With the beta in full swing, it's hard to look at any gaming site and NOT see something about Titanfall, the first Xbox One exclusive title for the console post-launch. Deserved or not, anytime a game gets a lot of publicity, there will be naysayers alleging claims that the only reason the game is getting so much attention is due to the almighty greenback. And in light of Microsoft's cash offer to various YouTube personalities for positive reviews of the console, it's not hard to see why these allegations might have some validity.
However, Respawn is adament that this is not the case, and Titanfall producer Drew McCoy took to NeoGAF to plead his case, writing, "Anyone who thinks we weren't living in the shadow of decade+ old established franchises at our reveal at E3 are as crazy as their conspiracy theories of anyone getting paid off."
"We've had to fight tooth and nail to have a game that anyone would even know existed, let alone be excited for and want to create coverage of. I get it that its not for everyone, but to say we're paying anyone off is downright insanity. Not to mention the height of insulting."
Being in the business and not seeing an endorsed check in my mailbox (I just checked), I'll have to side with McCoy on this one. The mere fact that Titanfall beta codes have been purchased for triple and four digit figures on eBay shows that it's players and not just press who are anticipated for this game.
It's not just on the 'net that Titanfall seems content to take over. Keep your eyes glued to the boob tube long enough and you'll spot lovely looking 30 second commercial for the game. Now, in the event that you do all your TV viewing by binge watching "Breaking Bad" or "Pretty Little Liars" (it's okay, I'm not here to judge) on Netflix, we have the footage embedded for you below, ironically plastered with hype from various outlets Respawn "paid for."
Titanfall, Respawn's debut title, sees players fighting either on foot as free-running pilots or inside powerful mech-style walkers called Titans to complete team-based objectives, and with a heavy, hi-tech arsenal. While the game only supports multiplayer gameplay, Respawn has done just enough to introduce single-player elements like plot, character conversation, and even non-playable characters in matches.
The game launches March 11 stateside, and March 13 in Europe.