After years of relative neglect, Titanfall 2 - often regarded as one of the best first-person shooter games ever made - has suddenly witnessed a renaissance.

With a surprise patch addressing the game's long-standing server issues, speculation has been rife among the gaming community regarding Respawn Entertainment's future plans for the title.

The servers for Titanfall 2 had seen better days, frequently being the targets of hackers, resulting in disconnect issues. Players using the PC version faced a unique and frustrating problem. If players couldn't find an active server in minutes, they'd be forced to disconnect from matchmaking. This is a particularly discouraging situation for a game released in 2016 and without the bustling player count newer titles enjoy.

However, the latest patch, which came seemingly out of the blue, has changed the landscape dramatically. Players noticed that the persistent PC server bug was resolved. In addition to the technical fix, players also stumbled upon their first regular playlist updates in a long time. Meticulous players found that map locations, which previously had out-of-bound exploits, were rectified. Interestingly, each fixed location was marked by a tiny plush of the Nessie mascot, iconic to Respawn's current game, Apex Legends.

One might wonder about the sudden attention Titanfall 2 is receiving. Just like in seldom-updated online games such as Team Fortress 2 and even DOTA 2, fans are humorously telling tales about the lone "janitor" over at Respawn Entertainment finally having time to work on the game.

In all seriousness, the surprise patch not only resolved network issues but also introduced new content, most notably a game mode named Attack on Titanfall, which surged the game's player count on Steam.

Then there's the mystery of the cryptic teaser found in both Titanfall 2 and a recent Apex Legends update. This teaser reads: "Incoming Transmission… Subject: Nessie… 1394521200, 1477638000, 1549267200."

For the uninitiated, these numbers might seem random. However, upon further investigation, they turn out to be Unix timestamps representing the release dates of Titanfall, Titanfall 2, and Apex Legends.

This enigmatic hint has fueled rampant speculation. While Titanfall 3 has been a dream for many fans, the project's past trajectory indicates ambiguity. It's known that Respawn had initially been developing Titanfall 3 and there are people in the company that want to make it happen. Still, with the surging popularity of battle royale games, the project morphed into what we now recognize as Apex Legends.

With Respawn Entertainment now a prominent name in the gaming industry, they might just have the clout to reignite the Titanfall franchise. Especially given the challenges faced by other FPS games like Battlefield, Respawn's reputation for delivering quality could become the focal point for EA to reinvest in Titanfall.

While the fate of Titanfall 3 remains uncertain, the community's hopes have been rejuvenated. Titanfall 2's resurgence, with its unique gameplay experience, underscores its enduring appeal. Whether it heralds the introduction of a sequel, an event in Apex Legends, or just a revival of a beloved title, it's a call for fans to strap in and enjoy the ride once again.