Titanfall 2 is a 2016 first-person shooter game created by Respawn Entertainment and published by Electronic Arts. It is a follow-up to the 2014 game Titanfall and was released worldwide on October 28, 2016, for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One. In Titanfall 2, players control Titans, which are robot-like exoskeletons and their pilots. These characters are quick and nimble, with abilities such as running up walls and hiding from view. The game is set in a science fiction universe, and its single-player story follows Jack Cooper, a soldier from the Frontier Militia. After his mentor, Tai Lastimosa, is killed in action, Jack forms a bond with his mentor’s Titan, BT-7274. Together, they work to stop the Interstellar Manufacturing Corporation (IMC) from using a powerful weapon to destroy the planet Harmony, where the militia’s base is located.
The game took two years to develop, starting in mid-2014. The team added a single-player campaign to attract more players. They tested many ideas and combined them into one clear story. The campaign was inspired by the anime Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet, buddy cop movies, and the video game Half-Life. The team also changed the way players progress through the game and made small improvements to the multiplayer to ensure fair play. The game uses a version of Valve’s Source engine that was heavily modified. Stephen Barton, who composed the music for Titanfall, returned to create the soundtrack for Titanfall 2.
When the game was released, it received praise from critics. The single-player story was praised for its design and how it was executed, and the multiplayer modes improved on the original game’s foundation. However, the game did not sell as well as expected. Many believe this was because it was released during a busy time when other major games, such as Battlefield 1 and Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, were also being launched. The game was nominated for several awards, including Game of the Year and Best Shooter. Respawn continued to support the game after its release by adding updates and extra content. Titanfall 2 was followed by Apex Legends, a free-to-play battle royale game that is part of the same franchise, in 2019.
Gameplay
Titanfall 2 is a first-person shooter game where players control both a pilot and a Titan, which are robot-like machines that are about 5 to 8 meters tall. Pilots have tools that help them fight better in battles. Every pilot has a jump kit that helps them move quickly by jumping, running up walls, and doing tricks like double-jumping. Pilots also have special skills based on their class, such as a grappling hook for moving faster or a cloaking device that hides them from enemies. Pilots use their jump kits to run on walls and move quickly between places. The game adds new ways to play, like sliding on the ground, using a pulse blade (a throwing knife that shows where enemies are), a holo-pilot (a hologram that looks like the player to trick enemies), and a grappling hook that can pull enemies toward the player or launch them to a high place. Pilots have many weapons, including shotguns, pistols, rifles, and grenades. At close range, players can use a melee attack to instantly defeat an enemy if it connects.
Titans are slower than pilots but have stronger weapons and better armor. Six Titans were introduced at launch: Ion, Scorch, Northstar, Ronin, Tone, and Legion. A seventh Titan, Monarch, was added later. Ion uses energy weapons and has a shield that stops enemy attacks. Scorch uses fire-based weapons and thermite cannons. Northstar uses a powerful railgun for long-range attacks and can hover above the ground. Ronin uses a shotgun and sword for quick attacks. Tone fights enemies at mid-range with weapons that lock onto targets. Legion has a fast-firing cannon that works well at both long and short distances. Monarch can steal power from other Titans to strengthen its shield and improve its abilities during a fight. Titans have their own movement skills, like quick dodges, different from pilots.
Unlike the first game, Titanfall 2 has a single-player story. Players control a Titan named BT-7274 and a pilot named Jack Cooper. The story follows a linear path, with BT-7274 helping the player and other characters from the Frontier Militia group. Players can change BT-7274’s weapons to fight different enemies, and these changes are unlocked by finding items in levels. Players can complete tasks in many ways, such as using stealth, jumping, or using weapons.
Levels in the game are large, with many paths to choose from. Players can use parkour skills to solve puzzles and reach new areas. Some weapons and mechanics are only available in specific levels. For example, in the level "Effect and Cause," players use a time-travel device to move between the past and present. Players can also choose dialogue options to interact with BT-7274, helping develop their characters. The game includes a training challenge where players race to complete tasks, and faster times earn higher rankings.
In multiplayer mode, players earn a Titan meter by killing enemies, damaging others, or completing objectives. When the meter is full, players can summon their Titan, which drops from the sky and can crush enemies. Titans have special abilities, like Ion’s laser attack or Monarch’s power-up ability. Pilots can ride Titans and steal their batteries, which can be used to charge friendly Titans or help the player summon their own Titan. Titans can follow the pilot, stay in place to attack enemies, or be destroyed with an ejection system that creates an explosion if a special perk is used.
