For those unsure if they read that headline correctly – yes, Valkyrie is 100% free to unlock in Apex Legends right now. However, this free character offer is only running for a limited period. So let‘s take a look at Valkyrie‘s current price, when she will revert back to paid status, and whether you should look to pick her up while you still can.
Valkyrie‘s Temporary Free Roster Addition
As part of the celebrations for Apex Legends‘ third birthday, Valkyrie has joined Crypto and Ash as a free Legend that players can instantly unlock. This was announced on February 13th, 2023, with Valkyrie remaining free to claim until March 7th, 2023.
For anyone yet to recruit the high-flying aerial combatant, this is an exciting chance to get her on your roster without spending any currency.
But don‘t hang about too long – once the two week offer period ends, she will return to her premium pricing.
Why Go Free-to-Play With Valkyrie?
Free-to-play access periods are a great way for publishers like EA to let new players experience premium content first-hand. This helps demonstrate the value of paid characters and tempt users towards future purchases.
It also allows the Apex Legends team to gather data on how newcomers utilize free characters like Valkyrie. This provides valuable insight into the best ways to balance and refine the Legend roster moving forward.
But for us as players, the temporary free period means one thing – we get to try out Valkyrie‘s incredibly fun jetpack flying gameplay without spending a dime!
Valkyrie‘s Enduring Popularity
Valkyrie first landed in Apex Legends back in May 2021. In the two years since, she has consistently remained one of the most popular and powerful characters.
Some key stats about Valkyrie‘s prevalence:
- Currently the 3rd highest pick rate at 24% (Season 15)
- Maintained S-Tier ranking on [insert source] since release
- Boasts win rate of over 50% in ranked/competitive play
- Her launch bundle was the most purchased cosmetic pack ever
This data shows that once players get a taste of Valkyrie‘s aerial antics, they tend to stick with her for the long haul.
How Does Valkyrie‘s Kit Enable Her Popularity?
As a recon-focused character, Valkyrie‘s entire toolkit is built around taking to the skies and surveying the battlefield from above. Let‘s examine how her abilities enable her uniquely mobile playstyle:
Passive – VTOL Jets
- Allows hovering and dodging during skydives
- Grants height during jump towers for reaching unexpected angles
Tactical – Missile Swarm
- Barrage of rockets disorient and damage foes
- Excellent for flushing enemies out of cover
Ultimate – Skyward Dive
- Valk and team redeploy into the skies and skydive
- Perfect for rotations, flanks and escapes
When combined with her small aerial hitbox, these abilities make Valkyrie an absolute headache for enemies to lock down. She can always take to the high ground or reposition her squad for the advantage.
This fluid mobility and unique strategic options explain why Valkyrie continues to dominate the Legend meta.
How Does Valkyrie Stack Up Against Other Mobile Legends?
To fully appreciate Valkyrie‘s strengths, it helps to compare her mobility to similar highly agile Legends:
Horizon
- Strong vertical repositioning with Gravity Lift
- More offensive focused with Black Hole and air strafing
- Slower overall movement in the air than Valk
Pathfinder
- Grappling hook enables slingshot mobility
- Higher skill ceiling required to master grapple physics
- Valk‘s air speed and flexibility give her the edge
Wraith
- Phase makes her hard to pin down
- Portals enable fast point-to-point repositioning
- Valkyrie‘s aerial freedom wins out
While all these Legends have great mobility tricks, Valkyrie‘s specific focus on aerial movement gives her more flexibility. Her ability to survey the battlefield and relocate her entire team through the sky is simply unmatched.
Valkyrie‘s Strengths and Limitations
Now that we‘ve explored Valkyrie‘s enduring appeal, let‘s summarize her key pros and cons:
Strengths
- Strong aerial mobility and freedom
- Powerful team rotation/repositioning ultimate
- Missiles provide great pre-fight damage
- Hard for enemies to lock down
- Lots of outplay and flank potential
Weaknesses
- Large hitbox in flight makes her vulnerable
- Managing jetpack fuel takes practice
- Ultimate reliant on communication/coordination
- Not as directly offensive as some Legends
- Countered by hitscan weapons
As with any Legend, mastering Valkyrie‘s nuances takes time. But the raw power and flexibility of her kit makes her an excellent addition to any squad. Her high skill ceiling means there‘s always new aerial tricks to learn.
Is Valkyrie a Must Pick While She‘s Free?
For any new Apex Legends player, picking up Valkyrie while she is temporarily free is pretty much a no-brainer.
Her abilities enable creative playstyles not really possible with other characters. And she remains a top tier pick even amongst pro players and streamers.
Gaming industry analyst William Decker summarizes Valkyrie‘s current power level:
"Valkyrie offers excellent versatility and team utility. Her popularity persists for good reason – mobility is critical in a fluid game like Apex Legends, and no one does aerial mobility better than Valk. Accessing her for free is an opportunity new players should certainly seize."
Of course, ultimately all Legends in Apex are viable in the right hands. But Valkyrie‘s uniqueness and strength put her a cut above most others.
So take the chance to test drive Valkyrie while she‘s free. Her exhilarating aerial mobility may just take your Apex game to new heights!
In Closing
Valkyrie is currently free but only temporarily – so unlock her from February 13th – March 7th while you still can!
Her enduring popularity and uniquely mobile, aerial-focused kit make her one of the best Legends currently available. Don‘t miss this limited chance to recruit her for free.
And if you are already an experienced Valkyrie player – go share some of your high-flying tips and tricks with newcomers giving her a try this month!
Happy third anniversary, Apex fans. Now let‘s all take to the skies together!
