Released in 2016, Titanfall 2 didn't quite gain the popularity that was expected of it right off the bat. This arguably had nothing to do with the game itself; mostly, it was due to EA shooting itself in the foot with a release schedule that saw multiple EA shooters releasing a week apart, among an already pretty crowded time for gaming.

While it wasn't immediately popular, Titanfall 2 was regarded as many as one of the best shooters of the time by most, and one of the best shooters ever by others. It built upon the unique mechanics introduced in the original Titanfall, while establishing some of its own systems and releasing on more platforms than its predecessor.

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Ever since its release, Titanfall 2 has had a surge in popularity, the latest big surge coming in 2020 when it saw a huge influx of players. An influx big enough that, according to Steam Charts, Titanfall 2 surpassed the player count of every single Battlefield game combined at the time. This is pretty ironic, considering the fact that Battlefield 1 releasing so close to Titanfall 2 is a lot of the reason Titanfall 2 wasn't nearly as popular on release.

It goes without saying that most games taper off in player count the longer the game is out; Titanfall 2 expanding in popularity as time goes on helps drive home the point that it's a game that would have been successful if the timing had been different.

Respawn's more recent multiplayer FPS, Apex Legends, has been a resounding success, remaining popular in the Battle Royale space where many games enter big and quickly leave as a fad. Apex has hammered its seemingly permanent spot in the genre with its smooth gameplay and memorable Legends, and it doesn't seem to be losing any traction. Apex has ensured that Respawn is on the radar of just about anybody who plays video games if it wasn't already. And with as well-regarded as Apex is, if Respawn does develop another shooter, especially if that shooter happens to be Titanfall 3, there is going to be a lot of excitement surrounding it.

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An interesting note is that Titanfall and Apex Legends take place in the same universe. These games share weapons and mechanics, with Apex Legends taking place eighteen years after the events of Titanfall 2. In-game for Apex, the story isn't incredibly fleshed-out or detailed, but Respawn does create some really great animated shorts that expand the story, along with the occasional campaign-style events that the game sees.

For a potential Titanfall 3, Respawn could go all out and do some interesting crossovers between the two. While changing the formula in Apex by adding Titans probably wouldn't go over too well, doing the opposite and seeding some Apex creations and ideas into Titanfall 3 could prove really popular. While Titanfall 3 probably wouldn't become a Hero Shooter, gadgets that the different Legends in Apex use could become gadgets available to players in Titanfall 3, and it's easy to imagine being able to choose to bring Gibraltar's dome shield along with Lifeline's D.O.C. drone. There are a ton of different combinations that could really create some fun new combat in Titanfall 3, while still keeping the original flavor there.

The campaign for Titanfall 3 could also do a lot to include some Apex aspects. Any or all of the characters in Apex could appear at various points, either in cutscenes or in actual gameplay. While it probably wouldn't be possible to fight and kill those Legends, maybe the player could team up with them at certain points. Or, better yet, the campaign could allow the player to choose to play as different Legends, possibly even bringing co-op into the mix.

Titanfall 3 is currently not confirmed to be in development.

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