Players earn "merits," which are like experience points, based on their performance and whether their team wins. Merits help players level up, unlocking new weapons, abilities, and customization options. Players can also earn Credits, a type of currency, by completing challenges or surviving when their team loses. Customization options are more detailed than in the first game, allowing players to change their outfits, weapons, and Titans’ appearances and abilities. Boosts replace the burn cards from the first game and are special abilities that require filling the Titan meter to certain levels. For example, ticks (explosive mines) need 65% of the meter, and Amped Weapons (increased damage) need 80%.
Titanfall 2 includes several multiplayer modes, such as Amped Hardpoint, where teams earn points by holding control points for long periods.
Campaign
The game's conflict occurs in "The Frontier," a distant area of star systems far from Earth, which is located in the "Core Systems." The Interstellar Manufacturing Corporation (IMC) and the Frontier Militia are fighting to control the Frontier. The IMC wants to use the Frontier's valuable resources, even if it harms the environment and people living there. The Militia fights to remove the IMC and gain independence for the Frontier. After the Battle of Demeter, the Militia is attacking to take control of resources and planets. The IMC is weakened because it cannot get help from the Core Systems, as a refueling facility was destroyed by James MacAllan. However, the IMC remains a strong military force trying to push the Militia out and stop resistance.
In the single-player campaign, the player controls Jack Cooper, a soldier from the Frontier Militia. He is sent to the alien planet Typhon as part of a Militia attack. He joins his former mentor, Captain Tai Lastimosa, who controls a Titan named BT-7274. Together, they work to stop the IMC's plans to dominate space.
Jack Cooper is a Militia rifleman who wants to become a Titan pilot. He is secretly trained by Captain Tai Lastimosa to prepare for this role. Cooper and Lastimosa are part of a Militia force attacking the IMC-controlled planet Typhon. During the first battle, the Apex Predators, a group of mercenaries led by Kuben Blisk and hired by General Marder of the IMC's science division, seriously injure Lastimosa and disable his Titan, BT-7274. Before dying, Lastimosa transfers control of BT-7274 to Cooper. BT explains that Cooper now must complete Lastimosa's mission: Special Operation 217, which involves meeting Major Eli Anderson and helping finish their original task. Anderson's last known location is an IMC laboratory. Cooper and BT must first go through a water reclamation facility and a manufacturing plant, killing two Apex Predators, Kane and Ash, along the way.
Cooper and BT reach the IMC laboratory but find it destroyed. The facility is filled with corpses that appear aged due to time-travel effects. Cooper discovers Anderson, who died from a time-travel accident. BT uploads part of his AI into Cooper's helmet to help communicate across time. Cooper learns that Anderson was collecting information about a new IMC weapon called the "Fold Weapon," which uses time-displacement technology to destroy planets. The planet Harmony, where Lastimosa is from and where the Militia headquarters is located, will be the first target. Fortunately, the Fold Weapon requires a power source called the Ark. Cooper and BT use an IMC communications array to send a signal to the Militia fleet, killing another Apex Predator, Richter. The signal includes data about the Ark's electromagnetic signature, helping the Militia locate and seize it.
After receiving the signal, the Militia's Marauder Corps, led by Commander Sarah Briggs, attacks the IMC installation where the Ark is stored. They arrive too late to stop the Ark from being loaded onto the Draconis, an IMC transport ship. The Militia pursues the Draconis in stolen IMC ships. Cooper and BT try to board the Draconis but are attacked by the Apex Predator Viper. Cooper kills Viper and boards the ship with BT.
Cooper and BT secure the Ark before the ship crashes. BT is injured during the fight with Viper and is captured by Blisk and his second-in-command, Slone. To save Cooper, BT gives up the Ark but is destroyed by Slone. Before his Titan body fails, BT gives Cooper a SERE kit and his data core. Cooper uses these items to revive BT by installing the data core into a new Vanguard chassis provided by Briggs after escaping captivity. Reunited, Cooper and BT fight to the base where the Fold Weapon is being prepared for use against Harmony. They kill Slone, earning Blisk's respect. Blisk spares Cooper and offers him a position in the Apex Predators before leaving. Cooper and BT enter the Fold Weapon's structure, where the Ark is already installed. BT pushes Cooper to safety before sacrificing himself, destroying the Ark, the Fold Weapon, and the planet.
