I read this and thought, “Wow, that’s an approach to gameplay I’d like to try.”  Armed with ignorance, I google Titanfall 2 to find out more.  Specifically, am I too late to enjoy this game?  I’m not a typical FPS player and I don’t often reserve my patience for that particular online environment.  I also enjoy Quake every goddamn time I play it no matter how old I get.  The willpower to play online FPSs slumbers inside of me like a primal beast.  I reserve her energy for the rare games that capture my imagination. 

The first article I choose to read is by a kid wearing headphones in his biopic.  An op-ed about the game developer Respawn and the choices they are making for a sequel.  The author’s perspective is obviously biased against the choices of the people actually putting work into making a game. To his credit, he also printed a large quote from Steve Fukuda, Titanfall 2 director, about the reasoning behind their development.  That quote answered every question I have about the game and whether I, a newly interested player, should try it.  Answer: Yes.

The contributor complaining about Titanfall 2 brings to mind arguments made by Team Fortress fans when Valve released TF2. “They made gameplay too slow!” and “We want more content!”  The elements of the game that challenge and delight someone don’t increase by making more of the same.  Truly fun games have complex elements that increase the variability of gameplay with creativity.  I started playing TF2 because it combines the fast-paced fun of its predecessor with a modular team element that my newb brain could enjoy.  Enough learning curve to keep my interest long enough to make friends, I didn’t start to detest the player base until hats became a thing.

Expanding the content of a good game is not so simple as just making more of the thing. What Fukuda described in his quote is a fabulous summary of the mechanics you need to improve a game that’s already good.  If you want more content for the game that already exists, go build it yourself.  The team at Respawn is fitting Titanfall 2 up to be a multiplayer game that someone like me can get interested in.  Increasing their consumer base with a more approachable game model is the best move they could possibly make.  More customers = more content in the long run.