Let’s be real for a second. You’re here because of the Heirlooms. Those mythical, glowing, ridiculously cool melee weapons that scream to the entire lobby, "I have either incredible luck or a frighteningly disposable income." For years, I’ve been on the same hunt as you. Chasing that flash of red light every time I open an Apex Pack. It’s a Pavlovian response at this point. Open pack, see white-white-blue, feel a tiny piece of my soul wither, and then queue up for another match.
It’s a brutal system. Designed to keep you playing. Or paying.
And for the longest time, I thought that was it. Just pure, dumb luck or a wallet that could withstand a serious beating. The odds, as Respawn has stated, are less than 1% for any given pack, with a "pity timer" that guarantees you get Heirloom Shards on your 500th pack opening. Five. Hundred. Packs. That's not a goal; it's a test of endurance.
But what if I told you there’s a predictable, almost-guaranteed way to get those shards? Not a hack, not a glitch, but a method that’s been hiding in plain sight this whole time. A way to bypass the 1-in-500 odds entirely. It's not exactly a secret, but it's something so many players overlook in the week-to-week grind for battle pass levels and ranked points. It's the one time of year Respawn basically hands them over.
So, What's This "Secret" Heirloom Shard Pack All About?
Okay, deep breath. The "secret" isn't a single pack. I know, the title might be a little click-baity, but hear me out because the reality is so much better. The key to this whole thing is the annual Anniversary Collection Event.
Now, you’ve seen collection events before. They pop up every season, dangle a fancy new mythic item—usually a new Heirloom for a legend who's been waiting patiently or a Prestige Skin—and ask you to collect 24 limited-time cosmetic items to unlock it. Most of the time, I just grab a cool skin or two with my Crafting Metals and call it a day. Who has the money to buy out an entire event, right?
But the Anniversary event is different. It’s the one special occasion where the final reward isn’t a *specific* new Heirloom. Instead, the grand prize for collecting all 24 items is 150 Heirloom Shards.
Let me say that again. You get the shards themselves. The universal currency to unlock *any* Heirloom or Prestige Skin you want from the Mythic Store. Want Wraith's Kunai? Done. Been dreaming of Lifeline's Shock Sticks? They're yours. This is the only event on the Apex calendar that offers this level of choice, and that's what makes it so powerful. It’s a direct, predictable path to what you actually want, not just what’s new.
The Grind is Real, But Here's the Smart Play
I know what you're thinking. "Great, so the 'secret' is just... spending a lot of money." And you're not wrong, it's not free. But it's about spending smart, not just spending a lot. Think of it this way: buying 500 Apex Packs at 100 coins each is 50,000 Apex Coins. That's around $500. A truly staggering amount of cash.
Buying out a collection event, on the other hand, is significantly cheaper. Typically, if you buy the event bundles they offer, you can complete the collection for around 16,800 Apex Coins, which is roughly $160. Still a lot of money! I'm not going to pretend it isn't. But it’s a heck of a lot better than $500.
And here’s where the real strategy comes in. I learned this the hard way after missing out one year. You can use your Crafting Metals to drastically reduce the cost. Each epic item costs 800 metals and each legendary costs 2,400. If you’ve been playing for a while, you probably have a decent stash. By saving up all year, you can potentially craft half of the event items, cutting the real-money cost in half or even more. This is the way. It turns an expensive impulse buy into a manageable, long-term savings goal.
It’s funny how game developers create these long, arduous systems. Sometimes they work, and sometimes they backfire so hard that devs end up having to relaunch entire games just to fix the core loop. The Heirloom grind feels like one of those systems that's just barely on the right side of fair, mostly thanks to this one annual event.
Is This the Only Guaranteed Way?
For Heirloom *Shards* specifically, giving you the power of choice? Yes. This is it. The Anniversary event is your one shot each year to get that universal mythic currency on a predictable schedule.
Of course, any other collection event will give you a guaranteed mythic item if you buy it out. But you're stuck with whatever is new that season. If you don't play the new legend, well, tough luck. And then there’s the 500-pack pity timer, the slow march toward an inevitable, expensive conclusion. But that’s not a plan. It's a last resort.
I’ve come to see the Anniversary event as the intelligent player's path. It requires patience. It requires foresight. It means not splurging on that cool-looking Volt skin in the store because you know you need to save your metals and coins for the big prize in February or March. It transforms the frustration of random luck into a tangible, achievable goal. And when you finally get those shards and unlock the one you’ve been wanting for three years… trust me, it feels earned.
The waiting is the hardest part. Sometimes you just have to step away, maybe check out some other new games on the horizon or even just play some simple co-op games with a friend to de-stress from the Apex grind. I've found that sites like CrazyGames are perfect for just shutting your brain off for a bit with some fun, no-stakes action.
FAQs: Your Burning Questions About Heirloom Shards
So wait, is this Anniversary Event thing a glitch or for real?
It's 100% real and intended by the developers! It’s been a staple of the game for several years now. It’s not a bug or an exploit; it’s a special, annual celebration where the reward structure is different. The "secret" part is just that so many players don't realize its unique value compared to regular events.
Okay, I'm sold. When is the next Anniversary Collection Event?
Historically, it takes place around the anniversary of the game's release, which was in early February 2019. So, you should keep an eye out for it every year around February or March. Respawn always announces it ahead of time, so you'll have a couple of weeks to prepare.
Is it *really* cheaper than just buying packs?
Absolutely. Unless you get insanely lucky and get your shards in the first 150 packs or so, buying out the Anniversary event is significantly cheaper than hitting the 500-pack pity timer. The event route is a fixed, predictable cost, whereas the random pack route could cost you up to $500.
How many Crafting Metals should I save up to make a real dent?
A good goal is to save enough to craft at least a few of the legendary items, as they are the most expensive. Each legendary costs 2,400 metals. If you can craft the 12 epic items (800 each for 9,600 total) and maybe 2-3 of the legendaries (4,800-7,200), you'll save a massive amount of real money.
What if I already have all the Heirlooms? Do I get anything?
That's a heck of a problem to have! If you've collected every Heirloom and Prestige Skin available in the Mythic Store, opening a pack that would have contained Heirloom Shards will instead give you Apex Coins. The game won't let you have shards you can't spend.
