Titanfall 2 Takes a Shot at Call of Duty: IW

By Jasmine Henry 04 November 2016

• titanfall 2
• call of duty: infinite warfare

The Titanfall 2 team comes under fire for posting a tweet comparing a positive review of its game to a negative review of its rival, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare.

The majority of Titanfall 2 reviews have been positive, with critics saying that developer Respawn Entertainment has knocked it out of the park. Both its single player and multiplayer components have received praise, with at least one review calling the game an example of “innovation and newness in a crowded genre space.” Many have also pointed out how much the game is an improvement over its predecessor.

Understandably, Respawn is keen to share the good news about Titanfall 2‘s reception with as many people as it can. But the game’s Twitter page has now come under fire for comparing its own positive review, with a negative one of rival shooter, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare.

One is “mostly slow & plodding” while the other's “frantic precision is electrifying”– you decide: https://t.co/QkynZOXgpn #MakeTheRightCall pic.twitter.com/aAHWbrZQ2y— Titanfall (@Titanfallgame) November 4, 2016

The tweet above both quotes and links to IGN‘s Infinite Warfare review, which, while not entirely negative (the publication awarded the new Call of Duty a 7.7 out of 10), certainly provided the Titanfall account with enough fuel to slam its competitor. Responses to the tweet have been mixed, with some gamers saying that there was no need for the mech-piloting shooter to take a shot at the Activision series. Others are pointing out that it’s unfair to pluck a single quote out of what is not an entirely unfavorable review.

On the other hand, some might argue that Call of Duty series is a fair target for the Titanfall 2 team’s ire given Respawn Entertainment’s history. The developer was co-founded by Jason West and Vince Zampella, who previously co-founded (Infinite Warfare developer) Infinity Ward, but the two were fired by Call of Duty publisher Activision and then proceeded to file a lawsuit against the company.

But the real answer is a lot simpler. Someone on the Titanfall 2 PR team took a potshot when they shouldn’t have, and now the Respawn devs are having to run damage control.

For the record: @respawn is the official voice of Respawn studio. We have nothing but respect & love for our fellow devs.

— Respawn (@Respawn) November 4, 2016

Moreover, some fans have just said that this is Respawn Entertainment making light of a bad situation. Titanfall 2‘s sales aren’t looking great, with many suggesting that its proximity to Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare and (publishing mate) Battlefield 1 has pulled attention away. The argument is that the company shouldn’t be judged for trying to stand out in a crowded release schedule  – even if it’s at the expense of its competitor.

While that single tweet has proved incredibly divisive, the silver lining is that even if the review comparison doesn’t lead the game to more sales, EA is still committed to the Titanfall franchise. It’s very early for a new Titanfall game or project to be announced just yet, but the publisher’s pledge of support for the series should be seen as a good thing, controversial posts and poor sales aside.