The game ends with Cooper reflecting on becoming a pilot and being accepted into the Marauder Corps. In a post-credits scene, a message flashes on Cooper's helmet: "Jack?" in Morse code, suggesting a part of BT's AI may still be alive.
Development
Respawn Entertainment, founded by Vince Zampella and a team of ninety people, developed the game. Titanfall's original director, Steve Fukuda, producer Drew McCoy, and composer Stephen Barton returned for the sequel. Production of the game began in mid-2014 with a two-year development cycle. Publisher Electronic Arts provided funding and marketing support. The game's development was completed on September 29, 2016, with Respawn confirming it had been declared "gold," meaning it was ready for duplication and release.
Titanfall had low player engagement after its release, even though it sold well initially. Fukuda believed the shrinking player community was mainly due to the game's lack of a single-player campaign. Zampella confirmed that adding a single-player campaign was intended to grow the player base, and McCoy believed this would make the game more complete. The team's vision for the campaign was to make it different from other first-person shooters, especially Call of Duty. This was challenging because many team members had previously worked at Infinity Ward, the developer of Call of Duty, and were used to creating campaigns in that style. McCoy said the team first tried using all the mechanics from the first Titanfall in the campaign, but it did not work. As a result, the team held game jams, where members could freely create new designs and experiment with technology, as long as they followed Titanfall's existing mechanics. Prototypes from these jams were called "action blocks." These blocks allowed the team to test new ideas and shape the campaign's structure, as each block had unique gameplay features. For example, players might time travel in one level and fight Titans in another. Internally, the campaign was called "211," with each level divided into two parts for pilot combat, one part for pilot movement and puzzles, and one part for Titan combat.
Fukuda described the campaign as a "buddy" story, inspired by films like Lethal Weapon and Beverly Hills Cop, as well as anime Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet. "BT" stood for "Buddy Titan," a name the team disliked, but Fukuda insisted on using it. To build chemistry between the two main characters, Jack and BT, the team gave them opposite personalities: Jack is enthusiastic, while BT is calm and robotic. Cooper, one of the characters, was difficult to write because his personality might not match players' expectations. The team avoided making BT similar to characters like Optimus Prime or WALL-E and focused on balancing it as both a lovable partner and a powerful war machine. Early drafts of BT's dialogue were considered too "bossy," and writers spent five months revising them. To make BT more human, the team designed a large emotive eye to show where the Titan is looking and robotic arms to help it interact naturally with other characters. The front of BT is painted with colors that indicate its head movement. The game also lets players choose dialogue options to communicate with BT, helping them bond with the Titan and learn more about the game's world. Akira Kurosawa films and the cowboy roles of Clint Eastwood and Sam Elliott inspired the design of BT's appearance and expressions. The Apache helicopter and other military technology also influenced BT's design. Wilson provided motion capture for the Titan.
When designing the single-player campaign, the team aimed to keep the energy from Titanfall's multiplayer mode. They wanted the campaign to be creative, using the unique abilities of both pilots and Titans. To achieve this, they created detailed environments for pilots and large open spaces for Titan combat, instead of making it a narrow "corridor shooter." Gameplay designer Mohammed Alavi said this gave players more control and freedom. The team focused on platforming, which allowed players to use pilot movement skills in new ways. Some action blocks included puzzles that required players to find surfaces to wall-run on or solve problems to move forward. The idea of Titans throwing pilots to help them travel long distances was ultimately removed from gameplay and used in a cinematic scene instead. The game also includes puzzles inspired by BioShock and Half-Life, where players must solve problems quickly or take time to think. The campaign starts with simple missions and gradually introduces more complex challenges. The story shows Cooper, a character, evolving from a basic soldier to a skilled pilot. The campaign was designed to help new players learn the game's mechanics before playing multiplayer. The team aimed to make the story like the Half-Life series, where a mystery drives the plot and keeps players engaged. The game was also influenced by Portal.
