9 Reasons The Odds Were Stacked Against Titanfall 2
Wrong place, wrong time, wrong publisher.
Titanfall 2 has not done well. Despite being substantially better than its prequel, and available on more platforms, its sales figures are worse. Many are already branding it a flop, and for a game hoping to attract and sustain a sizeable multiplayer community, that label is a curse.
It’s a terrible shame. The game itself is being praised from all quarters – praised for one of the best FPS campaigns in recent years, and with a multiplayer experience which has been refined, reshaped, and rebalanced into something which meets the promise and ambition of its predecessor. It doesn’t just deserve to succeed: It deserves to thrive.
But the series famed for its fast, free, and fluid movement seems to be stalling. Its momentum has been sapped by a handful of wrong turns, while its footing slipped on shifts in the gaming landscape. In truth, Titanfall 2’s cards were marked long before it launched. Read on to see why.
9. Terrible Timing
This is the big one, so let’s get it out of the way. Releasing one week after Battlefield 1 and one week before Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, Titanfall 2 placed itself in direct competition with the two biggest FPS franchises of modern times. Whether it was suicidal bravery or a scheduling arse-up, it was a very bad decision.
But FPS players don’t just play shooters – at least, not most of them. For the month prior to Titanfall 2’s release, the gaming landscape was dominated by its own titans. Starting with FIFA 17 on September 27, we were then served Mafia 3, Gears of War 4, the arrival of Rise of the Tomb Raider on PS4, Civilization VI, and Skyrim: Special Edition. Big name games, most of them excellent, collectively whittling away gamers’ time and bank balance.
Then there’s BF1. And then there’s CoD. And then, in November, we’re getting Dishonored 2, Watch Dogs 2, Pokemon Sun and Moon, and Final Fantasy XV. Has there been another period this generation which is so packed with triple A titles?
They say that timing is the secret of comedy. Sometimes it’s the secret of tragedy, too.