Deciding on the best Apex Legends landing spots really depends on the type of player you are, but we've managed to find plenty of options to utilise at the start of an Apex Legends match in Season 18.
Believing in the best Apex Legends landing spots means understanding what they can offer. The dropship doesn't take the same path twice, meaning no area of the map is ever certain to be the target of every hot-headed player. Choosing the best landing spot means striking a balance between loot, safety, and proximity to the next circle. And it can get complicated.
For more on Apex Legends, we've updated our Apex Legends tier list and Apex Legends weapon tier list. And with another new character out to boot, read up on Ballistic and his abilities before dropping into the action.
The best Apex Legends landing spots for Season 18
All maps
Any blue ring
When you are waiting in the dropship to launch onto the map with your squad, you should check your map. When the initial timer ends, a blue ring should appear somewhere on the map.
This is a fantastic spot to land if you can make it there first. This ring indicates that there is a concentrated collection of extremely high-tier and rare loot.
In a similar fashion to care packages, grabbing loot first in these zones can give you a very high chance of becoming the champion - if you can survive the onslaught of every other squad that decides they're more deserving of the best loot.
Either come prepared for a fight or fly in with a fool-proof escape plan. Then again, you won't lose much time if you take the L here. Your reputation, though? It won't take too many of these hot drops.
Olympus
Here are our top two landing spots on Olympus currently. We will be sure to update this information as Season 17 continues to evolve.
Icarus
Icarus is the crashed spacecraft on the edge of the Olympus Map. The ship itself is the definition of high-risk, high-reward. However, that's what makes it one of the best landing spots on Olympus for this season.
The location of the ship seems to mean that you can get a few rounds in where no one else drops there. This means that all of the sweet loot hidden inside can be yours for the taking.
There are several sections within Icarus. The main ship body, the cockpit area, and the cargo area. All three areas typically have mid to high-tier loot within them and plenty of loot bins for you to open.
Also, if you're not the only squad to land there, your survival chances are still quite high. When you compare the Icarus to other sections of Olympus, it's one of the largest. There are plenty of areas for you to hide from enemies and counter their attacks with a surprise ambush.
Alternatively, there are a few places on the ship that allow you to make a quick exit without being spotted. Overall, the Icarus is a great Battle Royale playground.
Hammond Labs
Surprisingly, Hammond Labs is still one of the best drop zones on Olympus. There is always a lot of loot inside the Labs themselves and plenty of high-tier stuff to sustain a team of three.
The layout and location of the Lab is how it has earned its place on this list. The Lab is almost in the middle of the Olympus Map. It may seem reckless to drop in the centre of the map as it seems to be an obvious choice, but not many teams do. It's a great place to drop because you can easily make your way to the ring for the second round no matter where it is.
The layout of Hammond Labs forces you to confront your enemies. The circular formation of the outer hallway and the small room at the centre of it gives you very little room to hide. If you're a confident squad (who has already taken all the high-tier loot), it can be a great way of getting easy kills. That being said, you still need to watch your back.
King's Canyon
For Season 18, King's Canyon returns to the map rotation and as one of the more popular maps in the rotation, selecting the best places to land is a surefire way you make it to the final few circles. Here are our recommendations.
The Cage
Located in the centre of the map, The Cage is a great starting point if you're feeling confident. Dropping at the top of the structure is a risk considering how many players you'll encounter but make it out alive, and you've got plenty of loot for the remainder of the game.
Landing at The Cage is also great for rotation. With Market, Labs, and Capacitor nearby, you've got plenty of options when contemplating your next move.
Salvage
Another place to begin your King's Canyon match in Season 17 is Salvage. This excavation site often comes with players looking to score some early kills so make sure you grab a gun and prepare for action.
With plenty of escape routes when things get too close for comfort, you can easily move around this area of the map and rotate to other areas with ease.
Crash Site
Crash Site features three explosive holds and huge amounts of loot inside bins and on the ground, making it one of the most popular King's Canyon landing spots for Season 17.
For the early game, it's excellent to build an inventory and ammo supply so you're prepared for any future battles.
Broken Moon
Breaker Wharf
If you're after a place where you can have time to loot and find plenty of ammunition, Breaker Wharf is the perfect landing spot.
Located in the north-western corner of the map, there are two parallel buildings packed with items perfect for any early-game engagements.
Eternal Gardens
Our next landing spot for Broken Moon is Eternal Gardens. Although it's towards the outer edge of the map, it's a great place to land in order to rotate into a more central location during the latter stages of a match.
This particular POI is also the only landing spot that features a jump tower, so bear that in mind when thinking about retreating to safety when the action becomes too hot to handle.
Terraformer
Arguably the most popular Broken Moon landing spot is Terraformer. If you fancy some running and gunning in the opening minutes, this is the place to go.
There's enough loot to grab quickly but as it's a heavily populated landing spot, it's easy to drop at Terraformer and end up without a weapon. Thankfully. Atmostation and Bionomics are only a short sprint away if you're in need of a weapon and some additional utility.
And that's all we have on the best drop locations for Apex Legends Season 18 right now. As we wait for any map changes to worm their way into the recommendations, check out our weapons tier list to find out which ones are the best for the current season.
Originally written by Kelsey Raynor with upkeep by Jon Nicholson