E3: Video Game Titans Unleash 'Titanfall'

Gamers today got a look at Titanfall, the first game from Respawn Entertainment, the Electronic Arts-owned studio founded by Jason West and Vince Zampella. The game, due out in spring 2014, was shown at both Microsoft and EA's press events on Monday in Los Angeles ahead of the E3 video game convention, which opens Tuesday.

Before forming Respawn, West and Zampella were the principals at Infinity Ward, the storied developer that revamped Call of Duty into its rampantly popular Modern Warfare incarnation. The game reinvigorated the multiplayer shooter genre and generated massive sales for parent company Activision.

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However, the partnership with Activision ended in an acrimonious split amid lawsuits over unpaid royalties and charges of "insubordination." After exiting Activision, the two quickly brokered a new deal with Electronic Arts to form Respawn Entertainment.   Set in the future, Titanfall appears to revolve around technologically enhanced combat, with players controlling either a "pilot" (a highly dexterous human) or a "titan" (a giant mechanized bodysuit/tank hybrid). Players can jump in and out of titans at will in order to attack, defend or destroy places or players on the map.   "So many games are just treading old ground," said Zampella. "It feels like a perfect time to be unveiling Titanfall. We are focused on bringing something exciting to kick off the next generation of software."