Microsoft is reportedly paying heavily to secure itself a selection of exclusive games for the next Xbox, and the in-development project from Respawn Entertainment may be one of them, as multiple unnamed sources told Kotaku’s Stephen Totilo. Respawn is the studio founded by Call of Duty series creators Vincent Zampella and Jason West; the Electronic Arts-published game in question has no official title yet, though rumors suggest that it is called Titan.
Respawn has been incredibly coy over the past two years about the project, offering little more than vague statements and blurry screenshots (seen above). The only specifics that we have come from EA’s Frank Gibeau, who said in 2011 that it is a shooter meant to “compete with things like Gears and Halo.” Those games are even more appropriate touchstones now, given the fact that there’s a chance Respawn’s game will also be an Xbox exclusive.
The sources state that Respawn is working on the next-gen Xbox version of the game; an Xbox 360 port is reportedly in development at another studio, recruited by EA. Totilo’s sources don’t say one way or another if the game is a timed console exclusive that will head to other platforms at a later date, like early Xbox 360 exclusives BioShock, Lost Planet, and others.
The sources also laid out some details about the game. Titan will be almost entirely multiplayer, taking advantage of the next-gen Xbox’s rumored constant Internet connection. Players may be able to compete against bots, but there will be no campaign mode in the same vein as what the Call of Duty series offer.
Combat in Titan reportedly sees players competing both as foot soldiers and as pilots in large exeskeletons called “Titans,” much like Lost Planet‘s Vital Suits. The exoskeletons are designed to be swift and maneuverable, more like Lost Planet or Xbox Live’s MechAssault. Arenas will apparently be balanced to accommodate both Titan-bound soldiers and their on-foot comrades playing together.
A February story from CVG noted that EA’s conspicuous absence from Sony’s PlayStation 4 reveal was a result of the fact that the published had signed an exclusive deal with Microsoft. EA never denied the claim.
“At the end of the day, we’re very excited about Sony’s platform,” CFO Blake Jorgensen said at the time. “We feel there’s a huge opportunity there. The technical power on the platform is going to allow us to do a substantial amount of things that have never been done before. I have seen the new Battlefield, and it is just stunning. It was more about timing of our own slate as well as trying to maintain a good balance of power with all the parties out there and choosing when to unveil certain pieces of software.”
