Let’s be honest for a second. We’ve all done it. You get wiped by some TTV-sweat with a name like "WingmanGawd420," and before you’ve even processed your return to the lobby, you’re clicking on their banner. You’re not just looking at their stats—you’re looking for *The Flex*.
Maybe it’s the 20-kill bomb. The 4k damage hammer. The Predator trail that still glows in your nightmares. These are the country club memberships of the Apex Games, the little pixelated symbols that say, "I am better than you." But there have always been other badges. Quieter ones. Ones you might see once in a thousand games and do a double-take.
They’re not about skill, not really. They’re about… being there. Or knowing something no one else does. They're legends, myths whispered about in Reddit threads from 2019. And for the longest time, the undisputed king of these mythical badges, the one that was functionally impossible for 99.9% of the player base to get, was a simple, adorable little green monster.
The Nessie badge.
And here’s the wild part: it’s back. You can get it. Right now. But it's not in the battle pass, and you can't buy it. You have to earn it through one of the most wonderfully bizarre rituals in modern gaming.
The Secret History of Apex Legends’ RAREST Badge
First, a little context, because that's what makes this so cool. The Nessie plushie has been Apex's unofficial mascot since day one. It’s a loving nod from the developers at Respawn, who carried the tradition over from their Titanfall days. Finding the hidden Nessies on Kings Canyon was one of the first great community easter egg hunts.
But the badge? That was different. The "Nessie Appears" badge was originally awarded to Respawn employees and a handful of community members who did something extraordinary way back at the dawn of the game. Seeing one in the wild was like spotting a unicorn. It wasn't a sign of a good player; it was a sign of a connected one. An OG. Someone who was *part of the story*.
For years, that was it. The badge was locked away in the vault of Apex history. You couldn't earn it. You just had to admire it from afar, a relic of a bygone era. I remember seeing one on a dev's banner during a charity stream in Season 3 and my jaw just… dropped. It felt like seeing a museum piece.
But then the whispers started. A weird sequence of events in the Firing Range. A specific order of actions. The kinds of rumors you usually dismiss as elaborate trolling. Except this time, it wasn't.
Here’s the Secret: The Great Nessie Summoning
Okay, deep breath. Let me try to explain this clearly, because it gets a little weird. This isn't about aim or movement; it's about patience and bizarre, ritualistic cooperation.
The whole thing goes down in the Firing Range. Not in a real match. You’ll need a full, three-person squad for this—no-fills won’t cut it, so grab your two most patient friends. The ones who won't quit after the fifth failed attempt.
The secret is tied to a hidden challenge that involves finding all 10 of the little green Nessie plushies scattered around the Firing Range. But it’s not just finding them. Oh no, that would be too simple. This is Apex Legends, after all. There’s a specific, hidden order.
Let me break down the vibe of what you have to do. One Nessie is hiding up on a precarious ledge you’ll probably need a mobility legend to reach. Another is tucked away in the dark recesses of the tunnels. A third is chilling on top of the massive skeleton that looms over the map. You and your team have to find them and shoot them in a very, *very* specific sequence.
If you shoot them out of order? Nothing happens. The whole thing resets. It’s incredibly frustrating, and honestly, a testament to the crazy people in the community who figured this out through sheer trial and error. This isn't the kind of thing you just stumble upon, like a fun little game of endless running. This is a deliberate, almost maddening puzzle.
Once you shoot the 10th Nessie in the correct sequence, that's when the magic happens. A gigantic, truly massive mother Nessie rises from the waters on the edge of the map. It's majestic. It's absurd. It lets out a little roar, and then—*poof*—the badge is yours. Unlocked for all three of you.
It's one of those moments that reminds you why you love video games. It’s not just about the win; it’s about the shared experience of discovery and doing something utterly ridiculous together. It’s the digital equivalent of a secret handshake.
So, Is It Worth the Grind?
Now, you might be wondering if it's worth the hassle. You'll probably spend an hour or two with a guide open on your second monitor, yelling callouts to your friends like, "No, not the one by the rock, the one *behind* the other rock!"
And my answer is… absolutely. Yes.
Think about it. The 20-bomb badge is impressive, but it just says you had one really, really good game. Maybe you got lucky with the lobby. This badge, though? This badge tells a story. It says you and your friends dedicated time to uncovering a secret. It says you appreciate the sillier, more mysterious side of the game. It’s a badge that connects you directly to the developers' sense of humor. Like many a great adventure game, the journey is the reward.
It's the new ultimate flex precisely because it has nothing to do with traditional skill. It’s a badge for the curious, the dedicated, the lore-hounds. In a game that's all about speed and aggression, it’s a beautiful little island of calm, cooperative puzzle-solving. And when someone inspects your banner and sees that little green monster, they’ll know. They’ll know you’re one of the ones who knows the secret.
This kind of hidden depth is what keeps me coming back to the Outlands, season after season. It’s more than just a battle royale; it's a world filled with secrets, waiting to be found. It's not always about the straightforward challenge, sometimes it's about the pure fun, like a quick game of Subway Surfers, but with more teamwork and a giant sea monster.
Your Burning Questions About the Apex Legends’ Rarest Badge
Is this badge *really* the rarest one in the game?
It's a hot debate! For a long time, yes, this was arguably the rarest badge for the general public. Some might argue for things like the T-Mobile promotional badge or certain ALGS competitor badges. But among "earnable" in-game badges, the Nessie was a myth. Now that it's obtainable, it's more of a "badge of honor for secret-hunters" than a pure rarity flex. It's rare because of the knowledge required, not the exclusivity.
How long will this secret method be available?
That's the million-dollar question, isn't it? Respawn is known for leaving easter eggs in the game for ages, but they also change things up. My advice? Get it done sooner rather than later. There's no guarantee this specific sequence in the Firing Range will exist forever.
Do I need a full pre-made squad to do this?
Yes, 100%. You need three people in the Firing Range at the same time to trigger the sequence. This is a team effort, so you can't go in solo or with a random duo. It’s a great, if slightly stressful, bonding exercise for your regular squad.
What's the deal with all the Nessies anyway?
It’s a long-running inside joke and tradition from the developers at Respawn Entertainment, stretching all the way back to the original Titanfall. They started hiding them around maps as a fun little easter egg for players to find, and the community absolutely fell in love with it. It's just a wholesome, fun part of the game's DNA now.
Will I get banned for doing this?
Absolutely not! This is a 100% intended easter egg put in the game by the developers for players to discover. You're not exploiting a bug or glitch; you're engaging with the game's secrets exactly as intended. So go forth and summon that giant Nessie without fear!
