The Prospect of 'Star Wars Battlefront''s Journey Ahead
Gamers and Star Wars enthusiasts have been clamoring for a new installment of the iconic Star Wars Battlefront series, with the recent surge in popularity of DICE's Battlefront II renewing interest in the game. Actors like Andor's Muhannad Ben Amor have fueled these desires, begging for a Battlefront III on social media.
The Star Wars multiplayer shooter series has seen two lives, with its first two games developed by Pandemic Studios and the newer iterations coming from Battlefield developer DICE. Though neither version has reached number three, a Battlefront III was almost in development from various studios, including the creators of Timesplitters, Free Radical Design. Sadly, LucasArts' attempts to reboot the games, including an online-only entry, a smaller-scale multiplayer game, and a fourth installment featuring Obi-Wan and Luke as Sith Lords, never came to fruition.
The questions of whether a new Star Wars Battlefront game is feasible and if it's worth creating are complex and challenging to answer. Crafting games based on the Star Wars property has sometimes been a challenging endeavor throughout the years. Many famous Star Wars games were ideas 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 Electronic Arts, the publisher responsible for the recent Star Wars games, has faced difficulties, canceling projects like a pirate-focused game from Visceral Games and Motive Studios, and more recently killing a first-person shooter based on a Mandalorian that was in development at Respawn.
Currently, DICE is wholly invested in the next Battlefield game, and several other EA studios are occupied with other projects. As a result, another Battlefront title from EA is not a realistic prospect at the moment, let alone in the near future. Former Battlefront II live producer Mats Holm has suggested a remaster of the original game as a potential stepping stone before developing a proper sequel, with the help of the original team if possible. Yet, Electronic Arts may have reservations about remastering or remaking the Pandemic-made Battlefront games.
Since 2019's Fallen Order, Star Wars has primarily focused on single-player titles, with projects like Ubisoft's Star Wars Outlaws and 2026's Zero Company from Bit Reactor in the works. The only exception is Star Wars Squadrons, but EA has yet to commit to a new Star Wars multiplayer game due to the controversy surrounding Battlefront II's initial monetization, which was heavily criticized. In contrast, Epic Games' Fortnite has become the most important multiplayer shooter in the franchise with its "Galactic Battle" tie-in event, numerous in-game skins, and the plot-important audio log that hints at Palpatine's return in Rise of Skywalker.
The previous iterations of Star Wars Battlefront thrived at a time where they were the primary hub for all things Star Wars. Battlefront II was marketed as a unifying point for all three trilogies, and as part of the game's rehabilitation efforts, DICE added content from the sequels, prequels, Rogue One, and Solo. Ever since DICE ceased support for Battlefront II in 2019, the franchise hasn't made consistent progress that would justify a real Battlefront III.
Following the success of The Mandalorian and Baby Yoda, it's likely that Fortnite will feature tie-ins with future Disney+ series like Maul: Shadow Hunter and the 2027 Starfighter film. As Star Wars delves deeper into a new era, it's uncertain how a Battlefront III would fit into the franchise or who will develop it at a time when online games efficiently come and go.
As we eagerly await upcoming Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, keep an eye on the latest developments in the DC Universe on film and TV and the future of Doctor Who.
[1] Polygon (2020). "Star Wars Battlefront 2 remaster wanted, says former DICE live producer Mats Holm". Retrieved from[2] IGN (2022). "Star Wars Battlefront 3 News: New Game Not on EA's Radar, According to DICE Exec". Retrieved from[3] GameSpot (2020). "Star Wars Battlefront 2 Will Reportedly Get a Remaster on Next-Gen Consoles". Retrieved from[4] Star Wars Battlefront 2 Modding Community. Accessed 2023-04-15.[5] 4gamer.net (2020). "Star Wars: Battlefront 2" post-launch support may have seen cuts due to controversy over microtransactions. Retrieved from
[1] The former live producer of Star Wars Battlefront II, Mats Holm, expressed a desire for a remaster of the original game to potentially pave the way for a proper sequel. [2] However, a new Star Wars Battlefront III is not currently on Electronic Arts' radar, according to a DICE executive. [3] There have been rumors of a remaster of Star Wars Battlefront II for next-generation consoles. [4] The modding community for Star Wars Battlefront II continues to create and release new mods for the game. [5] Post-launch support for Star Wars Battlefront II may have been reduced due to controversy over microtransactions.
