Titanfall's Next Update Weakens the Game's Best Gun, Adds New Modes

Titanfall developer Respawn Entertainment has released the full list of additions and changes coming in the next update for its first-person shooter, including tweaks to weapons and burn cards.

Some of the most significant components of the fourth game update were already well-known: namely, the introduction of two new game modes and Titan customization. The two new modes will be introduced one after the other in the new Featured Game Mode playlist, which will offer access to a particular mode "for a limited time only." First up is Marked for Death (the mode that resembles Counter-Strike's VIP mode), with Wingman Last Titan Standing coming "shortly after."

As for Titan customization, that will manifest itself in a few ways. Burn cards for Titans will be added that enhance Titan abilities or weapons (for instance, Electric Smoke will last longer, or you can deploy a pair of Particle Walls at the same time). Unlike regular burn cards, these won't be lost until you die as a Titan, which should help to ensure they don't go to waste. Players will also be able to select one of three Titan voiceover options and complete certain challenges to unlock insignias that can be placed on their Titans. And, finally, Auto-Titans will be able to use every ability at their disposal, allowing them to, for instance, use Electric Smoke when an enemy player jumps on them.

Burn card collections are getting some welcome changes as well: You'll now be able to store up to 46 cards in your deck from the start, with that figure increasing by six per regeneration, up to a total of 100. Additionally, you'll be allowed to exceed that maximum deck size following a match, though you'll have to discard some as needed to get down to the limit. This will help to ensure you don't lose out on quality cards simply because your deck is full due to being hesitant to use cards in your deck (something I'm frequently guilty of).

Along with a wide variety of other changes and bug fixes, another major change in this update involves weapon balancing. A number of weapons have been altered to either make them more or (in most cases) less effective based on their usage by players. This includes lowering the magazine size and long-range stability of the R101 (the most basic, yet arguably most effective weapon in the game), decreasing satchels' range, and bumping up the damage of the Hemlok in certain cases. Titans have seen some changes, too, such as the Big Punch ability being weakened when used by an Ogre.

These changes, while subtle in some cases, could very well end up having even more of a dramatic effect on the game in the long-term than anything else--they already may force me to abandon my most common loadout (an R101, satchels, and an Ogre with Big Punch).

Titanfall's first DLC was released in May, and is the first of at least three DLC releases it will receive. Respawn is hoping to support the game for a long time to come, though that will depend in part on the community continuing to play it. This next update has not yet received a launch date, but has been described as being "just around the corner."

Check out the full patch notes here and let us know what your thoughts are in the comments below.