Respawn: Titanfall 2 Release Date Was "Locked a Long Time Ago," "No Changing It"

With Titanfall 2 set to be available tomorrow, some shooter fans might be wondering why EA is releasing two of its biggest first-person shooters, Battlefield 1 (October 21) and Titanfall 2, so close to each other, and with Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare out just a week after.

During the Titanfall 2 review event, PlayStation LifeStyle managed to corral Respawn Producer Drew McCoy and ask him a bunch of questions regarding Titanfall 2. One of the things we asked, understandably, is Titanfall 2’s release date and whether it was a decision made solely by EA, or if they had a hand in it.

PSLS: How satisfied are you with Titanfall 2’s release date? Was EA the decision maker with that, or did you guys have a say in that?

Drew: I actually don’t know where the decision came from. I just know it was locked in a long time ago and there was no changing it. I’m not really worried about it. We tried not to [worry] really…When you care about what other games are doing, when they’re releasing [, you worry]. At the end of the day, we’re releasing a game that we’re happy with, and we enjoy playing, that we’re proud of. As long as we’re doing that, I think we’re gonna find an audience. It doesn’t really matter when it comes out. A good game gets noticed.

Given how good Titanfall 2 is, Respawn might be on to something, no? Regarding EA, it could very well be that the publisher wants to corner the shooter market even more, and thought that for those players not looking to pick up Battlefield 1, they’d opt for Titanfall 2 instead.

Do you think EA made the right decision or should one of their games have been delayed instead as to not cannibalize each others’ sales?

Stay tuned to our full interview with Respawn where we talk about all things Titanfall 2 multiplayer soon.

Titanfall 2 info dump

Titanfall 2 - Everything You Need to Know

Wheels up, rock and roll!
What is Titanfall 2?

It’s a visceral, futuristic shooter and the sequel to the 2014 breakout. Titanfall 2 is on course to deploy across PS4, Xbox One and PC and, for the first time in the series, comes packing a fully-fledged single-player campaign. Speaking of which…
A Fully-Fledged Campaign

It is, without question, one of the major selling points going into the sequel's release. Having paid close attention to feedback from the original Titanfall, Respawn's sophomore effort will come packing a fully-fledged single-player mode. It was also a "pretty easy" decision to make, according to the dev.
Jack Cooper and BT-7274

Though it may not be as catchy as, say, R2-D2, BT-7274 is the name of your towering ally in the Titanfall 2 story mode. And you're both in for quite the journey.

“When an investigation of a research facility on the IMC controlled planet of Typhon goes wrong, Jack and BT are thrown off course and behind enemy lines. With Lastimosa killed in action, there is no other option but for the two to link up and work together to finish the mission BT and Lastimosa started, whether Jack is ready for it or not.”
An Entire Universe to Be Explored

The possibilities don't end there, however, with the studio teasing that there is an entire universe to be explored.

"We don’t have necessarily a trilogy in mind. You always hope when you create something that it’s embraced and that people will love it for generations to come…I hope we do more of it. We probably plan to do more–as you know, we have the mobile games as well. I would like to see the universe live on. I think it’s very expandable. I think there’s a lot we can do with it. There’s a lot of great ideas floating around here [at Respawn] that I would love to see come to life."
Titan Guide

Meet the Titans of Respawn's sequel: Tone, Ronin, Legion, Northstar, Scorch and Ion.
Pilot Boosts & Executions

Curious as to how the Pilot boosts and executions function in Titanfall 2? We've got you covered, along with an overview of the Titan progression system, too.
In-Game Arsenal & Equipment

If you're looking to delve into the small print of Titanfall 2, you'll find all the pertinent information regarding the shooter's arsenal and equipment right here.
Tips and Tricks

Thanks to helpful YouTuber TacticalBrit, we've also got a handy video guide to help you get started in Titanfall 2.
EA Targeting Big Splash

Despite launching so close to Battlefield 1, Electronic Arts is bullish in its sale projection of Titanfall 2, claiming the shooter sequel can break past 10 million units.

