Respawn Entertainment is said to be working on a new game set in the Titanfall universe. This rumor started circulating after Electronic Arts, the studio's parent company, canceled a Star Wars first-person shooter.
The original Titanfall, released in 2014 as Respawn Entertainment's first game, was well-received for its exciting and innovative gameplay. Although the sequel, Titanfall 2, was also praised by critics, it did not meet EA's sales expectations. Despite this, Respawn Entertainment revisited the Titanfall universe with the successful free-to-play battle royale game, Apex Legends. It seems that the developer is once again exploring this setting for an upcoming game.
In the most recent Game Mess Mornings podcast by Giant Bomb, journalist Jeff Grubb mentioned that Respawn Entertainment has been working on a project set in the Titanfall universe. This project initially started as a skunkworks initiative and was spearheaded by the original game's director, Steve Fukuda, who is now the creative head at Respawn Entertainment. Vince Zampella, the studio CEO, announced in 2023 that Fukuda led a small skunkworks team at Respawn Entertainment with the goal of exploring new and enjoyable ideas.
Grubb clarified that the Titanfall project currently in development is not Titanfall 3, but rather a separate prototype. The canceled crossover game between Apex Legends and Titanfall was intended to be the third installment of the Titanfall series. Titled Titanfall Legends, this single-player game was led by Mohammad Alavi, a former creative director at Respawn Entertainment with experience in Call of Duty, Titanfall, and Apex Legends.
A pilot and his titan in Titanfall 2
Respawn Entertainment's Canceled and In-Development Games 2024
Grubb brought up a new Titanfall game that is currently in the works when talking about the recent decision to cancel Respawn Entertainment's Star Wars FPS. The cancelation was revealed by Laura Miele, the president of EA's division for non-sports games, in a note that was shared during a significant company restructuring. This led to about 670 employees being laid off, which made up approximately 5% of the total workforce.
Respawn Entertainment had plans for a Star Wars game where players could take on the role of a Mandalorian mercenary traveling the galaxy to complete bounties. However, EA decided to cancel the project due to concerns about financial risks, despite receiving positive feedback. Even though this game was scrapped, Respawn Entertainment is keeping busy with other projects. They are currently working on an unannounced Titanfall game and collaborating with Bit Reactor on a Star Wars RTS game. Additionally, a sequel to the well-received Star Wars Jedi: Survivor from 2023 is also in the works.
Editor's P/S:
The revelation of Respawn Entertainment's ongoing Titanfall project stirs a blend of anticipation and intrigue. After the well-received original and its acclaimed but commercially underperforming sequel, fans have been eagerly awaiting a proper continuation of the Titanfall saga. The news that Steve Fukuda, the director behind the original, is spearheading this new initiative raises expectations even higher.
However, the distinction between this project being a prototype rather than Titanfall 3 is noteworthy. It suggests that Respawn is exploring innovative directions while preserving the core essence of the series. Whether this will translate into a full-fledged sequel or a new spin-off remains to be seen. Nonetheless, the prospect of revisiting the Titanfall universe with new gameplay experiences is undoubtedly exciting for fans of the franchise.