A Look Into the Potential Future Developments of 'Star Wars Battlefront' Games
Gamers and Star Wars fans can't help but clamor for a new installment of the epic multiplayer shooter series, Star Wars Battlefront. The renewed interest in Battlefront II from 2017, with its growing player count on PC, has sparked a day-long global event aimed at bringing more players into the fold and highlighting the passionate community.
The excitement revolves around Star Wars actor Muhannad Ben Amor, who starred as Wilmon in Andor, expressing his long-standing love for Battlefront II and expressing hope for a third entry in the series.
Over the years, Battlefront has gone through two distinct lives. The first two games were developed during the Star Wars prequel era by the late Pandemic Studios, while the second set came from Battlefield developers DICE. Regrettably, neither made it to their third iteration, although a Battlefront III for the original series almost came to fruition, with developers like Timesplitters creator Free Radical Design involved. LucasArts attempted to revive the games with an online-only entry, a smaller scale multiplayer game, and a fourth installment that featured Obi-Wan and Luke as Sith Lords, but these ideas never materialized. By 2020, DICE had stopped supporting its Battlefront II, leaving the sub-series in limbo once more.
The questions of whether Star Wars Battlefront can and should return are intertwined and complex to address. Making games in the Star Wars universe can be challenging, and many of the most famous Star Wars games never saw the light of day, such as Boba Fett's 1313 or third entries for Knights of the Old Republic and Force Unleashed. Even EA faced struggles; it canceled a pirate-focused project from Visceral Games and Motive Studios, and more recently scraped a first-person shooter focusing on a Mandalorian being developed over at Respawn.
Currently, DICE is fully focused on the next Battlefield game, with several other EA studios providing support. This means another Battlefront game is highly unlikely to come from EA, let alone in the near future. In a Reddit discussion, Mats Holm, a former live producer on Battlefront II, suggested that a remaster of the previous game would be a practical "in" before working on a proper sequel, preferably with key members of the original team. However, the issue with a possible remaster lies with EA— while the Pandemic-made Battlefront games have been remastered, their decision on what to remaster or remake is highly selective.
Recent years have seen Star Wars practicing a primarily single-player approach, with titles like Fallen Order, Star Wars Outlaws, and Zero Company from Bit Reactor. Besides Star Wars Squadrons, EA hasn't recommitted to multiplayer games in the franchise, possibly due to the backlash against the initial monetization model of Battlefront II, which was heavily criticized. Furthermore, Fortnite's recent "Galactic Battle" tie-in event, in-game skins for various characters, and plot-revealing audio log in Rise of Skywalker have solidified its status as the most important multiplayer shooter in the Star Wars universe.
In a time when multiplayer games, regardless of size, can easily fall by the wayside, it remains to be seen whether a Star Wars Battlefront III can find a place within the franchise's designs, and if it will find willing developers to bring it to life.
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Can There Be a Star Wars Battlefront III Game?
While no official information about a Star Wars Battlefront III has been announced, the possibility remains due to fan demand and past discussions. However, financial viability and licensing costs have historically posed challenges in developing these games.
Challenges and Financial Viability
High licensing fees for Star Wars properties can hinder the financial success of games, requiring them to sell a significant number of copies to break even compared to non-licensed titles. This has led to a shift in focus by publishers like EA away from licensed properties.
Potential Developers and Outlook
If a Star Wars Battlefront III were to be developed, DICE could potentially re-consider the project after completing their current projects. However, past rejections indicate that significant changes in the licensing or business environment would be required to make such a game happen. Other developers could also take on the project, but no clear indicators currently point towards these plans.
In conclusion, while the possibility of a Star Wars Battlefront III game exists, licensing issues and financial viability concerns persist. The situation remains uncertain, with no official announcements or concrete plans from developers or publishers.
- Despite the absence of official information, the possibility of a Star Wars Battlefront III game persists due to fan demand and past discussions.
- Financial viability and high licensing costs for Star Wars properties have historically posed challenges in developing these games, requiring them to sell a significant number of copies to break even compared to non-licensed titles.
- If a Star Wars Battlefront III were to be developed, DICE could potentially re-consider the project after completing their current projects. However, past rejections indicate that significant changes in the licensing or business environment would be required to make such a game happen.
