Apex Legends: Prodigy Season Launches May 6 With New Hero Sparrow and Major Updates Across Modes
Respawn Entertainment has officially revealed the next season of Apex Legends, titled Prodigy, launching on Tuesday, May 6, and introducing the new Legend, Sparrow, alongside several gameplay changes, returning modes, and ranked system overhauls. The announcement was made via X (formerly Twitter), with a cinematic gameplay teaser available now on YouTube.
Meet Sparrow – The Outlands’ Rebellious Prodigy
Real name Enea Davide Guarino, Sparrow hails from a lineage of elite bounty hunters known for their masterful archery and rigid honor code. Rebellious and eager to forge his own path, Guarino was cast out by his family. He now joins the Apex Games to prove his worth and earn back their respect on his own terms.
For the first two weeks of Prodigy, Sparrow will be unlocked for all players, giving everyone a chance to experience his unique skill set. Players can then unlock him permanently by completing in-game challenges tied to Legends, weapon use, and damage dealt.
Sparrow’s abilities include:
Passive: Double Jump – Allows players to jump twice in the air. When climbing a wall, the second jump launches them to the top.
Tactical: Tracker Dart – Reveals all enemies who move through its area of effect.
Ultimate: Stinger Bolt – Fires a large arrow that generates an energy field. Any enemy in line of sight and within the field is damaged over time.
A full breakdown of Sparrow’s abilities is expected in Respawn’s upcoming blog post scheduled for release tomorrow.
Key Gameplay Additions and Returning Modes
The Prodigy season also reintroduces the fan-favorite Bocek Compound Bow, now capable of being loaded with Frag Grenades and energized Explosive Arrows, giving it new tactical utility on the battlefield.
Arenas Mode also makes a comeback but with significant changes:
Shorter matches: First team to win 3 rounds claims victory.
Weapon bans: Recently used weapons become temporarily unavailable to diversify gameplay.
Round-specific discounts: Weapon pricing shifts mid-match to encourage strategic decisions.
Free health items: Provided at the start of every round.
Later in the season, Prodigy will debut Duels, a 1v1 Arena mode designed to push individual skill to the limit.
Ranked Overhaul & Progression Updates
Prodigy introduces several updates to Ranked Mode:
Starting Tier and Division will now be based on a player's hidden MMR (skill rating) from previous seasons.
The Bronze reset rule for players who skipped a season has been removed.
New features include Ranked Challenges and Ranked Ladders, offering more incentives and competitive goals throughout the season.
Background Context and Studio Challenges
This content update comes in the wake of major layoffs at Respawn Entertainment, which affected both the Apex Legends and Star Wars Jedi teams. Among the casualties were two early-stage incubation projects, including a much-rumored Titanfall-based extraction shooter.
Despite these internal challenges, Respawn appears committed to evolving Apex Legends with bold new content and reworks aimed at keeping both casual and competitive players engaged.
What do you think of Sparrow’s debut and the return of Arenas? Will you be trying the 1v1 Duels mode later this season? Let us know below.