"We’ve told people that typically a Battlefield title does about 15 million in a year. Our guidance is slightly under that. And we hope that that excitement builds and it will clearly go through that number. But for right now, it’s slightly under that number. And Titanfall did a little more than 7 million units last time. It was early in the cycle and one of the few titles out there. We think it’ll do more than that, but it’s probably closer to 10 million than it is to 15 million as built into our guidance. So closer to 9 million to 10 million on Titanfall and just under 15 million on Battlefield 1."
Dual Tech Tests

Two months ago, Respawn hosted two separate tech tests for Titanfall 2 designed to both stress the multiplayer servers and gather feedback on modes, Titans and balancing. Our resident shooter expert Alex gave his two cents on the two-tier beta, though it wasn't without its faults.
Maps Designed for Chaining Wall Runs

PSLS had the chance to speak to Respawn’s Art Director Joel Emslie and Chief Operating Officer Dusty Welch at TGS, where the latter touched base on the sequel's map design.

"I think first, people haven’t seen this, but we offer a wide variety of maps that accommodate different play styles. Some of them are very heavily focused in chaining wall runs together and playing that way. You’ll see those pretty soon. Maps we showed in the tech test were shown for different purposes — for testing out different gameplay elements."
Attrition Mode Confirmed

Looks like Respawn is ready to bring back a fan-favorite mode in time for Titanfall 2. In the same interview with Emslie and Welch, the pair essentially confirmed that Attrition will be included will chatting to PSLS.

"Interesting question. I would answer this way: The tech test was a very small subset of the game. We’re fans of playing (the original) Titanfall and all of its game modes, and just think people will have to wait to see what we provide next. Is that enough of a hint? But we’re all ears. I know the right people. I know the right guy. I know a guy and I think he’s listening."
Online Level Cap

Respawn has confirmed that, at the time of launch, online levels will be capped at 50 for Pilots.

"Pilot max level is 50. Max gen for Pilots is 10 at launch, and will likely increase as time goes on. Max gen for everything else is unlimited."
All DLC Maps and Weapons Free

While we fully expect Respawn to roll out paid DLC in the form of cosmetic items, fans can take solace in the fact that all post-launch maps and weapons will be available at no extra cost.

"We’ll definitely be supporting Titanfall 2 post-launch, and I can confirm all maps and modes we deliver post-launch will be free. We’ll be talking more about post-launch plans closer to release so stay tuned for more info."
First DLC Map is Angel City

Angel City has been confirmed as the first DLC map for Titanfall 2. Remember, those who pre-order the shooter will be able to access the arena three days early.
Respawn Chats to PSLS

During an EA preview event, PSLS had the opportunity to quiz Respawn about all things Titanfall 2. Buried in that interview are tidbits relating to new game modes, Titans and why the studio is eager to extend a warm welcome to PS4 players.
Multiplayer Preview

In the days leading up to our full review, our own Paulmichael Contreras dabbled with the multiplayer portion of TF2, writing that:

"With a healthy list of unlockable weapons, accessories, gadgets, abilities, and three customization slots for both your pilot and Titan, there is always a carrot dangling in front of you, and it will take easily a lot of hours to unlock absolutely everything that the game has to offer."
Why We’re Excited

Still on the fence? Earlier this year, we listed down six reasons why we're excited for the arrival of Titanfall 2 on PS4.
Vanguard Collector's Edition

The Vanguard Collector's Edition is one of two premium packages launching for Titanfall 2, and it even includes a 1:1 replica helmet. The second, the Marauder package, features a “highly detailed” bust of Jack Cooper, the shooter’s protagonist.
No Titanfall 1 on PS4

You’d be forgiven for thinking that, two years after its debut on PC and Xbox platforms, Respawn would bring the original Titanfall over to PlayStation 4 as a neat primer for the oncoming sequel. Turns out that’s not the case, after studio head Vince Zampella told fans: “Don’t count on it.”
PS4 Pro Support Confirmed

When the PS4 Pro touches down on November 10, Respawn will release a Titanfall 2 patch so that the shooter sequel supports Sony's mid-gen upgrade.
Day-One Update

In what is surely one of the smallest day-one updates of the year, Respawn boss Vince Zampella has confirmed that the inaugural Titanfall 2 patch will weigh in at just 88MB.
Our Final Verdict

Our final verdict is in and PSLS has not only given Titanfall 2 a stellar 9/10, but also the coveted Editor's Choice award too.