Ryan M. Lastimosa, the 3D artist who shaped much of the look of Titanfall and later served as 3D art director on Apex Legends, is back at Respawn Entertainment. He is returning as Franchise Art Director after spending about three years working elsewhere.
Quick answer: Lastimosa confirmed the move himself, saying he is rejoining Respawn as Franchise Art Director and signing off with a nod to Apex Legends, which points to work on the battle royale rather than a new Titanfall game.
What Lastimosa announced
Lastimosa shared the news directly on X, telling followers he was proud to return to Respawn as Franchise Art Director. He described being “back home” to work on a franchise that means a lot to him, and closed with “See you on the Frontier, Legends!”
That sign-off is worth reading carefully. “Legends” is the term Apex uses for its playable characters, so the phrasing lines up with continued work on Apex Legends rather than a jump to something new.
Why this isn’t a Titanfall 3 hint
Any Respawn news tends to spark hope for a third Titanfall game, and this return was no different. But the Apex-flavored wording makes a battle royale role the most likely reading of the announcement.
There had been talk of a single-player game set in the Titanfall universe entering development. That project was reportedly canceled back in 2023, so a mainline Titanfall follow-up remains unconfirmed.
Who Ryan Lastimosa is
Lastimosa built a long career in visual effects and games before this return. In the early 2000s he worked on 3D modeling and effects for films including Batman Begins and I, Robot.
He then joined Infinity Ward, where he contributed artwork, animation, design, VFX, UI elements, and concept art across Call of Duty entries such as Modern Warfare and Modern Warfare 2. He left in 2010 as part of the Infinity Ward departures that led several Call of Duty veterans to found Respawn Entertainment.
At Respawn he stayed for 13 years and designed many of Titanfall’s signature weapons. His work included the Spitfire MK2 light machine gun, the Alternator SMG, the Charge Rifle, the EVA-8 shotgun, and the AAP15 auto pistol. His influence went far enough that an in-game armory was named after him.
Where he worked during the three-year gap
After leaving Respawn in 2023, Lastimosa moved through several roles before coming back. The table below lays out that stretch of his career.
| Studio | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sentinel Games | Founder | His own team, where he worked for just over a year |
| Secret Weapon Unicorn | Art director and consultant | Took on the role after Sentinel Games |
| Devoted Studios | Studio art director | His most recent role before rejoining Respawn |
For now, the clearest signal from Lastimosa’s own words is continued support for Apex Legends in his new Franchise Art Director role. Whether that ever leads back toward Titanfall is not something Respawn has confirmed.