Departing Titanfall 2 dev reveals an absolute treasure trove of behind-the-scenes footage

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That's one hell of a way to bow out of a job

Titanfall
(Image credit: Respawn Entertainment)

A departing Respawn developer has given a huge look at some behind-the-scenes work on Apex Legends and Titanfall 2.

Yesterday on March 13, Respawn animation lead Shawn Wilson announced via Twitter that it was his final day at the studio. Wilson is a veteran at Respawn, having helped lead animation on the likes of the beloved Titanfall 2, and has worked on Apex Legends' Heirlooms in particular, a source of amazement among fans.

Wilson accompanied his announcement with a two-minute video detailing some in-progress animation work on both Apex Legends and Titanfall 2. There's some fascinating cut details for both games in there, like a massive monster rising from the ground in Titanfall 2 to send a hapless pilot screaming through the air.

There's also a really weird-looking robot dog, which rapidly bounds over terrain to take out a pilot, as well as what seems to be a fight against an AI pilot in Titanfall 2's campaign. It's worth pointing out we did previously know about AI pilot fights being cut from the game, but it still stings to know what could have been for an already-incredible sequel.

The first half of the video is actually a great reminder of how incredible Titanfall 2's animations were, thanks in no small part to Wilson. AI grunts run kicking through the air at the player, while BT lines up the brilliant segment where the robot companion lobs the player through the air.

God, what a game Titanfall 2 was. The lack of a Titanfall 3 will forever hurt veteran fans who adored the second game, especially after a report earlier this year that a new Titanfall game was cancelled, but we can still take solace in the fact that we got one of the best shooter campaigns of the past decade from Respawn.

Speaking of things that hurt Titanfall fans, another report claimed the canned Titanfall game would've resurrected BT, a revival that would've been beloved by fans the world over.

Hirun Cryer
Hirun Cryer
Freelance Writer

Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.