Are We Ever Going to See a Titanfall 3?
We loved Titanfall 1 and 2. When it comes to power fantasy games, they were the creme of the crop. Earlier this year, it seemed like we’d be seeing Titanfall Three soon, but it never happened. Rumors flew that it was in development. EA confirmed that a new game for the Titanfall universe was in construction and would be released in 2019. Was this just a mistake? Instead of TF3, we got Apex Legends. Are we ever going to see a Titanfall Three game? When it comes to underappreciated games, Titanfall Two is right up there with Kingdoms of Amalur. Fans loved it, and everyone else seriously missed out on a fantastic game. Somehow, in spite of the grandeur that is TF2, people just weren’t buying, and the sales were underwhelming. Did EA totally scrap Titanfall?
Apex Legends
We were on the edge of our seats waiting to play Titanfall 3 when EA announced they were dropping Apex Legends. Don’t get it twisted; we’ve been enjoying the heck out of the battle royal that is AL. It’s a great game on its own, set years after the events of TF2. The idea is pretty simple. The world of Titanfall has moved on, and in this new era, there’s a bloodsport that players have come to love. Unfortunately, it’s not the same as getting the third installment of Titanfall. In fact, it feels like it should be an upgraded mode for the third game instead of a standalone.
We were a little surprised when Apex Legends dropped, and we weren’t alone. Electronic Arts didn’t exactly shout it from the rooftops. Instead, they dropped the free to play game without any real marketing and let the game speak for itself. We’re not complaining about AL. It’s a great game, but it’s not what we were all hoping for. Who doesn’t like a good team up after all? Indeed, players have enjoyed getting the chance to battle their way through the future of Titanfall in search of glory and plenty of rewards. Yet it feels a bit like Santa put coal in our stocking, then our parents got us a cool toy that wasn’t on our list.
More Please
Okay, we’ll say it; we had big dreams for Titanfall 3. Apex Legends was probably one of the features we would have loved to see. Teaming up with other Legends to have massive, all-out wars with up to sixty players is seriously cool. We’d have played the socks off of this as a feature on Titanfall 3, but instead, it came out as a standalone game. That’s not the only upgrade we really wanted for the franchise. Our first massive want for TF3 was an epic campaign. Though the campaign mode for TF2 was outstanding, there just wasn’t anywhere near enough of it. We could have played for five times longer without getting bored with a solo campaign mode. Stories are what bring the games alive, and we got attached to BT-7274 and Jack Cooper. Their adventures and interactions were so well written.
Story mode on Titanfall 2 was probably our favorite part of the game. At the same time, it feels like we were just getting immersed in it when all of a sudden, we won. It left players craving more, and there was so much room for a new story that we were sure there was more coming. A few more pilots with their own backstories and paths would have been the best thing we’ve played all year. Sure, it’s a huge request and would have made for a seriously ambitious game, but how amazing would that have been? Creating more diversity through story arcs, and greater customization was the dream of many players who were standing by to preorder Titanfall 3. Some different skins would have been great too. The options available in TF2 didn’t do the game justice. Everyone wanted more Titans, as well. Just expanding the available options for more overall customization would have been stellar. Apex Legends brought us a host of new characters, but we’d rather have seen them developed into a TF3 upgrade instead.
So… Is There Ever Going to be a Third Titanfall?
We hate to say this, but, at least for now, Respawn isn’t even working on a third Titanfall. There was a game in development back in 2017, but when EA purchased Respawn, the project went a different direction. The fear was that, if they couldn’t get it out fast enough, it was just going to look dated and sell poorly. Given the performance of Titanfall 2, that was a legitimate concern. Respawn was aware that they were taking a risk by switching to a battle royale platform, but they also thought it was worth the efforts. Shifting focus to the outlands, and changing the timeframe by moving forward three decades allowed them to explore new territory. While we wouldn’t call Aapex Legends an unmitigated success, it is a solid and enjoyable game, but is this the end of Titanfall?
Fans Can Change Fate
It’s not unheard of for the customers and fans to make something amazing happen. Though it’s not a videogame, we’re going to use Joss Whedon’s Firefly series as our example. Fans of the show were outraged and disappointed when they discovered that it was canceled after one season. Despite FOX refusing to bring back the show, the diehards managed to make a movie happen that gave everyone the much-needed resolution. Can we bring back Titanfall? Well, there’s some precedent, but it would take a concerted fan effort to make it worth the studio’s time to reboot Titanfall 3. Otherwise, it’s pretty likely the TF franchise won’t make another game until it’s retro and cult classic enough for a second look in ten or twenty years.
Final Thoughts
We were pretty disappointed when Titanfall Three didn’t happen. However, it’s up to the fans to let companies know what they’ll pay for. After all, even the most dedicated creators have to pay the bills. If you truly loved TF, then convince five friends to buy a copy of Titanfall Two and then start a petition to bring back the third installment. We can’t promise it will work, but it’s a thousand percent more likely than if you do nothing.