Prospects of 'Star Wars Battlefront' Moving Forward
Hey there! The storm Troopers are at it again – the call for another installment in the classic Star Wars Battlefront series has been echoing loud and clear. The recent surge in players for Battlefront II (2017) and the plea from actor Muhannad Ben Amor, known for his role in Andor, have sparked interest in a global day-long event to revive the game and showcase the enduring spirit of its community.
The Star Wars multiplayer shooter series has had an intriguing history, with two distinct lives. The first two games were crafted by the late Pandemic Studios during the prequel era, while the subsequent pair was handled by the Battlefield creators DICE. Even though neither series reached a third installment, one version came close – a Battlefront III developed by several studios, including the creator of Timesplitters, Free Radical Design. Before Electronic Arts (EA) took over the Star Wars game license, LucasArts attempted a restart, initiating an online-only entry, a smaller scale multiplayer game, and even a fourth game featuring Obi-Wan and Luke as Sith Lords, but none saw the light of day. When DICE put the brakes on Battlefront II in 2020, the series went MIA once more.
The question of whether we'll see a new Star Wars Battlefront and why it's worthwhile to bring it back are intricately linked and challenging to answer. Developing games in the Star Wars universe has been a tough venture at times. Some of the most recognized Star Wars games are those that never came to be, like Boba Fett's 1313 or the third installments for Knights of the Old Republic and Force Unleashed. EA was no exception; it scrapped a project from Visceral Games and Motive Studios and more recently nixed a Mandalorian-centric first-person shooter in development at Respawn.
DICE is currently buckled down on the next Battlefield game, with several other EA studios offering support. This means that another Battlefront game likely wouldn't materialize from EA, let alone in the near future. A former live producer on Battlefront II, Mats Holm, suggested on Reddit that a remaster of the previous game could serve as the first step toward developing a sequel, particularly with the involvement of members from the original team. A remaster would be the perfect starting point, but convincing EA to move forward might be the challenge.
Since 2019's Fallen Order, the Star Wars universe has been focusing mainly on single-player titles, such as Ubisoft's Star Wars Outlaws and 2026's Zero Company from Bit Reactor. Apart from the space combat-focused Star Wars Squadrons, EA hasn't yet shown interest in pursuing Star Wars multiplayer games, possibly due to the controversy surrounding Battlefront II's initial monetization, which was heavily criticized. With Fortnite now playing a dominant role in the Star Wars multiplayer space, thanks to recent tie-ins, one might argue that maybe multiplayer shooters are no longer the right fit for the franchise.
In the past, both versions of Star Wars Battlefront found themselves as the sole homes for the entire Star Wars universe. Battlefront II was marketed as a unification point for all three trilogies, and updates incorporating maps, weapons, and characters from the sequels, prequels, and standalone films like Rogue One and Solo made it a hub for the series. However, since the end of support for Battlefront II in 2019, Star Wars hasn't found consistent momentum that would warrant a legitimate Battlefront III happening.
Whether we'll see a new Star Wars Battlefront or not remains to be seen, but one thing is clear – the franchise is entering a new era with more movies, shows, and the potential for multiple timelines. The emergence of influential franchises like Fortnite and the increasing number of Star Wars titles is creating a web that may make it difficult for another Battlefront game to fit in. If it ever does, only time will tell who will be the ones to bring it to life when online games, regardless of size, often fall into oblivion.
Keep an eye on our updates to know the latest on various franchises such as Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, DC Universe, and Doctor Who. It's going to be a wild ride! ### Why Not Try These?
- Star Wars Outlaws: The upcoming single-player title from Ubisoft Mumbai, focused on Jaxon Hall, the mercenary son of a fallen Empire commander
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- Gizmodo and io9 have been discussing the future of Star Wars technology in entertainment, with a renewed focus on single-player titles like Ubisoft's Star Wars Outlaws and the upcoming Starfighter movie.
- With DICE busy on the next Battlefield game and Electronic Arts (EA) showing little interest in Star Wars multiplayer games, the question of a new Star Wars Battlefront remains unanswered for now.
- Despite the challenges faced in developing games within the Star Wars universe, the franchise's entertainment potential continues to grow with new movies, shows, and even multiple timelines, opening up possibilities for the future of gaming franchises like Star Wars Battlefront.
