In a statement, an EA spokesperson referred to the layoffs as being made to “align teams and allocate resources in service of driving future growth.” The move is meant to continue the company’s focus on “long-term strategic priorities.”

“We are treating our people with care and respect throughout this process, working to minimize impacts by helping affected employees explore new opportunities within the company when possible and providing support during the transition,” continued the statement.

Respawn had confirmed that some of its employees across the development teams for Apex Legends and the Star Wars Jedi franchise were being moved around. In its statement, Respawn also mentioned that it had cancelled two of its “early-stage” incubation projects. While not too many details about these cancelled titles have been confirmed so far, one of them was rumoured to be a multiplayer extraction shooter set in the Titanfall universe. The game was codenamed R7 during its development.

The statement was followed by reports, courtesy of Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, that between 300 and 400 employees at EA were being laid off. Of these, around 100 are said to be employees at Respawn Entertainment.

A former employee of Respawn had revealed back in March that another incubation project at the studio had been cancelled. While not too many details were revealed at the time, the employee – former executive assistant and production coordinator at the studio, Emilee Evans – had said that it was a multiplayer shooter.

In the meantime, EA and Respawn are currently working on a major update to Apex Legends, referred to as a version 2.0 of the game. During EA’s quarterly earnings call back in February, EA CEO Andrew Wilson spoke about the trajectory of Apex Legends, and how future development will be focused on improving things for the game across three “core vectors”: community support, gameplay improvements, and a more comprehensive upgrade down the line.

“Sometime on a longer-term time horizon, there will be an even bigger, more meaningful update to that broader game experience,” Wilson said. “An Apex 2.0, if you will. This will not be the final incarnation of Apex.

Over the longer term, Wilson said that the company wants to continue supporting Apex Legends by making sure to hang on to the game’s core community while also forming new communities that might want to try out the game.

“And then longer-term, our expectation is that we’ll continue to expand what this franchise is and how we support a core community of highly competitive players and new communities that want to come and experience all the greatness that Apex has to offer,” he said.

Apex Legends is a free-to-play battle royale game available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.

According to sources speaking to Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, Electronic Arts has laid off 300 to 400 positions. About 100 are from Respawn Entertainment – how many will receive “new opportunities within EA” is unknown.

One of the cancelled projects was allegedly an extraction shooter set in the Titanfall universe, codenamed R7 (which was “not close to being released”). The other project saw cancellation earlier this year, likely referring to the reported multiplayer project cancelled last month. Layoffs also seemingly occurred for the latter, with former executive assistant and production coordinator Emilee Evans seeking a new role.

Aside from Star Wars Jedi 3 and Apex Legends, Respawn Entertainment is working on Bit Reactor’s Star Wars Zero Company, an XCOM-like tactical strategy game coming in 2026. It’s also involved in the next Battlefield, which is undergoing extensive testing as part of Battlefield Labs.

However, the one release that arguably generated the most buzz is the same that closed the show—the multiplayer trailer for Respawn Entertainment’s Titanfall. The setting, the movement, the little details, and most importantly, the Titans. Hearing the words “Standby for Titanfall” still gives me chills more than a decade later.

And say what you will about the iffy “story” mode (which was no replacement for a proper campaign), lackluster post-launch support, the challenge grind, the paid map packs, or how it should have also been released on PS4. Titanfall was a masterpiece, combining high-skill ceiling movement and combat with a beyond-cool premise to deliver a multiplayer experience like no other. Even if you weren’t looking to hit the highest Pilot Generation, playing Extraction was a wondrous experience that felt organic and exciting.

Given the sales ambiguity and how quickly its player base fell off in the first year, there wasn’t much hope for a sequel. And yet, Respawn Entertainment would reveal Titanfall 2 in 2015, addressing nearly every single complaint from the original. It boasted an incredible single-player campaign that’s still one of the best in the genre. It revamped player and Titan progression, giving the latter more personality and strategic options. New weapons, cosmetic customization, maps, modes, execution animations – the list went on. Even the Smart Pistol was relegated to being a Boost weapon instead of a regular tool.

Again, there were some flaws, but once again, Titanfall 2 was special. So it’s a shame that Electronic Arts once again screwed the franchise over by dropping it close to the release of Battlefield 1, never mind Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare launching a few weeks later (yes, even if it was Infinite Warfare).

Since then, Respawn has trailblazed its own path, particularly with the acclaimed Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Survivor. It also made serious bank with its take on the battle royale formula, but no matter how many tie-ins and connections it made, it couldn’t replace the feeling of boost-jumping, wall-running, and calling down Titans.

