Apex Legends Loading Screen: What Does It Mean?

In Apex Legends, the loading screen is the full-screen artwork shown while a match or the Firing Range loads. These images are also an unlockable cosmetic: the game originally called them Loading Screens and now lists them as Transitions. They have no effect on gameplay, but many carry lore text and short tips.

How It Works

According to the Apex Legends Wiki, Transitions became unlockable cosmetic items in Season 2. Once you own some, you have three choices for what appears while loading:

• A specific Transition you have unlocked and selected.
• Random, which picks a different image from your collection each match.
• Default, which shows an image matching the map you are loading into.

The default images change as maps change. Kings Canyon, World's Edge, Olympus and Storm Point each have their own default artwork, with updated versions added when a map received a major update, and the Arenas maps and the Firing Range have their own images too.

Most Transitions come with a block of text. Some are pieces of in-universe history: the classic Kings Canyon image, for example, describes the island's past as an IMC research site and the arena soldiers nicknamed Thunderdome. Others are notes, letters or messages written from a Legend's point of view, which is why lore fans collect and read them. The game also shows gameplay tips on this screen, such as reminders that a Heat Shield protects you from ring damage, that most doors can be broken with melee or explosives, and that you should avoid looting a teammate's death box unless you really need to.

Where You'll See It

You see a Transition every time you queue into a match. The ones in your collection come from several sources, as listed on the wiki:

• Battle Pass rewards. Many seasons include Transitions as pass levels. In Season 3, for instance, "Codename Crypto" sat at level 87 and "Pathfinder the Poet" at level 95.
• Event challenges. Some were earned by completing event tasks, such as winning a match during the Voidwalker event or reaching the top 10 five times during Holo-Day Bash 2019.
• Membership rewards. In 2022, EA Play members received monthly Transitions, including "The Shield", "Win Together" and "Let's Do This".
• Community art. A set of Community Transitions features original artwork by community artists, with a note from the artist about the piece. Some of them were handed out through Twitch Drops.

The text is not always permanent canon. The wiki notes that the story told in the "No Guts, No Glory" Transition, about how Fuse got his guitar, was later revealed in Season 18 to be something Fuse had made up.

Tips

• Use Random if you own several. It keeps the screen fresh without visiting the menu every session.
• Switch to Default if you like knowing the map at a glance. The map-specific art makes it obvious where you are dropping before the lobby appears.
• Read the text. Transitions are one of the main places where Apex tells side stories about the Legends, and the tips are a quick refresher for newer players.
• Use the time to plan. If you are in a premade squad with voice chat, the loading time is a good moment to agree on a landing area and roles.
• Check the store and events. Transitions tied to an old pass or event may not be obtainable now, so new ones mostly arrive with current seasons and events.

FAQ

Why can't I find "Loading Screen" in the menu?

The cosmetic category is now called Transitions. According to the wiki, they were previously named Loading Screens, so older guides and battle pass lists still use the old name.

Does the loading screen give any advantage?

No. Transitions are purely cosmetic and do not change stats, matchmaking or loading speed.

How do I get older Transitions?

The wiki lists the original source of each one: a battle pass level, an event challenge or a membership reward. If that source has ended, keep an eye on the in-game store and future events in case it returns.

Season news and patch notes are posted on the official Apex Legends site.