Respawn Entertainment has gone through a major transition in the past several years. After releasing Titanfall 2 in 2016, Respawn was acquired by Electronic Arts. Since then, Respawn refocused and has put out both Apex Legends and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Yet despite Respawn's new direction, its original fanbase still has hope for more Titanfall. Today, co-founder and head of Respawn Vince Zampella had some bad news to share with those Titanfall fans.
Zampella, speaking with IGN, confirmed recently that there are currently no Titanfall games in development. "It's always there," says Zampella, which isn't a particularly invigorating endorsement of the Titanfall brand. The underlying message is clear, however. Titanfall 3 is not in development. And it probably isn't going to be for a very long time.
There is an element of surprise to Zampella's comments, however. EA CEO Andrew Wilson had previously been quoted as saying that while Titanfall 3 isn't in development, there is a Titanfall "premium experience" in the works. Zampella's latest statement contradicts that, though it's possible another studio is taking up Titanfall while Respawn is focused elsewhere.
The question that really deserves to be asked and answered is Respawn's interest in making a Titanfall 3. For the time being, Respawn's first-person shooter division is focused entirely on Apex Legends. Given the battle royale's success, that focus likely isn't going to change for some time. If given the chance to refocus, Respawn may not even consider making an FPS with a single-player campaign again. It might be more interested in another online multiplayer game with GAAS elements, which it has now excelled at developing.
Given the success of Apex Legends and the relatively mediocre success of Titanfall 2, Respawn's new direction has certainly proven lucrative and popular. But for Titanfall fans, the new Respawn is starting to look less and less like the studio from before.
It isn't just fans who seem to have this attitude either. Ex-Respawn senior and executive producer Drew McCoy and senior and lead programmer Jon Shiring both left the studio after the shipping Apex Legends. The two have formed new studio Gravity Well and plan to scale up to the size of Respawn somewhere between Titanfall and Titanfall 2. Titanfall 3 may not be in development, but the legacy of the franchise and the studio that made it continues.
Source: IGN