The Apex Legends Global Series (ALGS) will introduce its largest competitive overhaul to date for Year 5, organizers announced Sunday, following a sold-out Year 4 Championship that drew over 34,000 fans to Japan’s Daiwa House PREMIST DOME. North American team GoNext claimed victory in the finals, capping a weekend that set attendance records for the battle royale’s esports circuit.

Year 5, which opens registration immediately, will feature three global LAN events headlined by the ALGS Open—a 160-team tournament offering a $1 million prize pool and billed as the largest in Apex Legends history. The Open will include 120 professional squads and 40 qualifier teams, with preseason competitions starting Feb. 22. Two other LANs—the Midseason Playoffs and Championship—will retain 40-team formats but expand payouts to reward the top 30 finishers, up from 20, across a $5 million prize pool.

A new “Legend Ban” system will require players to adapt strategies by removing the most-used character after each match, with exceptions if entire classes face elimination. The competitive map pool grows to four, adding Broken Moon alongside World’s Edge, Storm Point, and newcomer E-District. Landing zone drafting, previously limited to top tiers, will now apply to all qualifiers.

Regional structures will consolidate from six to four zones—the Americas, EMEA, APAC North, and APAC South—to streamline events and boost opportunities for South American teams. Points systems are also being reworked to tie rewards to individual players rather than teams, while participation requirements tighten to curb inactive competitors.

The changes follow a surge in global interest, with Year 4 ticket sales up 25% from 2024. Organizers called the Sapporo event a “milestone” for Japan’s growing esports scene. Eligible players can now register for Year 5 at algs.ea.com, with preseason qualifiers offering paths to March’s ALGS Open.