The Outlook on the Continuation of 'Star Wars Battlefront' Series
Gamers and Star Wars fanatics have been clamoring for a new installment of the iconic shooter series, Star Wars Battlefront. The recent surge in popularity of Star Wars Battlefront II from 2017, with a growing player count on PC, has fueled the community's hopes for a day-long global event. This resurgence in interest is in part due to Andor star Muhannad Ben Amor's public plea for a third game in the series.
Over nearly two decades, the Star Wars Battlefront franchise has had two lives. The original pair, developed by Pandemic Studios during the prequel era, contrast with the more recent entries from Battlefield developer DICE. Unfortunately, neither has made it to number three. A third game for the original series came close; several developers, including Timesplitters creator Free Radical Design, were working on it. However, before Electronic Arts (EA) took control of the Star Wars game license, LucasArts attempted to restart the series with an online-only entry, a smaller-scale multiplayer title, and a fourth game set in an alternate reality where Obi-Wan and Luke were Sith Lords. None of these efforts bore fruit.
The questions of whether Star Wars Battlefront can return and if it should are intertwined, and answering them is tricky. Developing games with the Star Wars license can be challenging, as some of the most famous games that never occurred, such as the Boba Fett-starring 1313 or third entries for Knights of the Old Republic and Force Unleashed, attest. Even EA's had its struggles; it canceled a pirate-focused project from Visceral Games and Motive Studios, and a more recent first-person shooter centered on a Mandalorian from Respawn was also scrapped.
Currently, DICE is wholly focused on the next Battlefield game, with several other EA studios offering support. Therefore, another Battlefront couldn't realistically come from EA, let alone soon. Mats Holm, a former live producer on Battlefront II, has suggested a remaster of the previous game as a precursor to a proper sequel, with former team members involved if possible. However, whether EA chooses to remaster prior Battlefront games is uncertain.
Since 2019, Star Wars has mainly focused on single-player titles, such as Fallen Order and Star Wars Outlaws. Apart from the space combat-focused Squadrons, EA has yet to recommit to Star Wars multiplayer games. The controversy surrounding Battlefront II's initial monetization has left a lasting impact, which may be why the publisher is hesitant to reenter the multiplayer market for the franchise. Additionally, the success of Fortnite, which has become a significant player in the multiplayer shooter genre for Star Wars, may also be deterring EA.
Both previous Star Wars Battlefront games existed at a time when they could be the sole Star Wars experience. Battlefront II was marketed as a unification point for all three trilogies, and post-launch updates incorporated maps, weapons, and characters from the sequels, prequels, Rogue One, and Solo, keeping the game relevant to current Star Wars media releases. However, the decline in player numbers since DICE ended support for the game in 2019 and the success of Fortnite with its Galactic Battle tie-in event and numerous in-game skins for franchise characters indicate a different future for Star Wars multiplayer games.
Despite the challenges, the hope for a Star Wars Battlefront III remains alive. However, as Star Wars enters a new phase with more movies and shows planned, it's uncertain whether a new Battlefront game would fit into the franchise's vision, and it's unclear who would be involved in its development at a time when online games, regardless of their size, are often cast aside.
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- Gizmodo has reported on the ongoing community hopes for a third installment of the Star Wars Battlefront series, inspired by Muhannad Ben Amor's public plea and the resurgence of interest following thepopularity of Star Wars Battlefront II from 2017.
- In the realm of technology and entertainment, discussions about the future of Star Wars Battlefront and whether it should return are complex, with the history of challenging game developments under the Star Wars license serving as a reminder.
- While the io9 platform covers a wide range of speculative fiction, including Star Wars, it remains unclear whether a new Star Wars Battlefront game would align with the franchise's future vision, or if any development studio would be tasked with its creation at a time when online games often take a backseat.