A recent rumor gave fans some hope for the series return. Leaker Yorotsuki, who seemingly has a history of leaking news for the series, alleged that Titanfall 3 is in development with a reveal at this year’s The Game Awards and a release in 2026. Another leaker, Osvaldatore, apparently corroborated the same, and more details emerged shortly after about it featuring a single-player campaign and several modes from Titanfall 2, though the main mode was apparently an extraction shooter.

Before anyone could really process all of this and whether Electronic Arts was to blame for ruining yet another beloved formula, Giant Bomb’s Jeff Grubb quashed the rumor, noting on the Power Block, “It’s not real.”

“There is a Skunk Works team headed up by Titanfall 1 director Steve Fukuda…he’s got a small team over there that is probably messing around with games that have Titans in them, right? Titanfall 1 creator over there, messing around with the small team, prototyping stuff the way Respawn has traditionally done.

“Does he have something that’s a prototype that has Titans in it? I would guess so. I don’t know for sure, but I would certainly assume that that is a safe thing to think. Now, is that gonna get announced in 2025 and released in 2026? No way.” And that’s even if Fukuda’s project or whatever it ends up becoming even gets off the ground.

This is far from the first rumor about a new Titanfall. Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier reported that a single-player spin-off was cancelled in 2023. There was also news last month from former executive assistant and production coordinator Emilee Evans that an “unannounced incubation project” had been cancelled. This same team was set up several years ago and meant for developers with experience in multiplayer shooters. The safe assumption is that this was another such project, though whether it was the next Titanfall or not is unknown.

Whether a new game is in development or not, it’s still reasonable for fans to wonder: Where the heck is Titanfall 3? It’s beloved among the fan base, and given the downturn that Respawn’s battle royale shooter has seen, it wouldn’t be the worst idea to bring it back.

Unfortunately, there are several potential reasons why that may not happen. Electronic Arts could very well look at the overall success of Titanfall 2 and decide it’s not worth pursuing a traditional competitive shooter, that too, one that doesn’t feature your usual live-service elements. And even more unfortunately, in this age of extraction shooters, hero shooters and Fortnite, it’s likely not going to greenlight a game like Titanfall 3 if it follows the same formula as its predecessor.

Keep in mind that Titanfall 2 already featured some of those elements – the Titans were already hero-like in their design – and even received more support than the first game. Even if EA launched it at the worst possible time, there’s no way it looked at the game’s success and decided it was worth investing in a sequel.

If Titanfall 3 were to adopt other more popular shooter elements, there is a chance that it could be worth playing if it retains that signature gameplay feel. However, the problem, yet again, is EA looking to monetize it, much like it did for Respawn’s battle royale shooter, and squeeze as much revenue as possible. And given that it’s discussed a 2.0 version of the latter rather than anything remotely resembling a sequel to Titanfall further dashes our hopes.

Maybe it’s down to the multiplayer shooter fans want more games like Valorant, Fortnite, Marvel Rivals, Battlefield, Call of Duty or even Overwatch 2. Maybe the time isn’t right for the Titans to return, though it’s always faced competition, even before many of those games existed.

Regardless of how much sense it makes financially or whether it could find an audience, there’s no denying the appeal of a new Titanfall. I still have fond memories of grappling around, jump-shotting and sliding into enemies, or climbing on a Titan’s back to dismantle it, never mind skeet shooting ejecting pilots out of the air. Maps like Airbase, Lagoon, Smuggler’s Cove, Boomtown, and Crash Site were so much fun to play – the balance of elements for both Pilot and Titan traversal and combat is still a triumph to this very day.

There may be other shooters out there to pursue – as evidenced by all the resources and development teams that EA is throwing at the next Battlefield. But maybe the genre needs a game like Titanfall 3 to shake things up and prove that it’s not all about following the latest trends or trying to bleed your audience as much as possible. It may be impossible, but stranger things have happened in the gaming industry.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

Speaking recently on Giant Bomb’s Game Mess Mornings podcast, Grubb claimed that a small team at Respawn Entertainment is currently prototyping a new game set in the Titanfall universe, led by Steve Fukuda, who directed Titanfall and Titanfall 2. According to Grubb, however, this game isn’t going to be Titanfall 3, and what exactly it will be is currently unclear.

“This game, as far as I understand, is a Titanfall game,” Grubb said. “It’s in the Titanfall universe. But everyone I talk to keeps saying, well, it’s not, don’t get it in your mind that it’s Titanfall 3- like a game with online multiplayer and a single player campaign. I’m like, well wait, then what is this game? I still don’t know.”

A new Titanfall game is something fans of the series have been hoping to see for years at this point, but one has failed to materialize. Last year, it was reported that EA and Respawn had cancelled the unannounced Titanfall Legends, a single player game that would utilize Apex Legends’ mechanics.

