Ashes to Ash
Titanfall 2 was a wild ride, its short-but-sweet campaign was refined to a razor’s edge, and the combat was engaging enough to leave people wishing for more. It’s a dream shared by Respawn, the developers of both Titanfall and Apex Legends, but not one they can act on anytime soon. But in the meantime, Titanfall fans won’t be left entirely in the dust – they’ll be able to take on a familiar face while playing a game that should feel, at least mechanically, like the franchise they know and love.
Ash, also known as Dr. Ashley Reid, was one of the major antagonists of Titanfall 2’s story. A cold and brutal killer, she’s made appearances in Apex Legends before – but each time, she was just an NPC. Now, she’ll be showing up in a playable capacity, with more details to come in the near future.
Ash’s trailer, a “stories from the outland” video, offers little in the way of gameplay hints. Instead, it focuses entirely on Ash’s character, in a way that’s both secretive and intensely compelling. With this reveal coming as part of Apex Legends’ next season, we can expect to see a lot more of Ash in the leadup to the character’s full release. Between the season name (“Escape”), and the events presented in the trailer, there’s undoubtedly a connection here – one that Respawn is sure to explore.
Titanfall 2 is a fantastic game held back by poor initial sales – largely due to its release window being so close to another prominent EA title. Fans have had to fight off that all-powerful profit factor in their quest to see more Titanfall content, since EA’s higher-ups might see the franchise as a financial risk – especially given how Titanfall 1 performed too. There’s been an unending desire to see more content from this franchise, and while an Apex Legends character is a far cry from a full game, this release a love letter to an even more loving community. While Ash’s release might not necessarily lead to more Titanfall content, the fact that it’s something is more than appreciated.