Respawn Entertainment Announces Gaiden Event for Apex Legends

Apex Legends fans will have the opportunity to participate in a new Gaiden Event later this month.

The event was announced through the verified Apex Legends Twitter account on Thursday, July 14. Players should prepare themselves for "something electrifying" once it hits, the tweet says, with over 40 unique, "adventurous event-limited" cosmetics waiting in the wings and the return of Armed and Dangerous mode.

Here's what to look out for regarding Apex Legends' Gaiden Event.

What is the Gaiden Event in Apex Legends?

The Japanese word "gaiden (外伝)," itself, translates to "side story" or "tale" and is typically used to refer to auxiliary and/or anecdotal stories of a person's history. Some have referred to it as akin to a spin-off. It can be seen in several popular Japanese or Japanese-centric franchises such as Naruto, Ninja, and Fire Emblem.

As such, several of the cosmetics within the new set of 40 make clear references to Japanese media ⁠— for example, Wattson's Naruto-themed skin and card and Octane's One Piece skin and card. Others include Legendary skins for Mirage and Revenant, weapon skins to match some of the more impressive bundles, and a host of listings on the Special Offers tab.

Several cosmetics can be unlocked by completing two weekly unique Gaiden Flash Event challenge tracks while also earning Apex and Gaiden Packs. These include:

• Fuse’s Down Thunder Epic Skin
• Bionic Buddy Gun Charm
• Epic 3030 “Cloudburst” Skin
• OK Holospray

Those who collect all 40 cosmetics will unlock the latest Apex Legends Prestige skin, “Apex Commander" Bangalore.

Perhaps the most exciting part about the event is the return of Armed and Dangerous mode ⁠— a game mode where the only available weapons are snipers and shotguns. Players will either need to rely on distance between themselves and their opponents or be ready to go up-close and personal to secure a kill. The mode will be available throughout the duration of the event with map rotations including World’s Edge, Olympus, and Storm Point.

When does the Apex Legends Gaiden Event Release?

Players will be able to experience the Gaiden Event this Tuesday, July 19. It will run until Aug. 2 giving players just enough time to complete their two unique weekly challenge tracks.

More information about the Gaiden Event can be found on Respawn's Apex Legends website.