Meanwhile, last June it emerged that Titanfall 3 was in development for nearly a year after Titanfall 2’s release before being shelved.

Quick Time Events

There was a time when Quick Time Events or QTES were in nearly everything. What was it about hitting the right button at the right time that felt so exhilarating? Maybe it was the minimal effort to do cool things, but entire franchises leaned on them, from shooters and cinematic adventures to hack-and-slash titles.

Nowadays, however, they’re rare, most likely due to oversaturation. Despite being present in the original, Resident Evil 4 Remake removed them and added new mechanics like knife parries. Like a Dragon: Ishin! has them for certain attacks and climatic battles, but it is a remake of a 2014 title. While they won’t go away entirely – who knows with the next Dark Pictures Anthology title – QTEs aren’t as favored as direct control over gameplay scenarios.

The studio does, of course, have multiple projects in the works, one of which – according to multiple job listings over the last few years – is set to be an entirely new IP, and in a recent interview with Axios, Respawn CEO Vince Zampella offered some more brief details on the project’s development.

According to Zampella, a “very small,” “skunkworks” team at the studio is currently at work on the new project and is aiming “to find the fun in something new”. Interestingly, it’s also been confirmed that the project is being led by Steve Fukuda, who directed Titanfall and Titanfall 2.

The studio has other projects currently in the works as well, as it has previously confirmed, including a new Star Wars FPS and a Star Wars strategy title that’s being made in collaboration with Bit Reactor. One would assume that we’ll eventually also get a sequel to Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, while Respawn is also obviously keeping up a stream of new content and updates for Apex Legends. Unfortunately, however, it doesn’t seem like Titanfall 3 is going to be on the docket anytime soon.

Speaking to Barron’s, Zampella said that, for the studio to work on Titanfall 3, it has to be the right idea and the right time. Without those, according to Zampella, it doesn’t make sense for the studio to work on a sequel. Sadly, this isn’t the first time Respawn has suggest that Titanfall 3 is unlikely to happen anytime soon.

“It has to be the right thing,” Zampella said. “It’s such a beloved franchise for the fans and also for us. If it is not the right moment in time, the right idea, then it just doesn’t make sense.”

While the studio itself hasn’t announced any new projects in the Titanfall setting, rumours have indicated earlier this year that EA had cancelled a single-player project based on Titanfall.

Respawn Entertainment itself has been focusing largely on its battle royale shooter, Apex Legends, as well as the Star Wars franchise with its Star Wars Jedi series, with the most recent title, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, out today on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.

As per a report published by Bloomberg, an unannounced single player game set in the Titanfall and Apex Legends universe was in development at Respawn Entertainment. However, the game was recently cancelled by the developer and EA. Reportedly called Titanfall Legends, the game had a development team of about 50 people, who are now either going to be reassigned to other projects, or laid off with severance packages.

Recently, EA also announced that Apex Legends Mobile will be shutting down less than a year on from launch. Meanwhile, the in-development Battlefield Mobile has also been cancelled.

Respawn Entertainment is currently at work on Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, which was recently delayed to April 28.

Leaks have previously claimed that the studio is working on a new first person shooter that’s going to be focused on “style” and “mobility”, and it seems like that shooter is not only going to be single player, but will also be set in the Apex Legends and Titanfall universe. A job ad published by Respawn is looking to recruit people to the “Apex Universe FPS incubation”, and mentions that the game is a new single player title.

For those hoping that this turns out to be a new Titanfall game, that’s probably not going to happen. Though Respawn as a studio remains committed to that universe, it has previously said quite explicitly that a Titanfall 3 won’t be happening anytime soon.

Either way, a new single player FPS in that universe would be hard to say no to. Hopefully we’ll learn more about it in the not-too-distant future.

Taking recently to Twitter, Respawn announced that starting today, sales for the first Titanfall are going to be discontinued, while the shooter will also be taken off all subscription services on March 1, 2022. As you’d expect though, the game’s servers are going to remain active, so those who still jump in online to play the game will be able to continue doing so.

As for what this means for the series’ future, while Respawn has obviously not said anything definitive, the developer has provided assurances once more that Titanfall remains a core part of the studio’s DNA, and said that “this incredible universe will continue. Take from that what you will.

“Rest assured, Titanfall is core to Respawn’s DNA and this incredible universe will continue,” the developer writes. “Today in Titanfall 2 and Apex Legends, and in the future. This franchise is a north star for the caliber of experiences we will continue to create here at Respawn.”

For what it’s worth, not that long ago, Respawn Entertainment confirmed that a Titanfall 3 was not in the works at the studio, nor will it be anytime soon. Read more on that through here.

A note about Titanfall. pic.twitter.com/Ew232HkUIo

— Respawn (@Respawn) December 1, 2021