Massive Apex Legends leak supposedly reveals over two years' worth of new maps and legends

(Image credit: Respawn Entertainment)

Christmas came real early for the Apex Legends leak and datamining community, with a Google Drive folder packed with screenshots and footage of unreleased maps, legends, weapons and cosmetics appeared on the ApexUncovered subreddit yesterday morning.

While the folder has since been taken down, the files contained within were quickly archived, and the speculative subreddit is currently awash with screenshots and video from what appears to be a development build of the game. The highlight of the dump are nine new characters on the roster—and while most are using placeholder training dummy models, at least one (dubbed "Newcastle") appears close to completion, raising speculation that he'll be the next to arrive.

The leak also includes details of a new battle royale map, "Divided Moon", currently using blockout textures and assets. Several new arena maps have also been leaked, along with map changes for Storm Point and King's Canyon. The leak also includes new training ground challenges and options, unreleased heirlooms for two existing Legends, and a wealth of Legendary character skins in varying states of completion, among more miscellaneous changes.

This isn't the first time Apex content has been slipped prematurely. A season 6 leak revealed several new characters ahead of schedule—and while Fuse, Ash, Horizon and Valk would end up coming out, it's worth noting that others have either failed to materialise (Blisk) or were massively reworked ahead of launch (Mad Maggie). It's very likely that many of the nine Legends leaked this week will arrive in dramatically different form, if they even arrive at all.

Nevertheless, considering the breadth of new characters and maps, the community is calling this the biggest leak in Apex Legends' history, supposedly spoiling two entire years of releases. But the leak has also stirred up drama in the ApexUncovered scene, as the leaker whose name is watermarked on many of the images claims he's been framed by another prolific leaker.

I've reached out to a Respawn representative for comment.

20 years ago, Nat played Jet Set Radio Future for the first time, and she's not stopped thinking about games since. Joining PC Gamer in 2020, she comes from three years of freelance reporting at Rock Paper Shotgun, Waypoint, VG247 and more. Embedded in the European indie scene and a part-time game developer herself, Nat is always looking for a new curiosity to scream about—whether it's the next best indie darling, or simply someone modding a Scotmid into Black Mesa. She also unofficially appears in Apex Legends under the pseudonym Horizon.