Apex Legends Season 31 Cipher Launches November 3
Apex Legends Season 31, titled Cipher, launches globally on November 3, 2026, with a Crypto rework, new Legend ban system, weapon updates, and the Strongholds mechanic.
Apex Legends Season 31 updates arrive on November 3, 2026. The new season, titled Cipher, introduces a reworked Crypto, a competitive Legend ban system, and a new Strongholds loot mechanic.
Season 31 Cipher begins at 10 AM Pacific Time on November 3. Global release times vary, with the season going live across time zones throughout the day. The full patch notes will be released on November 2, one day before Season 30 concludes.
Legend Reworks and Updates
Crypto receives a major rework, shifting his role from passive to aggressive intel gathering. Other legends are also being adjusted. Revenant and Lifeline will get buffs, while Loba is set for a nerf. The Prowler and Nemesis weapons are also being nerfed.
A significant competitive change arrives with the new Legend Ban system, announced by Respawn Entertainment on October 20. This system will be available in Diamond+ ranked matches. It allows players to nominate one Legend for a ban, making that character unavailable to every player in that match.
Weapon Updates
The weapon meta will see substantial shifts. The Elite Hemlok Breach AR is being vaulted, while the standard Hemlok Burst AR returns as a burst-fire rifle. New weapons include the Akimbo Wingman and the Cryptic Core Volt, a new Mythic SMG.
Map and Game Mode Updates
A new gameplay mechanic called Strongholds will be introduced. These locations will contain high-tier loot. The District area on the map will return to a night-time setting. A larger map change is confirmed for the future, with the Kings Canyon Evolved map scheduled to arrive in Season 32.
Release Details
The season launches simultaneously worldwide, translating to different local times. The key regional launch times are as follows:
| Region / Time Zone | Local Release Time | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Pacific Time (PT) | 10:00 AM | November 3 |
| Mountain Time (MT) | 11:00 AM | November 3 |
| Central Time (CT) | 12:00 PM | November 3 |
| Eastern Time (ET) | 1:00 PM | November 3 |
| Greenwich Mean Time (GMT/UTC) | 6:00 PM | November 3 |
| Central European Time (CET) | 7:00 PM | November 3 |
| Moscow Time (MSK) | 9:00 PM | November 3 |
| India Standard Time (IST) | 11:30 PM | November 3 |
| China Standard Time (CST) | 2:00 AM | November 4 |
| Korea Standard Time (KST) | 3:00 AM | November 4 |
| Japan Standard Time (JST) | 3:00 AM | November 4 |
Respawn released preliminary designer's notes for the season on October 30. Apex Legends Season 31 Cipher begins with these updates on November 3.
