and then reign them in, but Newcastle falls outside this typical pattern.
Newcastle feels better balancedthan past launches, even if his skills fall on the weaker end of the ability pool. His passive comes in handy for reviving and saving teammates, his tactical helps teams push without being too broken or quick about it, and his Castle Wall can quickly change the flow of the fight without absolutely breaking Newcastle, his allies, or other characters. While his abilities are better than some, they’re not as good as others either.
Newcastle’s current standing in the metafeels rather middle of the road as a result. It’s certainly malleable at this point, but as the pick rates settle, it’ll be interesting to see how many players will pick Newcastle over other defensive/support legends like Gibraltar or Lifeline. What he does have going for him, at least, are good, if not great, abilities and awesome lore.
Characters like Wraith and Octane continue to dominate the pick rates, and while the exact pick rates are uncertain now, it seems safe to say that Newcastle is up there with them. In a few weeks, he might find himself in the middle of the pack. He does not seem like abottom-tier character inApex Legends, but he doesn’t feel too top tier either. But, for now, fans will just have to wait and see how it all shakes out.
Apex Legendsis available on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. Apex Legends Mobile releases May 17.
