Titanfall 2 Gets Player-Created Custom Servers to Prevent Hacks on PC

Dedicated Titantall 2 players created custom servers for PC users who want to experience the shooter without the threat of hackers.

Dedicated Titanfall 2 fans developed Northstar, custom servers that allow PC players to enjoy the FPS title without the threat of hackers looming large. In recent months, Titanfall 2 has become the target of hackers, resulting in users on PC regularly encountering compromised multiplayer matches. To the chagrin of many, developer Respawn Entertainment's investigation into the reported matter a few months ago yielded results that bore no evidence of "serious vulnerabilities." The issue, for some players at least, persists unabated.

In general, the Titanfall franchise took a fair few blows throughout the year. The original entry also faced a wave of attacks by cheaters, for example. And while a Titanfall 2 free weekend back in May culminated in the sequel breaking its previous concurrent player record on Steam, the fan-organized effort to "Save Titanfall" only accomplished so much in the long run. Respawn's plan to discontinue new sales of Titanfall starting in March 2022 wasn't well-received news either, though the studio did promise to keep the servers live for existing players. Those who frequent the sequel's multiplayer offerings on PC, however, have taken some matters into their own hands.

Twitter user SaveTitanfall (via MP1st) recently noted that user-created custom servers, Northstar, are now available for Titanfall 2's PC community. A mod accessible through GitHub, Northstar lets users host servers of their own courtesy of "custom scripts and assets." Anyone concerned about the potential threat of online attacks need not fear. According to word from SaveTitanfall, hackers wanting to crash custom servers must first track down the IP address, which should prove "impossible" given that these private matches will not appear on Titanfall 2's "master server."

Whether or not this will truly solve the Titanfall community's problem with hackers presently remains a mystery. It seems a solid step in the right direction, though, especially since it's more than what Respawn has been able to provide amidst the ongoing controversy.

Respawn and publisher Electronic Arts shipped Titanfall 2 on PC and consoles in late October 2016, a release window that didn't do the follow-up adventure any favors. Notably, EA's and DICE's Battlefield 1 hit store shelves just seven days prior; Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare launched worldwide the following week. It was stiff competition for a first-person shooter with a comparatively niche audience. And, fortunately, said audience won't let the hope for Titanfall's future go down without a fight.