Apex Legends might have been built around the framework of a battle royale from the get-go, but as is the case all too often, not everything goes according to plan.
Set in the same universe as its beloved Titanfall, many fans had presumed around launch that Respawn would eventually introduce the titular robots and parkour features into its competitive-focused shooter. Both gameplay elements, after all, helped to distinguish Titanfall from its contemporaries, and while the series’ second outing never quite managed to record the sales it perhaps deserved, the title quickly became a cult favourite.
That being the case, the developer had originally intended to port much of its existing world – including the titans themselves – over to Apex, but it quickly became apparent that the migration simply wouldn’t work.
Speaking to Gamesindustry.biz in a recent interview, executive producer Drew McCoy details how the studio “tried for months and months to make titans work in BR,” but ultimately realized that they were the “antithesis” of what it was “trying to accomplish.” Likening the battle royale to that of a poker game – an even playing field – McCoy continues to explain how throwing titans into the mix resulted in them being a “huge unbalancing force.”
As for slick movement abilities like wall-running, McCoy says the idea of having the system in Apex was ditched due to its unpredictability. “You can never predict where someone’s going to be, or how many squads are coming around the corner,” he said, adding “because they can go up, they can go underneath, they can go around.”
Sad news for Titanfall fans, then, but fortunately, Respawn eventually stumbled upon an answer for Apex Legends‘ lack of gameplay variety in the form of hero-based gameplay. With 11 characters already present and many more on the way, we, and no doubt legions of fans can’t wait to see what kooky newcomer it comes up with next.