Titanfall: A community ignored

***This applies to both Titanfall 1 and 2.***

As a community, we have been facing a hacker known by several names (which I cannot recall at the moment). This hacker has been destroying the ability to play either of the Titanfall games, resulting in tens of thousands of players around the world from enjoying something they love. This issue is not just one game on one platform in one region…it’s the entire world community for Titanfall. Every platform of Titanfall 1 has been hacked so severely as to make it nearly impossible to even reach the menu screen. Although there are some lulls where players get on they are often short and bittersweet; on one hand we can enjoy something we love, but on the other we know our time with it is fleeting. I played PC before this issue arose on Titanfall 1 over 2 years ago, but as of 07-16-2021 Titanfall 2 on xBox is virtually unplayable. Sadly, this is the last platform to succumb to the attacks and indicates a lack of support for thousands of fans.

Initially it was just Titanfall 1 on Origin that was taken down, but for some time now all Titanfall 1 servers across every platform (from PC to PlayStation to xBox) have been taken down. Now, Titanfall 2 has fallen in the exact same way as every other server/platform…xBox was the last stronghold holding up to the hacking due to Microsoft’s superior support and services (although every other platform other than Origin is still great and comparable).

Now, as a community, we sit helpless, hoping for somebody to hear our cry for help. Some of us sit silently, others, like me, seek to fight till the game is pulled from sale and servers shut down. I can explain the issue and how it works/progresses from my experience with Titanfall 1 (Origin).

I am not the only one recognizing this is an issue, YouTubers like [mod removed] and [mod removed] have made videos on this issue and I myself have posted clips for Titanfall 1 that capture the essence of what is happening in both games.

[*forgive me is misspelled]

I seek help from Microsoft since the developers have been of no real use, applying band-aid type fixes to the issue instead of launching an investigation into who/where/how this is occurring and how to stop it. I hope that I can get in contact with somebody involved in cyber security or related department so that I can ask a few questions regarding the type of server and what they think might be able to be done against this hacker (whether it involves the government or not).

I will note, that if refusal does occur, then each game provider is selling content that scams players of their money by giving access to a product that should work, but has been rendered useless by an individual. Either pulling or disabling the content from being purchased is recommended until this is figured out. Especially since this issue may never be solved and people are still buying the game for full price*. [*fortunately Microsoft for sure has a gracious return policy if such a sale occurs, but other companies may not be as gracious, plus pulling content would remove the burden of this type of request.]

>Here is what I know (with 95+% confidence):

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1) The Hacker

A) his origin ID was [mod removed], but he had dozens of Alt accounts

B) he is likely an ex-Respawn employee who was fired for a reason still unknown to the community while working on matchmaking protocols

C) this person does not seem to have a group of accomplices

D) the person dislikes the community and game



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2) The Method

A) this method is similar to DDOSing, but instead is due to an overloading of the server

i) this is likely done by either numerous bot accounts that join any lobby detected to have started up, even if full, locked, or private match.

a) these bots continuously are in a state of joining and overload the match with excess packets

b) these bots are not triggered unless one of several conditions are detected, making it possible to individually play some modes for a brief time before you are crashed:

~Condition 1: “on detection of match startup, crash match”

~Condition 2: “on detection of players in lobby, crash match”

~Condition 3: “on detection of player on server, crash match”

ii) there are edited/missing textures or content parts that make the game crash in certain ways: such as the attachment below




B) this method installs bots/programs/other on the server and renders any security obsolete by being embedded within source code

C) certain players become blacklisted and streamers are predominantly sought out and affected so as to make them unable to use the game

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3) The Events Before the Fall

>these events occurred in this order for Titanfall 1 and appear to be more refined for Titanfall 2, grouping some of them together or skipping steps completely…most steps occurred within a month of the previous

1> mild hacking/cheating occurs to test the security and enforcement on the server

2> more major hacking occurs and minor lag onsets

3> more significant lag occurs, often making the minimum ping 2-3x normal values

4>some players tend to lag 4-10x normal with occasional crashing

5> Most players experience step 4, but the entire match is taken down

6> the game is so hacked/broken that unless a match is full you cannot play, but even then there is mild lag

7> the game becomes unplayable as (likely) bot accounts flood the matchmaking and crash anyone who loads the game (although sometimes a solo player could get 2-3 waves into frontier defense on a non-North American server before being found, which indicates that the issue likely started from within North America)

8> the game is unable to allow you to load even the main menu before crashing

##note: this is a more complex and reviewed summary than others I have posted, but all follow the same similar progression##

##note: I am not tech-savvy and am not an expert on any of this, I merely am reporting what I have seen and know from my personal experience with messing the fall of Titanfall 1##

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4) The Aftermath

A) tens of thousands of players cannot enjoy a game they love due to the action of an individual who is at this point holding a petty grudge

B) Two games across any platform have been globally eradicated

C) companies are selling content and add one for games that don’t even work, potentially scamming players if they do not realize or understand the issue before the grace period for returns has expired

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Below are some external links to various clips regarding the issue (not all are perfect or great, but they do pertain/contain information regarding the content):

•From my personal channel (capturing what happend with Titanfall 1):

[mod removed]

•Content from [mod removed] (major Titanfall streamer/host of Titanfall Legends YouTube Channel):

[mod removed]

##Note there are other videos regarding the issue in his channels “Videos” section, but to not flood with links I refrain from adding##

•[mod removed] videos regarding what is known about the issue:

[mod removed]

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•I know there are other videos out there but these are some of the ones I know and trust

!!!!DISCLAIMER: All content is owned by their creators and is linked here to explain and add data to the issue!!!!

!!!!Nota Bene: a few of the links may direct you to my “Liked Videos” playlist. These videos have (at some point) earned my liking due to comedy or information within and are there because of that. One does not Jude an individual by the content of their YouTube playlist but the quality of their character and commitment to honesty!!!!

!!!!Nota Bene: any other content by me regarding this issue is similar enough in content to not require nitpicking scrutiny regarding the issue. The series of events posted here is more accurate than other posts…I do not script my posts or cross-check my information with other posts of mine: I simply type my message and recall from memory what is needed*!!!!

*if you should find a difference that raises a concern, please, let me know and I will explain to you the proper way it is. You do not know best about my thought process and why I wrote what I did in my post, so accept what I explain to you as the truth. I respect your concern towards the conflict discovered and will respond in a manner the same as question wording*

**if you have made it this far without skipping, thank you. I appreciate the interest taken in our plight as a community. I am one person who decided to speak up due to my desire for fair-play and experience with a similar event several years ago**

***I hope and pray that whomever you are, regardless any factor applying to you, have a blessed day and that God may work in your life to make it better in some way, shape, or form…we all need it, even me***

Sincerely,

Adam Malkovich

:)