The Potential Evolution of 'Star Wars Battlefront' Series
Gaming enthusiasts and Star Wars fanatics have been buzzing about a potential return of Star Wars Battlefront. The recent surge of interest in DICE's Battlefront II, with an increasing player count on PC, has sparked discussions about a global event to amplify its presence and showcase the enthusiasm of the Battlefront community.
This excitement was sparked by Andor's Muhannad Ben Amor, who played Wilmon, expressing his desire for another entry in the series. Over the past two decades, the multiplayer shooter franchise has had two major lifetimes, with Star Wars Battlefront I and II coming from the late Pandemic Studios during the prequel era, while DICE took the helm for the more recent iterations.
Despite never making it to number three for either version, a Battlefront III was almost a reality. Free Radical Design, creators of Timesplitters, were once involved in its development. However, LucasArts' attempts to revive the series with an online-only entry, a smaller multiplayer title, and an alternate reality game featuring Obi-Wan and Luke as Sith Lords never bore fruit. When DICE ceased support for Battlefront II in 2020, the series once again vanished.
Whether Star Wars Battlefront can make a comeback and why it should is a complex question. Developing games for this iconic property can be challenging, as evidenced by the many famous Star Wars games that never saw the light of day, such as the Boba Fett-starring 1313 or third entries for Knights of the Old Republic and Force Unleashed. Even EA faced difficulties, scrapping a pirate-focused project from Visceral Games and Motive Studios, and more recently, a Mandalorian-centered first-person shooter from Respawn.
Currently, DICE is fully committed to the next Battlefield, with several other EA studios offering aid. Given these circumstances, another Battlefront game from EA seems highly unlikely, let alone anytime soon. A former Battlefront II live producer, Mats Holm, suggested a remaster of the previous game as a bridge before developing a sequel, ideally with members of the previous team. However, the issue lies with EA, as they may not be as selective with remasters and remakes as other publishers.
Since 2019's Fallen Order, Star Wars has primarily focused on single-player titles, such as Ubisoft's Star Wars Outlaws and 2026's Zero Company from Bit Reactor. Multiplayer has taken a backseat, possibly due to the backlash over Battlefront II's initial monetization. Now, Fortnite, with its recent Galactic Battle tie-in event, numerous Star Wars character skins, and plot-critical audio logs revealing Palpatine's return, has become the franchise's most significant multiplayer shooter.
The previous versions of Star Wars Battlefront thrived in an era where they were the primary hub for all things Star Wars. Battlefront II was even marketed as a unification point for all three trilogies, and post-launch updates incorporated elements from the sequels, prequels, Rogue One, and Solo. However, since DICE ended support for Battlefront II in 2019, Star Wars hasn't consistently gathered momentum that would justify a real Battlefront III.
By 2026, The Mandalorian and Grogu will likely have a Fortnite tie-in, as will Disney+'s Maul: Shadow Lord and the 2027 Starfighter film. It seems Star Wars has become ensnared in the web of Epic Games, and it's doubtful Disney will sever this partnership anytime soon. Despite the hopes of a Battlefront III, the odds appear stacked against it, as Star Wars enters a new phase of its life, aiming to explore post-sequel periods and bring more movies and shows. It remains to be seen how a Battlefront III would fit into this new era and who might be left to develop it as online games, regardless of their scale, are quickly abandoned.
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- Tech publications like io9 and Gizmodo continue to cover the discussions about a potential return of Star Wars Battlefront, as gaming enthusiasts and Star Wars fanatics express their enthusiasm for the multiplayer shooter franchise.
- As the future of Star Wars multiplayer games seems to lean towards Fortnite, with upcoming tie-ins for The Mandalorian and other upcoming Star Wars productions, questions arise about whether there is still room for a third installment of Star Wars Battlefront in the entertainment landscape.
- Games like Star Wars Battlefront, with their immersive and extensive storylines, showcase the potential power of technology to bring beloved properties like Star Wars to life, sparking excitement and fostering a dedicated community of players.
