Days in the past, avid gamers and Star Wars followers began voicing their desire for one more Star Wars Battlefront recreation. DICE’s Battlefront II from 2017 has obtained an additional surge of consideration as of late; its participant rely is rising on PC, and the neighborhood goals to capitalize on the renewed recognition with a day-long global event to extend its numbers “and showcase the enduring spirit of the Battlefront neighborhood.”
This has all been spurred by Star Wars’ Might 4 vacation and Andor star Muhannad Ben Amor (who performed Wilmon) just lately calling for one more entry: “Grew up with Battlefront II; been a veteran since day one, let’s hope a Battlefront III occurs.”
Over practically 20 years, the multiplayer shooter collection has had two lives. Its first two games had been launched throughout the Star Wars prequel period and made by the late Pandemic Studios, whereas the second, more moderen pair come from Battlefield developer DICE. Neither have made it to quantity three, however one model practically occurred; a Battlefront III for the unique collection was in improvement from a number of builders, together with Timesplitters creator Free Radical Design. Earlier than EA took maintain of the Star Wars recreation license, LucasArts tried restarting the video games with an online-only entry, a smaller scale multiplayer entry, and a fourth recreation set in an alternate actuality the place Obi-Wan and Luke were Sith Lords, however nothing got here of those efforts. As soon as DICE stopped supporting its Battlefront II in 2020, the sub-series was as soon as once more MIA.
The questions of whether or not Star Wars Battlefront can come again—and why it ought to be introduced again—are intently linked, and difficult to reply. Making video games for this property has often been a troublesome ask all through the years. A few of the most well-known Star Wars video games are those that never happened, just like the Boba Fett-starring 1313 or third entries for Knights of the Outdated Republic and Pressure Unleashed, two sub-series that existed alongside Battlefront. Even EA’s had its troubles; it canceled a pirate-focused venture from Visceral Games and Motive Studios, and extra just lately killed a first-person shooter centered on a Mandalorian that was within the works over at Respawn, creators of the acclaimed Star Wars Jedi video games.
DICE is presently targeted totally on the next Battlefield recreation and several other different EA studios are available as assist, which means one other Battlefront couldn’t fairly come from EA, not to mention any time quickly. Mats Holm, a former reside producer on Battlefront II, just lately mentioned as such on Reddit, as an alternative suggesting a remaster of the earlier recreation as a primer earlier than growing a correct sequel, ideally with anybody from the previous team who wished to work on it. Stated remaster could be one of the best potential “in,” however the issue there lies with EA: whereas the Pandemic-made Battlefront games have been remastered, Digital Arts might be extra selective than different publishers with what it chooses to remaster or remake.
Since 2019’s Fallen Order, Star Wars has saved its online game eye largely targeted on single-player titles, together with Ubisoft’s Star Wars Outlaws and 2026’s Zero Firm from Bit Reactor. Aside from the area combat-focused Star Wars Squadrons, EA’s but to recommit to Star Wars multiplayer, probably as a result of the controversy round Battlefront II’s preliminary monetization was so disastrous and closely criticized, it’s the rationale why the writer’s now not the one one that may create licensed video games for the franchise. After which there’s Fortnite: due to the latest “Galactic Battle” tie-in occasion, quite a few in-game skins for a number of franchise characters, and the plot-important audio log that reveals Palpatine somehow returned for Rise of Skywalker, Epic Video games’ battle royale has turn into an important multiplayer shooter the franchise might have.
Each earlier incarnations of Star Wars Battlefront existed at a time the place they may very well be the one place the place all the franchise might exist. Battlefront II was already marketed as a unification level for all three trilogies, and as a part of the sport’s rehabilitation efforts, DICE poured every thing it had after which some into post-launch updates that included maps, weapons, and characters from the sequels and prequels, Rogue One, and Solo. Within the time since DICE ended assist for the sport in 2019, Star Wars hasn’t simply discovered itself linked to Fortnite, it’s additionally not made constant momentum that might assist justify an actual Battlefront III taking place.
Come 2026, The Mandalorian & Grogu will doubtless get a Fortnite tie-in of some sort, as will the Disney+ collection Maul: Shadow Lord and the 2027 Starfighter movie. Like Andor’s Lonni Jung, Star Wars has turn into trapped in the web of Epic Games, and it’s uncertain Disney will stop that partnership anytime quickly.
Hope for a Star Wars Battlefront III might by no means really die, regardless of how a lot the percentages are stacked towards it. However as Star Wars enters a brand new section of its life that guarantees extra motion pictures and exhibits, and hopes to discover a time throughout and after the sequels, one has to surprise how it will match into the franchise’s designs, and who will probably be round for it at a time when on-line video games, no matter their measurement, are fast to be solid apart.
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