What you need to know
- Newcastle is the latest hero to be added to the roster in Respawn Entertainment's battle royale, Apex Legends.
- Newcastle is actually Jackson, the brother of Bangalore.
- Apex Legends: Saviors is slated to launch on May 10, 2022.
Apex Legends: Saviors, the latest season for the ongoing battle royale game, is gaining another Legend for players to use.
Newcastle arrives as part of Apex Legends: Saviors, the same season that's bringing a dead sea monster and IMC Armories to the Storm Point map. Newcastle is designed as a duality, simultaneously a bright-eyed, optimistic hero of the people while also hiding secrets.
Newcastle is Jackson, brother of Bangalore. He's entered the games while impersonating the original Newcastle. This is reflected in the design of his logo, per lead character concept artist Christina Ferez, who notes that the layered castle is divided in two, representing Jackson's double life. Newcastle has been designed to be inspiring and heroic, though clearly still adapting from suburban life, as he has a bit of "dad bod."
Narrative writer Ify Nwadiwe sums Jackson up by saying he's "authentically a dad," adding that "He's trying to get back to his kids at the end of the day."
The team at Respawn Entertainment has been working on Newcastle for the last couple of years, changing out ideas of a superhero-esque figure who could also be something of a "medieval celebrity." These ideas are reflected in Newcastle's abilities, which are focused on defense, making him a foil to Bangalore's offensive style, with Devan McGuire, senior game designer, saying that "The idea of a knight in Apex is something we realized just made so much sense."
Here's Newcastle's list of abilities:
- Passive - Retrieve the Wounded
- Using his wrist-mounted Revive Shield, Newcastle can protect himself and his companion from incoming fire while he revives and pulls his ally to safety. The Revive Shield is powered by Newcastle's own Knockdown Shield, so finding higher levels of the item increases the strength of this ability.
- Tactical - Mobile Shield
- Newcastle creates a hovering energy shield and can control its movement to adapt to the ever changing combat fronts of the battlefield. Advance the line, cover a retreat or turn the shield to guard against a sudden flank. The Mobile Shield's versatility and top/bottom shield projections give creative opportunities to the tactical defender.
- Ultimate - Castle Wall
- Drawing his signature shield from his back, Newcastle leaps into action and slams the shield to the ground activating the construction of a massive fortress to give him and his allies a strong defensive position. Enemies in its wake are knocked back and those who try to push through the energized wall are punishd and slowed.
- While Newcastle can leap great distances in a single bound with his Ultimate, it is even stronger when used to regroup. When targeting an ally, Newcastle can leap higher and farther than normal allowing him to heroically reach his companion and turn the tide of a fight.
