Skip to main content

Try out the all-new multiplayer modes of Titanfall 2 for free this weekend

EA has made a concerted effort over the last few years to make sure its multiplayer games work correctly at launch. Early beta tests (and a lengthy delay) led to a fairly stable release for last year’s Battlefield Hardline, and Respawn Entertainment’s Titanfall 2 is taking a similar approach. You can try out the game’s open “technical test” this Friday to help the developer iron out issues, but you’ll have to be playing on a console.

Beginning on August 19 and running through the weekend, the initial public test will feature two maps. The first is Boomtown, a “secret underground facility” with rooftops perfect for ambushes and snipers, while the second is “Homestead,” which EA describes as “a series of raised, rocky plateaus,” similar to the original Titanfall‘s excellent “Boneyard” map.

Recommended Videos

Modes for the first technical test include the new “Bounty Hunt,” which mixes wave-based AI combat with traditional multiplayer, and the 8v8 Pilots vs. Pilots.” The latter may not be the best way to experience what makes Titanfall 2 so unique, but it should highlight Respawn’s knack for gun combat.

The test will feature two different Titans, Ion and Scorch, both new to Titanfall 2. Unfortunately, if you want to participate in the public test at all, you’re going to have to play on Xbox One or PlayStation 4. Respawn founder Vince Zampella blamed the decision to exclude the PC for the test on “hardware variety” and other inconsistencies across the platform. But he also singled out PC players’ tendency to leak other information through data-mining, and since Titanfall 2 features a full story and single-player campaign, it simply wasn’t worth the risk.

Should you miss the technical test this weekend, you’ll still  have a chance to try out Titanfall 2 prior to launch. The following weekend (beginning on August 26), players will be able to try out all previous content, as well as the “Amped Hardpoint” mode and the “Forward Base Kodai” map.

Do you plan on picking up Titanfall 2 when it releases for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC on October 28? Let us know in the comments.

Gabe Gurwin
Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…
What new games we’re playing this weekend (January 31-February 2)
Ryu attacks bugs in Ninja Gaiden 2 Black.

It’s been a long month, but we’ve finally reached January’s end. That marks the end of a slow start to the video game year ahead of the busiest February in recent memory. In just a few weeks, you’ll be able to play Civilization 7, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Rift of the Necrodancer, and more. But before you get to all those, there are still a few neat January releases worth checking out. From the latest entry in the Sniper Elite series to a new Game Pass addition that’s getting buzz, this is what I’ll personally be dipping into this weekend.
Ninja Gaiden 2 Black
Ninja Gaiden 2 Black - Announcement Trailer | PS5 Games

Last week, Xbox gave us our first big surprise of 2025 -- and it was a good one. Ninja Gaiden 2 Black revives a 2008 Xbox classic by giving it an Unreal Engine facelift. It’s a bit of an appetizer for Ninja Gaiden 4, which is set to release later this year, so that’s as good an excuse as any to revisit a truly unique action game from a different era. Ninja Gaiden 2 doesn’t play like a modern action game. It’s an unrelentingly difficult game that will kick your butt if you don’t learn how to properly block and counter attacks. While you may find it a bit dated thanks to its unruly camera, it’s a great little blast for the past that’ll remind you of just how distinct action games used to be before studios doubled down on consistent, repeatable formulas.

Read more
3 new PS Plus games to check out this weekend (October 25-27)
Key art for Dino Crisis.

Halloween is next week, so you should get in the mood for it by playing some spooky games. Thankfully, several horror titles came to the PlayStation Plus Premium and Extra game catalog this month. From horror classics for the PS1 and PS2 to newer games with more modern storytelling and choose-your-own-adventure sensibilities, PS Plus subscribers will have a lot to choose from when they're looking for something to play this weekend. These are three newer highlights that fit that bill.
Dino Crisis
State of Play | September 24, 2024 [ENGLISH]

While Resident Evil is Capcom's flagship survival horror game series, it's not the only one they've ever had. There was also Dino Crisis, a horror game that swaps out the zombies for dinosaurs. While this series ended after three games and faded into obscurity, Capcom is finally acknowledging it again with a PS Plus re-release of the first game. I'm happy it did this, as the game is worth revisiting in 2024. If you can get used to its dated tank controls and menu design, you have a really solid and surprisingly cinematic retro horror game that deserves more love than it gets. If you've never tried Dino Crisis before, this Halloween gives you the perfect opportunity to do so. Dino Crisis is available on PS4 and PS5 as part of the PS Plus Premium Classics Catalog.
Siren
Siren - Gameplay Video 1 | PS2 on PS4

Read more
3 new Xbox Game Pass games to try this weekend (October 18-20)
South Park The Fractured But Whole

While the first half of October was fairly light on new Xbox Game Pass additions, the back half of the month is a lot more exciting. Of course, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is the month's biggest release, but that's still a week away. Meanwhile, this week saw two great RPGs and an excellent indie game hit Microsoft's subscription service. If you're wondering what you should be playing this weekend, all three of these new Xbox Game Pass additions are worthy of your time.
South Park: The Fractured But Whole
South Park: The Fractured But Whole Gameplay Trailer - Gamescom 2016

While this year's South Park: Snow Day was a disappointment, the two Ubisoft-published games that preceded it narratively are stellar. One of those, the superhero-themed South Park: The Fractured But Whole, just came to Xbox Game Pass. This game perfectly captures the handcrafted look of the show with its art and the franchise's crass humor through its increasingly ridiculous story about Cartman, a new kid, and their other friends pretending to be superheroes. It's a surprisingly well-made grid-based tactical RPG, making it a significantly better game than it may seem on the surface.

Read more