Respawn seems to be teasing the next Apex Legends character

In what could either be a clever tease or an inadvertent mistake, jump pads are starting to appear across Kings Canyon in Apex Legends, particularly in the Market area of the map.  This has led many users on Reddit to speculate that the next legend, thought to be Octane, will arrive in the coming days.

According to leaks, the jump pads are related to Octane’s Ultimate ability. Octane’s Ultimate lets them deploy jump pads on the map that launch players into the sky, according to a leaked screenshot shared on Reddit earlier this month. How they wound up on the map is a mystery, but it seems likely developer Respawn is doing a Fortnite-style tease, slowly introducing new elements into the world to create excitement.

It appears to be working, too. Numerous Reddit posts showcasing the jump pads have more than 1,000 replies. To add to the curiosity, Respawn developers have joined a few of the threads, offering various coy responses such as the smirking emoji. The developer responses don’t exactly suggest this was a mistake.

On top of the jump pads, other users are seeing what appears to be a server refresh screen. Additionally, some are saying they cannot view the Legends, perhaps because a new character is currently being added to the roster? By the time we checked for ourselves, everything looked normal on PlayStation 4, though.

A promotional image of Octane leaked last week. Octane looks much like the Psychos from Borderlands. Along with the jump pad ultimate, Octane has a tactical ability called Adrenaline Junkie which lets him move 30 percent faster for six seconds and a passive that restores health over time. Described as a “High Speed Daredevil,” Octane is thought to be the first Legend to launch alongside the season one Battle Pass.

Neither EA or Respawn revealed exactly when the Battle Pass will arrive, but it is expected sometime this month along with seasonal rewards. The arrival of the jump pads has led many to believe the pass will be available very soon. Four Apex Legends seasons are currently planned, with each featuring new Legends, weapons, and loot.