The Outlook Regarding the Continuation of 'Star Wars Battlefront' series
Gamers and Star Wars enthusiasts are buzzing about the prospect of another Star Wars Battlefront game, with conversations reaching a fever pitch thanks to recent encouragement from actors and the renewed popularity of DICE's Battlefront II. May 4th, known as Star Wars Day, and Andor star Muhannad Ben Amor's (Wilmon) call for another entry in the series has sparked a global day-long event aimed at rallying players and showcasing the enduring spirit of the Battlefront community.
Almost 20 years since its inception, the multiplayer shooter series has seen two lives, with the first two games produced during the Star Wars prequel era by the late Pandemic Studios, and the second, more recent pair coming from Battlefield developer DICE. Regrettably, neither version has made it to Battlefront III, although one nearly did; an unrealized Battlefront III, developed by several studios including Timesplitters creator Free Radical Design, was abandoned before Electronic Arts (EA) took control over the Star Wars game license.
In an attempt to revitalize the series, LucasArts experimented with online-only entries, a smaller-scale multiplayer game, and an alternate reality game where Obi-Wan and Luke were Sith Lords. However, nothing ever came of these attempts, and with DICE halting support for Battlefront II in 2020, the sub-series disappeared once again.
Determining whether a Star Wars Battlefront game can return and why it should is no easy task, as creating games based on the Star Wars property has been a challenging endeavor over the years. Some of the franchise's most promising games have never seen the light of day, like the Boba Fett-starring 1313 and third installments for Knights of the Old Republic and Force Unleashed. Even EA had its fair share of setbacks; the pirate-focused project from Visceral Games and Motive Studios was canceled, and more recently, a first-person shooter centered on a Mandalorian was cut from Respawn, the creators of the critically acclaimed Star Wars Jedi games.
Currently, DICE is fully committed to developing the next Battlefield installment, and several other EA studios are on hand as support, making it highly unlikely that another Battlefront game would come from EA any time soon. Mats Holm, former live producer on Battlefront II, suggested a remaster of the previous game as a viable starting point before developing a sequel, with the ideal team comprising members from the original squad who were keen to work on it. However, any such remaster would be at the discretion of EA, which chooses to remaster or remake projects more sparingly compared to other publishers.
Since the release of 2019's Fallen Order, Star Wars has primarily focused on single-player titles, with Ubisoft's Star Wars Outlaws and Bit Reactor's 2026 Zero Company among the upcoming releases. Apart from the space combat-focused Star Wars Squadrons, EA hasn't shown much interest in recommitting to Star Wars multiplayer games, possibly due to the negative backlash surrounding Battlefront II's original monetization strategy.
In the meantime, Fortnite and its outstanding Battle royal gameplay have become the most significant Star Wars multiplayer shooter, thanks to collaborations like the Galactic Battle event and numerous in-game skins for franchise characters, as well as plot-relevant audio logs that hint at Palpatine's return in Rise of Skywalker.
Initial excitement for a Star Wars Battlefront III may have waned since its original inception, but the franchise's expanding universe with new movies and shows promises fresh opportunities for a potential sequel. Will online games, even those with massive followings like Battlefront II, still find a place in the ever-evolving Star Wars universe? Only time will tell.
Meanwhile, keep up with the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, updates on the DC Universe, and all things Doctor Who right here at io9!
Fun Fact:fans have developed a fan-made Star Wars Battlefront III "alpha" mod, showcasing the community's passion for the series. Despite the mod not being official, it demonstrates the desire for a return to the Battlefront universe.
IO9staff continues to cover Star Wars news, including the fervor surrounding the potential return of a Star Wars Battlefront game, fueled by Star Wars Day celebrations and actor Muhannad Ben Amor's call for a new entry.
Before Electronic Arts (EA) took control over the Star Wars game license, there were plans for unrealized games, such as an abandoned Battlefront III that involved reputable studios like Free Radical Design.
Passionate fans have taken matters into their own hands and developed a fan-made Star Wars Battlefront III "alpha" mod, demonstrating the ongoing desire for a return to the Battlefront universe, even if it's not officially recognized.