The team reviewed feedback and research from gamers and identified two main issues: the game had too little content and sometimes felt too chaotic. To address this, they slowed down the gameplay pace in Titanfall 2's multiplayer mode so players could make decisions based on strategy rather than reflexes. They also redesigned maps to include more vertical space, which Fukuda called the "3D Swiss cheese effect." The team used a strategy called "window pane," where each map had three clear paths: left, middle, and right. This made maps easier to understand. Titanfall 2 features brighter colors and environments compared to the first game and other shooters, aiming for "postcard-worthy" graphics. The multiplayer maps also include more varied settings, such as industrial areas, outdoor spaces with plants, and remastered maps from the first Titanfall.
The multiplayer mode also saw several changes. McCoy said these updates were "subtle," focusing on small improvements to existing mechanics. Titans were redesigned with unique shapes that show their abilities at a glance, helping players prepare for battles. Pilots and Titans also received cosmetic changes, making it easier to identify opponents' abilities. The team added more Titans, gadgets, weapons, and pilot skills, allowing players to customize their loadouts. For example, players could create a loadout for long-range combat by combining a sniper rifle with a mobility-enhancing grapple ability or build a stealthy Titan-hunter by using a grenade launcher and an Ant.
Release
In May 2014, two months after the first game was released, the publisher Electronic Arts announced they would work with Respawn Entertainment to create more games set in the Titanfall universe. A sequel was officially confirmed on March 12, 2015, by Respawn’s Vince Zampella during the 12th British Academy Games Awards. He also said the game would be available on PlayStation 4, unlike the first one. At EA Play 2016, Electronic Arts announced Titanfall 2 during their press conference and stated the game would be released worldwide on October 28, 2016. This meant the game would compete with other major first-person shooters, such as Battlefield 1 by DICE (one of EA’s studios) and Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare by Activision. According to McCoy, the release date was set long before and could not be changed. The Collector’s Edition and Vanguard SRS Collector’s Edition, which include extra content, were released on the same day as the standard version. Titanfall 2 was added to EA Access and Origin Access on July 7, 2017. An Ultimate Edition, which includes the base game, all updates, and bonus content, was also released on that day.
Electronic Arts partnered with a restaurant and a snack food company to promote the game. Players who bought food or drinks at Buffalo Wild Wings received a free customization item and access to a multiplayer mode. Similarly, players who purchased Mountain Dew or Doritos received a code for double XP, early access to a new multiplayer mode, a Titan, and Titan customization items. EA also worked with McFarlane Toys to create a toy line for the game, which includes a seven-inch tall Cooper figure and a ten-inch tall BT-7274 figure. In August 2016, Respawn tested the game with players on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, allowing them to try some multiplayer modes and maps. After receiving player feedback, the team made several major changes to the gameplay. The official Titanfall Twitter account, managed by EA, promoted the game by suggesting it to users looking for games to play. It also made jokes about competitors. Players who bought Battlefield 1 and Titanfall 2 had exclusive access to a Titan skin inspired by World War I.
At E3 2016, Respawn announced that all updates and downloadable content would be free for all players. Inspired by Evolve’s free maps model, the team hoped this would improve player satisfaction with the full-priced game. In the first year after release, Respawn provided multiple downloadable content pieces, including:
Since early 2021, servers for Titanfall 2 and its predecessor were frequently attacked by DDoS attacks, making online multiplayer unplayable. A mod called Northstar (named after the Titan chassis) was released, allowing players to use custom servers to fix the issue.
In September 2023, an update addressed PC server stability problems that caused players to disconnect from matchmaking if no active server was found. The update also fixed areas of maps where players could move outside the game’s boundaries. These areas were marked with plushies of Nessie, the mascot for Respawn’s Apex Legends. Game playlists were also updated to include new and retired game modes.
Reception
Titanfall 2 received "generally favorable" reviews, according to the review aggregator website Metacritic. GamesRadar named it their game of the year, while PC Gamer called it their shooter of the year. Polygon listed it among the best games of the decade.
The game's story received mixed opinions. Nic Rowen of Destructoid said the plot was predictable and "by the numbers," and he was unhappy with the short five-hour campaign. He also felt the story's emotional parts were not well developed. Javy Gwaltney of Game Informer compared the story to a "buddy comedy" and said the character BT was relatable. Mike Mahardy of GameSpot thought the story was poorly written and ended too quickly. Arthur Gies of Polygon said the story was weak, with poor voice acting, silly character names, and not enough background for players to remember it. Peter Paras of GameRevolution praised the story's interest, even though he said it was simple, and he liked BT's character, calling it a "literal thinking machine." He said the interactions with the Titan helped explain the game's world better. Jon Denton of Eurogamer also praised BT's character, saying its dialogue was well written.
