Did EA just secretly cancel Titanfall 3?

According to reports, EA has axed a single-player game in the Apex Legends/Titanfall universe. But no name was given. Did EA just cancel Titanfall 3?

The Titanfall series has been a cult classic among video game fans for years, especially Titanfall 2. The first-person shooter series revolved around a science-fiction universe in which skilled pilots used enormous manned robots called Titans to do battle. Titanfall 2 garnered intense fan support for an excellent single-player campaign and engaging multiplayer experiences.

Despite this, no official sequel has come along. Reports on February 1 said that EA had canceled a single-player game in the Titanfall universe. Was this Titanfall 3?

EA cancels single-play Titanfall universe game

First covered by Jason Schreier at Bloomberg, EA and Respawn Entertainment have reportedly canceled a single-player video game in the Titanfall universe.

This project employed approximately 50 members of staff, which EA is seeking to find new positions for. This is the first that many fans of the series had heard of any attempts at another single-player exclusive, and the news devastated hopefuls for a new installment in the Titanfall series.

NEW: Yesterday EA and Respawn quietly canceled a single-player game in the Apex/Titanfall universe, according to three people familiar. EA will try to find new positions for the ~50 people who were on the team but will lay off those who can't be placed: https://t.co/E5ivrqDUsa

— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) February 1, 2023

There’s no sign as of yet whether or not this canceled title was a proper installation in the Titanfall series, but it’s the closest that any title would have come in a long time. There’s no official comment from EA on the nature of the title, and that is unlikely to come at any point.

Apex Legends’ success is tied to its battle royale nature, entering the scene during the heights of games like Fortnite and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds. This has meant that while it introduced legions of new players to the worlds of Titanfall’s universe, it could never satisfy some fans’ demands of a third Titanfall game. It appears EA and Respawn were aware of that, having diverted staff to explore a more narratively-involved excursion into Titanfall’s science-fiction setting.

Is there any hope for Titanfall 3?

Many fans are mourning the cancellation of this unannounced title as the loss of the last hope for Titanfall 3, but is that fair?

It’s true that the cancellation of a single-player game in the universe does not seem like promising news for fans waiting on Titanfall 3 any time soon. It’s not a sure-fire death for the franchise, however, but it does indicate a lack of priority on EA and Respawn’s parts for exploring the universe of the Titanfall games in ways that Apex Legends doesn’t.

Titanfall still has outspoken fans, but they’re likely to be several years from any proper Titanfall games being in development, much less published. There’s no sure way to say for sure whether EA and Respawn’s judgment is a statement of permanent deprioritization or just the latest in a series of layoffs in the industry.

For the time being, diehard Titanfall fans are best keeping their expectations in check, with no other officially-announced projects on the horizon. Apex Legends’ success likely means that EA and Respawn will eventually turn to new opportunities to explore the setting. Still, it doesn’t seem like it will be in the immediate future.