Fans of *Titanfall* are grappling with the latest blow as Electronic Arts (EA) has reportedly canceled another incubation project at Respawn Entertainment, accompanied by a wave of layoffs affecting multiple departments. According to Bloomberg, the now-defunct project, internally referred to as R7, was an extraction shooter set in the *Titanfall* universe—an idea that, while not the long-awaited *Titanfall 3*, has left many fans heartbroken considering the decade-long gap since *Titanfall 2*.
Reactions from the community have been intense. One fan dramatically recalled, “I just fell to my knees at Walmart,” while others expressed their despair more succinctly: “I CAN'T TAKE THIS ANYMORE.” Another fan voiced a shared sentiment of frustration and grief: “How many more times will this happen before they finally give it up and leave us to our sorrow?”
However, not all responses were negative. Some players believe canceling the extraction shooter may actually help preserve the franchise. As one Reddit user put it: “Best thing that could've happened as far as the continued existence of this franchise is concerned. A Titanfall extraction shooter would probably flop and the c-suite executives would say ‘see, the people just don't like Titanfall anymore,’ instead of the obvious reason being nobody asked for a Titanfall XTS.”
Others echoed similar thoughts, saying, “I’m fine with this one being canceled,” followed by a humorous but telling comment: “Extraction shooter lmao. Good riddance.” One fan clearly stated their preference: “So sick and tired of ‘extraction shooters.’ They're so formulaic and boring. I don't want to loot a bunch of useless shit and camp in an attic or sit in a bush for 20 minutes or risk getting shot moving through big open fields. Give me quick matches, wallrunning, and titans blastin’.” Another summed it up simply: “Got sad. Read extraction shooter. Was literally okay.”
Layoffs Across Respawn Teams
The cancellations came alongside a restructuring move that impacted approximately 100 roles at Respawn Entertainment. This includes individuals across development, publishing, and QA teams working on *Apex Legends*, as well as smaller groups within the *Star Wars: Jedi* team and two canceled incubation projects. One of these projects had already been reported earlier in the year, while the other is believed to be the recently scrapped *Titanfall*-based extraction shooter.
This news follows a string of recent layoffs across EA studios. Earlier in the year, EA restructured its *BioWare* division, moving developers to other projects and letting go of others. In 2023, around 50 jobs were eliminated at BioWare, and an unknown number more at Codemasters. Then in 2024, a broader company-wide restructuring led to the loss of 670 positions, including around two dozen workers at Respawn.
A Glimmer of Hope: The Lost Titanfall 3
In 2023, it was revealed that Respawn had indeed worked seriously on *Titanfall 3* for about 10 months before shifting focus to *Apex Legends*. Mohammad Alavi, who served as narrative lead designer on the now-canceled sequel, shared insights into what could have been. He explained how the team had made significant progress, including new tech, multiple missions, and even a playable build—though not a revolutionary leap beyond *Titanfall 2*.
“We were feeling pretty decent about it, but not the same feeling as *Titanfall 2* where we were making something revolutionary,” Alavi said. “The multiplayer team was having a hell of a time trying to fix the multiplayer because a lot of people love the *Titanfall 2* multiplayer—but the people who love it are a very small number. Most players find it too overwhelming and burn out quickly.”
With the rise of the Battle Royale genre—particularly after the release of *PUBG* in 2017—the team began leaning toward a different direction. Developers found themselves drawn to playing a Battle Royale map using *Titanfall 3* classes rather than the traditional multiplayer modes they were developing. That realization prompted a dramatic shift.
“We literally canceled *Titanfall 3* ourselves because we were like, ‘We can make this game, and it’s going to be *Titanfall 2* plus a little bit better, or we can make this thing, which is clearly amazing,’” Alavi added. “And don’t get me wrong, I will always miss having another *Titanfall*. I love that game. *Titanfall 2* is my most crowning achievement, but it was the right call.”
Interestingly, EA wasn’t even aware of the pivot for nearly six months until the team had a prototype ready to showcase. It was a bold move—one that ultimately gave birth to *Apex Legends*, now one of EA’s most successful live-service titles. But for fans still longing for a true sequel to *Titanfall 2*, the dream remains alive—even if the path forward continues to be uncertain.