Titanfall 2's gameplay was highly praised. Rowen called it "fast-paced and exciting," saying the smooth controls improved the single-player experience. Gwaltney agreed, saying players could enjoy missions whether they fought or hid, and he liked controlling the Titan, which felt similar to games like MechWarrior and Star Fox. Mahardy said the movement controls were fun and that Titan battles often made players feel like they were fighting against much bigger enemies. He called the game a "thinking man's shooter," saying it required strategy, not just reflexes. David Houghton of GamesRadar said the controls and movement options helped players turn obstacles into opportunities. Chris Thursten of PC Gamer liked the variety of weapons and the freedom to move around.
Rowen praised the level design, calling it one of the game's best features. He liked the different settings and tricky environments that encouraged movement. He highlighted "Effect and Cause" as one of the most creative levels, comparing it to Portal. Paras said two chapters were especially impressive, saying they showed how level design can be better in action games. Thursten also liked these levels but said not all levels were as creative. He wished some ideas had lasted longer during play. Gwaltney liked the campaign's flexibility, letting players handle combat in different ways. He also liked the puzzles, which required creative thinking. Both Paras and Houghton said the levels mixed Pilot and Titan gameplay, adding variety and improving the game's pacing. Mahardy said the pacing was good because players could change BT's equipment for different situations. Brandin Tyrrel of IGN praised the game's large, yet clear, level designs.
The multiplayer mode was also praised. Rowen said it was "solid" and improved the progression system, which helped keep players interested long-term. He said the changes made Titan combat more rewarding, even though Titan customization was limited. He liked the new gameplay adjustments but wished there were more modes with AI opponents. Gwaltney said there were no major changes to multiplayer, but small improvements made it better than the first game. He liked the new gadgets and game modes that encouraged teamwork. Paras said the multiplayer was challenging but enjoyed some modes, like Bounty Hunt. Mahardy praised the six new Titan types, which were easy to learn but hard to master. He said the combat felt like fighting games. Tyrrel liked the teamwork-focused rodeo mechanic and the balanced Boosts. Arthur Gies of Polygon said some changes were confusing and the maps were too small for the fast gameplay.
Most critics liked the game overall. Rowen called it a creative shooter. Gwaltney said it was a "must-play" with a good single-player and multiplayer. Paras said it met the promises of the first game. Tyrrel called it a rare improvement on its predecessor. Houghton said it was the year's surprise, one of the most creative FPS games. Thursten worried the game might not last long due to its release timing, but said the single-player was its best part.
Electronic Arts expected the game to sell about nine to ten million copies in its first year. However, experts thought sales might be lower because it was released in late October, between Battlefield 1 and Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare. EA did not worry about the timing, saying the audiences for Battlefield 1 and Titanfall 2 would not overlap.
Titanfall 2 was the fourth best-selling retail game in the UK during its release week, behind Battlefield 1, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Special Edition, and FIFA 17. Its first-week sales were only a quarter of Titanfall's. Digital sales were also down, reaching only a quarter of the first game's. The NPD Group said it was the ninth best-selling game in October 2016 and the fifth in November 2016. In its third quarter earnings call, EA said sales were below expectations. However, Blake Jorgensen, EA's COO and CFO, said the positive reviews were encouraging and expected strong sales in the next year. Zampella said Titanfall 2 sold well but could have done better. In January 2017, Morgan Stanley estimated it had sold 4 million copies. The game was later released on Steam.
Sequel
In October 2016, Zampella said the team wanted to create more experiences for players within the franchise, but a trilogy was not planned. Later, when publisher Electronic Arts bought Respawn Entertainment, it was announced that a new main game in the Titanfall series was being developed.
A battle royale spin-off game called Apex Legends, set in the same universe and featuring characters like Ash and Kuben Blisk from Titanfall 2, was released on February 4, 2019. The game’s lead developer, Drew McCoy, said, “Some people think there are too many battle royale games or that it’s a trend. The world thinks we’re making Titanfall 3, but we are not—this is what we’re making.” Because the team focused on Apex Legends, they stopped working on a new Titanfall game. On October 18, 2021, it was announced that Ash would become a playable character in the eleventh season of Apex Legends, after previously narrating the Arenas game mode.