Predicting the Course of 'Star Wars Battlefront' in the Coming Days
Star Wars Battlefront III: A Potential Revival in Doubt
Gamers and Star Wars enthusiasts have been vocalizing their desire for a new installment of the popular Star Wars Battlefront series. The unexpected influx of attention towards DICE's 2017 release, Battlefront II, has sparked discussions about a possible global day-long event to boost its player count and showcase the resilience of the Battlefront community [1].
The renewed interest in Battlefront II comes as a response to the Star Wars holiday on May 4 and actor Muhannad Ben Amor's (who played Wilmon in Andor) call for another entry. He expressed his long-time affection for the franchise, stating, "Grew up with Battlefront II; been a veteran since day one, let's hope a Battlefront III happens" [1].
Over nearly two decades, the multiplayer shooter series has had two distinct lives. The first two games were launched during the Star Wars prequel era and developed by Pandemic Studios, while the second, newer games were created by DICE. Despite multiple attempts, neither series has reached the third instalment. A Battlefront III for the original series was in development with various studios, including Timesplitters creator Free Radical Design. However, Electronic Arts (EA) took control of the Star Wars game license, and plans to restart the games fell through due to various reasons, including an online-only entry, smaller multiplayer titles, and an alternate reality game featuring Obi-Wan and Luke as Sith Lords [2].
The prospect of a Battlefront III revival and the reasons for such a move are interconnected and provide a complex answer. Developing games for this property has had its challenges throughout the years due to various cancellations of highly anticipated titles, like the Boba Fett-starring 1313 and third entries for Knights of the Old Republic and Force Unleashed [2].
EA's troubles are not limited to these cancellations. It axed a pirate-focused project from Visceral Games and Motive Studios and recently terminated a Mandalorian-centered first-person shooter in progress at Respawn [2]. As of now, DICE is solely committed to the development of the next Battlefield game, leaving little room for another Battlefront within the EA family [4].
A potential solution to this situation, suggested by a former live producer of Battlefront II, is the remastering of the previous game as a precursor to a well-timed sequel, preferably helmed by members of the original team. However, EA's decision to remaster or remake games is more selective compared to other publishers, which may pose problems in realizing this idea [4].
Since the release of 2019's Fallen Order, Star Wars has primarily focused on single-player titles, with Ubisoft's Star Wars Outlaws and 2026's Zero Company from Bit Reactor as notable examples. Besides the space combat-centric Star Wars Squadrons, EA has yet to reaffirm its commitment to Star Wars multiplayer, which might be due to the disastrous backlash over the initial monetization of Battlefront II or the influential role of Fortnite in the franchise's multiplayer scene [3].
With Battlefront II having already integrated maps, weapons, and characters from all three trilogies and spin-off films, it once served as a unifying point for the entire Star Wars universe. However, since DICE ceased support for the game in 2019, its emphasis has shifted to Fortnite, which currently occupies an essential position as the most significant multiplayer shooter the franchise could have [3].
As Star Wars embarks on a new phase, promising more movies and shows, it remains to be seen how a new Battlefront III would fit into the franchise's plans, and if the right team will be available when online games are increasingly being put aside [3]. Fans must contemplate alternative video game offerings within the Star Wars universe while they await clarification on the future of Star Wars Battlefront III.
Sources:[1] Kotaku (2023)[2] Gamespot (2021)[3] IGN (2022)[4] Eurogamer (2023)[5] Game Informer (2023)
- The renewed interest in Battlefront II by gamers and Star Wars enthusiasts has led to discussions about potential global day-long events for multiplayer shooters, such as a Star Wars Battlefront III.
- Despite multiple attempts, neither the original Battlefront series nor the new series has reached a third installment, with Timesplitters creator Free Radical Design having worked on a Battlefront III for the original series.
- With the release of Star Wars Squadrons, EA has primarily focused on single-player titles for the franchise, leaving the future of multiplayer Star Wars games like Star Wars Battlefront III uncertain.
- As the Star Wars universe expands into movies and shows, it remains to be seen if a new Battlefront III will fit into its plans, with players contemplating alternative video game offerings within the franchise.
