Hopes for Titanfall 2 burn brighter than ever as "???" playlist suddenly appears in-game

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Respawn is definitely up to something

Titanfall
(Image credit: Respawn Entertainment)

On the heels of an abrupt multiplayer revival, Titanfall 2 has gotten a new mystery playlist appropriately titled "???," sending the community's hopes for the long-languishing shooter straight into the stratosphere.

Players found and flagged the new game mode earlier today. Whatever this mystery mode is, it's got a bizarre rule set seemingly never before seen in Titanfall 2. Its description, "your rockets will blot out the sun," starts to make more sense once you load in. It's pilot vs pilot with faster movement and increased jump height, and everyone's got an EPG rocket launcher. You've also got a charge rifle, the Phase Shift tactical ability, smart pistols, and for your melee weapon, a freakin' sword. 

This mystery mode is essentially just Rocket Arena with a few knobs cranked to 11, but fans are hoping it's the start of renewed support for Titanfall 2 and the IP as a whole. The community's favorite meme is the hero Respawn janitor said to be behind the game's abrupt resurgence, but with entire game modes cropping up now, it's clear Respawn is up to something substantial. 

Nevertheless, the future of Titanfall remains uncertain, and fans have been burned too many times to rely on hasty optimism. That said, there's actually a big smoking gun lying around this time: previously discovered Easter eggs in Apex Legends patch notes made reference to the release dates for Titanfall, Titanfall 2, and Apex Legends. This has obviously reignited some hopes for – whisper it – Titanfall 3, but Respawn could very easily announce something else. For now, all eyes are on Titanfall 2's playlists to see what comes next. 

Respawn has kept Titanfall lore alive through Apex Legends, and insists it's still a "beloved franchise."

Austin Wood
Austin Wood
Senior writer

Austin has been a game journalist for 12 years, having freelanced for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree. He's been with GamesRadar+ since 2019. They've yet to realize his position is a cover for his career-spanning Destiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a lot of news and the occasional feature, all while playing as many roguelikes as possible.