Apex Legends Season 8 map changes and tips for the new Kings Canyon

A new season has just kicked-off in Apex Legends and it has made some earth-shattering changes to Kings Canyon. I mean that quite literally, as a whole mountain is gone. Let’s take a look at the Apex Legends Season 8 map changes and I’ll share some tips to help you become the king or queen of the new Kings Canyon.

The northern part of Kings Canyon has been significantly improved. You can thank the new named locations, Crash Site, and Spotted Lake for that. The changes came about after Fuse’s grand entrance was ruined when his ship was sabotaged. It crashed into the mountains in the north and the aftermath has made Kings Canyon larger than it was before with Crash Site being the northernmost named location (or point of interest).

The crash also opened up numerous new pathways through the northern areas, which makes rotating a lot more pleasant. All in all, I think the new additions make Kings Canyon a more enjoyable map to play. In fact, I prefer dropping in the north over dropping in the south these days. The flow of the map is just better now. It might also be because there’s so much new stuff to explore.

The new Kings Canyon.

Mayday! Mayday!

The Crash Site is a very well-designed space to battle in. There are multiple levels, numerous chokepoints, plenty of objects to use for cover, and excellent loot scattered around. It’s a very good place to drop. Plus, it’s a load of fun.

The main position of power in Crash Site is the elevated central platform right beneath the ship. You can easily hold the narrow chokepoints to this area and pick off enemies that try to push you. If you are going to attempt to take the platform, I suggest running on the roof of the ramps, rather than in the confined halls of death. This will give you a better chance of surviving a rain of grenades because there’s no roof to stick them to or bounce them off.

Due to the multi-tiered nature o the Crash Site, Legends who can make their own way upwards are particularly good. Pathfinder, Loba, and Horizon are your go-to picks here. They will be able to attack enemies from unexpected angles, which will give you a far better chance at knocking them off their perches.

Octane and Wraith can also be highly effective in this area because of their rapid movement abilities. Octane can rapidly rotate around the enemy team you’re battling, forcing them to fight from two sides. Wraith can perform a similar maneuver with her portal.

Prime real estate

Slum Lakes was always one of my least favorite sites to drop on Kings Canyon. It was essentially two lines of loot on either side of a ravine. The battles were up close and personal, and the loot was scattered throughout tiny buildings. If you got unlucky with the loot distribution, you were back in the lobby through no fault of your own. It was a bit of a mess really. So, I’m quite pleased that it was flooded and replaced with the much more attractive Spotted Lake.

Loot is concentrated in larger buildings, with a dam in the center dividing the area into two distinct segments. The dam itself is where the highest concentration of loot can be found. It’s also where the corridors are narrow, and the battles are the most intense.

The outer areas are a lot more open with longer sightlines. Enemies won’t be coming at you from every direction. However, there’s still good loot to be had inside the few buildings. If you prefer a slower start to your matches in Apex Legends, the buildings on the outer areas of Spotted Lake are one of the best places on the Season 8 map.

One for the snipers

Sniper Rifles aren’t the most popular weapon-type in Apex Legends. To give them a helping hand, Respawn Entertainment has scattered some Observation Towers around the Kings Canyon map for Season 8. The outer areas of Spotted Lake I was just discussing are where these towers can be found. You can raise the towers, with a lot of noise, by interacting with the panel next to them.

If you are going to take advantage of these sniper spots, don’t sit on them while they’re being raised. Activate the console, take cover elsewhere or utilize the time to grab some additional loot. Then hop on the zipline to the top once the tower is fully raised.

Once raised, they’re like a crow’s nest with only one way up, which makes them very hard to push. They are perfect for making use of Sniper Rifles. Variation in gameplay is good, as is making different weapons viable. So, something that allows people to play a different way is excellent in my book.

Head up one of these towers with Loba and you can use your Ultimate to keep yourself stocked while you rain fire down on your enemies. Lifeline is also a good option for tower defense because she can revive her teammates, while still pressuring enemies with fire.

I would avoid the Observation Towers early on in a match. They have Sniper Rifles and plenty of ammo on them. However, you’re going to end up stuck on top while your enemies gather more loot below. They’ll be circling you like sharks, and when you finally come down, you’re going to get eaten.

An explosive start

Another one of Respawn’s wonderful map changes to Kings Canyon is the addition of Explosive Holds in Season 8 of Apex Legends. These loot hotspots are like mini vaults. For the low cost of a Frag Grenade, Thermite, or Arc Star, you get access to eight weapons, ammo, and a few high-tier attachments.

Stumbling across one of these in the mid-game is an excellent way to bolster your arsenal. However, I think targeting the Holds near the beginning of a round is an excellent way to get an early firepower boost. They won’t provide you with any shields or healing items, so I wouldn’t land on them right out of the dropship.

The path less traveled

One of the big map changes in Apex Legends Season 8 that I haven’t yet mentioned is called Uncovered Bones by the developer. It isn’t a named location where you can drop and loot, but it does have a massive impact on how the northwest corner of Kings Canyon plays. The purpose of this area is to improve the flow between Spotted Lake, Runoff, and The Pit.

Previously, each of these areas felt isolated with very defined pathways in and out. Uncovered Bones knocks away an entire section of the mountain just northeast of Runoff to allow for a lot more pathways between it and Spotted Lakes. It’s a small change, but a very good one that should instill confidence in players that Respawn know what they’re doing.

All in all, the map changes to Kings Canyon have made it a lot more enjoyable in Season 8 of Apex Legends. Where the different areas in the north used to feel very isolated, you now flow from one to the other very smoothly.