Titanfall dev responds to criticism about 6v6 player limit

Titanfall developer Respawn Entertainment has responded to criticism regarding the game's 6v6 player limit, saying that ultimately, it's impossible to make a game that everyone enjoys.

One NeoGAF user said the appeal of 64-player multiplayer games is that because there are so many players, you never fully know what could happen in any given match. This user argued that for players who enjoy this kind of thing, why not at least give them the option?

"What about high player counts makes that more fun, though? I honestly want to know, because this kind of stuff is super important and we obsess over it every day," McCoy said in response. "None of us are deluded enough to think we're making a game that fits every gamer. We're making a game we think is badass, and hope other people do it.

The same forum user said they enjoy games like M.A.G. and Planetside because you're able to interactive with dozens of players, whereas in Titanfall, you'll be limited to your five other teammates. That being the case, McCoy said Titanfall may not be the best game for this player, but made clear that Respawn is always listening to feedback and suggested that things could change in the future.

"If having more people is just core to what you expect for fun, then I guess that's it," McCoy said. "That said, this is a multiplayer game, and we do plan on supporting it, adding to it, and making it better. Player feedback is something we crave, and want to do things based on."

Titanfall is limited to 12-player matches--6v6--but games will feature up to 48 total combatants when you factor in AI-controlled characters. The game started its life with 12 human-controlled players on each side, but after playtesting, this was whittled down to its current form.

Finally, McCoy said it has been "really tough" to market Titanfall to players because unlike franchises like Call of Duty or Battlefield, it does not feature a single-player campaign that can be used to create cinematic trailers. Marketing material for Titanfall so far has consisted of extended gameplay trailers. The game has also been playable at various events, including PAX.

"There's no amount of polished marketing that can replace playing the actual game," McCoy said.

Titanfall launches for Xbox 360, Xbox One, and PC on March 11, 2014. The game is never coming to PlayStation or Nintendo platforms, though sequels could. Respawn is "definitely" thinking about offering a beta game for the game.