Quick answer: Apex Legends Season 31, called Cipher, launches Tuesday, Nov 3, 2026 on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2 and PC. Launch time is reported as 10 AM PT, which is noon CT, 1 PM ET and 6 PM UTC. Headliners are a Crypto rework, the Akimbo Wingman, Strongholds loot vaults and Legend Bans in Diamond and above. Current as of Nov 1, 2026.
Apex Legends: Cipher is two days out. EA and Respawn detailed the season on Oct 29 alongside a gameplay trailer, and confirmed a Nov 3 launch on every platform, with PC players on the EA app, Epic Games Store and Steam. Here is when it goes live and what actually changes.
Apex Legends Season 31 start time
EA has confirmed the date, Nov 3. Multiple outlets list the usual season start of 10 AM PT. US clocks fell back on Nov 1, so here is how that converts:
- Pacific: 10 AM PT
- Central: 12 PM CT
- Eastern: 1 PM ET
- UK: 6 PM GMT
- Japan: 3 AM JST on Nov 4
Crypto rework
Crypto shifts from passive scout to aggressive intel gatherer. His Surveillance Drone now runs on batteries instead of a cooldown, so you can pick it up and redeploy it without a long wait. Park it somewhere useful and the new Sentry Mode tags enemies in sight for your whole squad. His EMP Ultimate can now be fired with a single button press.
Akimbo Wingman and Strongholds
The Wingman goes dual wield. EA pitches the Akimbo Wingman as a mix of precision and firepower, so expect it to reward players who already hit their revolver shots.
Strongholds are the new evolution of Care Packages. Raid one to haul out crate weapons, corrupted attachments and EVO for your squad, but opening it takes time and sets off an alarm that tells everyone nearby where you are. Each one spawns with cover and Hardlight, so you can defend the prize or wait nearby and third party whoever rings the bell.
Legend Bans, Revenant and Lifeline
Ranked gets Legend Bans in Diamond lobbies and above. Every player casts one vote, and the more votes a Legend gets, the more likely they are banned for that match. Revenant gets a shorter Ultimate cooldown, a quicker Tactical and new Upgrades tied to knocks and Shadow Pounce. Lifeline gets a faster D.O.C. cooldown, self healing while gliding and a shield while reviving.
Store, battle pass and Season 32
The new Mythic is Cryptic Core, a Volt SMG skin with a pixel art PALS assistant, available as a possible drop from Cipher Seasonal Packs. Those packs also carry seasonal skins for Crypto, Wraith, Gibraltar, Revenant and Horizon, and the Cipher Premium Battle Pass Split 1 has a nanotech theme.
Respawn also looked ahead. Season 32 brings Kings Canyon Evolved, a fully reworked version of the original map with new and remixed POIs in early 2027, plus a Major Ranked Update.
Featured image: official Apex Legends: Cipher key art. © Electronic Arts / Respawn Entertainment.
