While the formation of Lucasfilm Games means the Star Wars IP gets to expand to other studios, that doesn't mean EA is done with its efforts in the Star Wars franchise. EA has announced that there are three new Star Wars projects in development (and hiring) at Respawn Entertainment, including the Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order sequel. EA has been hinting at a Jedi: Fallen Order sequel for a while now, but a new strategy game and first-person shooter in development at Respawn is also exciting news. Given the studio's experience with Apex Legends and Titanfall, it makes a lot of sense that the next EA Star Wars shooter would come from Respawn instead of DICE.
Obviously this news exciting in a vacuum, especially for those looking forward to another shooter in the Star Wars franchise that isn't just EA's more recent Battlefront games again. That being said, Titanfall fans are left wondering after this news if the wait for a new entry may be longer than expected. Granted, studios and development teams are free to work on their own projects regardless of what fans want, even if that means putting a renowned franchise on ice for a while as the team explores a new IP. However, that does mean that any new efforts in the Titanfall franchise may be at least a few years away, if not more.
Titanfall and Titanfall 2 Had a Rough Couple Years
Beyond fans simply wanting another game in the series, the hardcore Titanfall fans have had it rough in the last few years, due to issues completely out of their control. The multiplayer servers for Titanfall and Titanfall 2 had been suffering from constant DDoS attacks, exploits from hackers, and several other factors contributing to an overall unstable and unplayable experience. Things were so bad that Respawn Entertainment ultimately made the decision to delist Titanfall from digital sale entirely, and even though Titanfall 2 is an excellent sequel, the game's official servers are still marred with the same server security issues that have let hackers run rampant.
For now, Titanfall 2 fans on PC have the Northstar mod to keep playing, which has done an excellent job in bypassing the hacking issues by relying on an old-school server browser and private fan servers. Some servers are even creating brand new experiences, from a casual and competitive standpoint, that have even created new ways to play Titanfall 2.
Players skip progression and unlock everything, opening up the entire sandbox of Titanfall 2 to its private, community-run servers, which has given Titanfall 2's multiplayer new life in 2021/2022. There's modded lobbies with new functionality, ranging from tweaked game modes, to a one-life deathmatch mode that begins with pilots being thrown into the arena by BT, the charming AI Titan from Titanfall 2's campaign. There may not be an official Titanfall experience from Respawn Entertainment for a long time, so for many fans, the Northstar mod will absolutely do for now.
A New Star Wars FPS is Great, But Titanfall Fans Are Disappointed
Of course, that doesn't mean Titanfall fans shouldn't be excited for Respawn Entertainment's Star Wars FPS that's in development. Especially after the overall reception of Battlefront 2, as well as the largely positive reception of Jedi: Fallen Order, fans of Star Wars have been wanting more than just another DICE Battlefront game for a Star Wars FPS. Respawn Entertainment can theoretically provide an excellent and unique Star Wars shooter based on its previous experience with Titanfall and Apex Legends. A Star Wars FPS with a distinct emphasis on combined movement and weapon skill would perfectly match the sci-fi world of the iconic franchise.
Understandably, this does mean that a new Titanfall game and/or Titanfall 3 is likely years away at this point. Fans lamented on Twitter over the potentially long wait for Titanfall 3, which to some extent is understandable. Respawn Entertainment now has three confirmed Star Wars games in development, presumably alongside the ongoing support for Apex Legends, as well as any new IPs or projects that are currently unannounced. By no fault of its own, the Titanfall franchise is going dormant for a while as Respawn Entertainment moves on to greener Star Wars pastures. Titanfall is not dead by any means, but Titanfall 3 definitely isn't coming out any time soon.
Even if there is a Titanfall 3 in pre-production, these three Star Wars games are only going to prolong development for several years at least. The Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond team is working on the FPS alongside game director Peter Hirschmann, who worked on the original Battlefront games, as well as The Force Unleashed. Hirschmann and Respawn also clarified that this title is only in early development and still hiring, meaning this Star Wars FPS is still years away. Used to be that several Titanfall projects were in development at Respawn Entertainment, but given the shifting of Star Wars projects, that may no longer be the case for now.