Season 14 is still fresh, but the competitive community is already voicing their concerns about the new Kings Canyon map update and its place in Ranked rotation for split 1.
Kings Canyon is the original map for Apex Legends, released alongside the game itself in February 2019. However, despite its nostalgic feel, it’s never been a map lauded for its competitive viability, compared to maps like World’s Edge or Olympus.
So, when it was announced as the Ranked map for split 1 in Season 14, there was some trepidation, but promises of improved loot and greater land mass were signs of hope. So far though, some of the best players in the world are not convinced.
Apex pros call for Ranked map change
Starting with Apex’s most-watched pro player on Twitch, Imperial Hal managed to hit a 30,000 likes target joking that if he reached it, Respawn would change the map (the direct message is not real).
Let’s make it happen pic.twitter.com/0Ji4mDqIZx
— ImperialHal (@ImperialHal) August 9, 2022
Hal was joined by a chorus of other top players voicing similar frustrations.
GUILD player MaTaFe called Kings Canyon “outdated for ranked play” – particularly with the increased damage from the first ring.
I cant believe we are forced to play a map as outdated as KC again. Ranked kill uncap + zone 1 dmg boost makes it an inting fest. 6 teams zone 2 every game. This is going to be a long off-seasom with no tourneys… All we needed was better matchmaking (no plats in pred lobby)
— NAVI MaTaFe (@matafe_) August 9, 2022
100 Thieves pro Onmuu said the map was “horrible” for ranked – something Cloud9 coach PVPX echoed in regards to the loot especially.
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who wouldve guessed KC ranked would be horrible again
— Onmuu (@Onmuu_) August 9, 2022
Loot on King's Canyon is still horrible
— FURIA Jxmo (@Jxmo_1) August 9, 2022
Cloud9 player ZachMazer said that while he appreciated the devs efforts to make Kings Canyon more competitively viable, it just “doesn’t have a comfortable place in your game anymore.”
Dear Apex, Please let KC die a nice death. I respect and admire your effort to keep KC around 3 years later however, it doesn't have a comfortable place in your game anymore. Love the constant efforts at making the map playable but we cant find happy ground, Time to move on >— E8 Zachmazer (@zachmazer) August 9, 2022
Streamer Nokokopuffs agreed that the changes had actually made Kings Canyon “worse” for Ranked play, not better: “This season is chalked. Looking forward to Season 15.”
It has been 6 hours and I think the large majority feel the same way we always feel when we get KC in rotation. But this time it’s actually even worse with the changes. Gun meta is weird af, the ranking system makes no sense. This season is chalked. Looking forward to S15 🫠
— Noko (@Nokokopuffs) August 10, 2022
It’s very unlikely Respawn will actually change plans for the Ranked map rotation, with Storm Point scheduled for split 2. As for the rest of the community, as always, it is a split of opinions, with some loving the fresh map, and others pining for one of the other three.
For now, players will have to grind out Kings Canyon, and hope the meta settles into place.
There are also some bizarre bugs in Season 14 already, including Legends getting the wrong abilities, but hopefully, these will be addressed by Respawn and fixed before long.