Apex Legends Octane was Inspired by an Explosive Titanfall 2 Speedrun
Respawn recently launched Apex Legends Season 1, and with it, introduced the first new Legend to the game; Octane, an adrenaline junkie with a major emphasis on speed and leaping across the map. Shortly after the character trailer was released, which featured some details of Octane’s backstory, fans noticed that the character appears to have been inspired by a record-breaking Titanfall 2 speedrun.
Apex Legends Octane Inspired by Cash Mayo’s Titanfall 2 Speedrun
The speedrun in question was performed by Cash Mayo; a speedrun which broke (and still holds) the record for completing the Titanfall 2 Gauntlet in an incredible 12 seconds. Cash Mayo was able to do this by using well-placed grenades to boost their own velocity to an amazing speed. Check out their 12-second run in the video below. The official bio for Octane states that; “he decided to set the course record for a nearby Gauntlet by launching himself across the finish line – using a grenade.”
In fact, Octane’s character trailer also makes reference to this event; “Twenty-four hours after riding a grenade blast to beat the Gauntlet speed record,” says the narrator; “Octavio Silva awoke with brand-new robotic legs, and thus, Octane was born.”
In fact, there’s clear evidence that Respawn was inspired by Cash Mayo’s run when designing Octane. 12 seconds into the trailer, an annotation appears in the top-right corner which reads; “What is the gauntlet?” This annotation links directly to the video of Cash Mayo’s speedrun. The speedrunner in question has since responded to the discovery on Reddit, stating; “Sneaky little mention there. Respawn is clever. Wait, the gauntlet is a VR simulation. So how’d he really lose his legs? Sounds like a cover-up… WAIT. Respawn actually linked to my gauntlet run in their ‘Meet Octane’ video. YOOOO, in shock.”
Certainly, this is a great way for Respawn to show appreciation towards their fanbase. It’s also a nice nod to the Titanfall franchise’s past, and the many gamers who enjoyed Titanfall 2.