Season 12 of Apex Legends has just started and it has brought a bunch of new content with it. As with many new Apex Seasons, we've gained a brand new Legend in the form of the one and only Mad Maggie. However, that was not the only big thing to come to the game at the beginning of this season.
We've also gained a brand new limited-time mode called Control Mode. The mode itself is similar to a "capture the flag" premise. It includes the largest teams of Legends ever seen in the 12 seasons of the game and some of the rules you are used to are different for this mode. The mode brings back some iconic locations from previous Seasons and there's a brand new Legends Rating system to get your head around. For a limited-time mode, there's definitely a lot to sink your teeth into.
In this guide, we're going to break down everything you need to know about Control Mode.
When Does Control Mode Start?
Control Mode is now live in Apex Legends! So far, it seems that the mode will end on March 1, 2022.
- Learn More: Meet the voice actors and cast behind your favourite Legends.
Control Mode: What Is It?
Control Mode is a brand new limited-time mode coming to Apex Legends. In the mode, two teams of nine Legends go head to head to take control of certain areas (flags) on the map. Points are awarded for how long you control an area. You earn 1 point for every second you're in control. The team that reaches 1,250 points first will be the winners, even if the other team controls more areas at the time. It all comes down to how many points each team has.
Before you start each round, you'll be able to select your Legend and Loadout. This means that you can use a variety of weapons or Legends throughout a match. This gives you the chance to learn about your enemy and environment, then adapt to it to give you the best chance of winning.
Health is not a problem anymore! Yes, you can still die if it reaches zero, but the scramble to find medkits is over. You have unlimited health kits at your disposal, all you need to do is find a safe place to administer them.
Shield Batteries and Shield Cells are a thing of the past in Control Mode too. Your Shield can still be knocked down and destroyed, but if you manage to avoid being hit for a short amount of time, it re-charges itself.
Also, death is not its usual burden either. If your Legend is killed during the match, you can choose to respawn them at any of the given locations. However, the longer you stay alive, the more points your team will earn. So we recommend not becoming too cavalier about being shot.
Lockout
If your team manages to take control of all three zones, you'll be given a special chance to end the round early. This is known as Lockout. A timer will begin and if the team can maintain the Lockout (control all three areas) until the timer ends, they will win. However, if the opposing team manages to take back even one of the zones, the Lockout will end and the game will continue.
Timed Tasks
Throughout each round in this mode, you may come across timed tasks or events that you can take advantage of. Here are all of the ones we know about so far:
- Capture Mode: A specific zone will get a one-time point award added to it. When this happens, a countdown timer will start. The team that controls this zone when the timer hits zero will earn a substantial amount of points.
- Airdrops: You can get powerful weapons inside airdrops. However, they have a limited amount of ammunition, so use the weapon sparingly.
What Are Legend Ratings?
The Apex Games are a televised bloodsport. Each Legend has their own fanbase. This hasn't really had an impact on how the games have worked in previous modes, but it matters in Control Mode.
You can now increase the rating of your chosen Legend by performing certain actions in Control Mode. Each time you kill an enemy, secure an area or help a teammate, your rating will increase. The more difficult the action (such as a Clutch), the more your rating will increase.
Does Your Legend Rating Matter?
Yes, your rating does matter as it will allow you to use higher-tier weapons. However, the more that your Legend rating improves in a match, the harder it will be to climb to the next one. You need to be careful, if you die your rating will be reset and you'll need to start again.
Also, instead of having a kill leader in Control Mode, you can have a Ratings Leader. This is where things can get seriously competitive. Once the existing ratings leader dies, someone will need to pass their rating to take their place.
Control Mode Maps and Locations
Control Mode will take you back to some of your favourite locations from previous seasons. So far, we know that this includes the following locations:
- Barometer on Tropic
- Hammond Labs on Olympus
The locations themselves have received upgrades for the mode, including extra zipwires and skydive launchers.
We will update this section as we learn more about the maps and locations.
The Control Mode for Apex Legends has the potential to be the new and exciting mode that everyone has been waiting for. If it goes well, we can only hope that it might become a permanent addition alongside Arenas and Battle Royale. Choosing the right Legend is a vital aspect of playing the game. Take a look at our Legends Tier List to figure out which one is the best for you. Also, having the right weapon can help you become the champion. Find out which weapons are the best for this season in our Weapons Tier List.