The Prospect of 'Star Wars Battlefront' Moving Forward
Gamers and Star Wars enthusiasts have been clamoring for a new Star Wars Battlefront game, with Battlefront II seeing a resurgence in popularity lately. This renewed interest has led to a global event aiming to boost players and showcase the community's enduring spirit, fueled by Star Wars day and Andor star Muhannad Ben Amor's call for another installment.
Over almost 20 years, the multiplayer shooter series has had a rollercoaster ride. Its initial games were developed during the prequel era by Pandemic Studios, while the more recent pair came from Battlefield developer DICE. Despite never reaching a third game, a Battlefront III was nearly in development, with Timesplitters creator Free Radical Design involved. However, LucasArts' efforts to restart the games, including online-only entries, a smaller-scale multiplayer game, and an alternate reality game featuring Sith Lords Obi-Wan and Luke, never came to fruition.
The debate on whether a new Star Wars Battlefront is possible and worthwhile is complex. Developing games for this intellectual property has had its challenges over the years. Some of the most notable Star Wars games were never realized, like 1313 starring Boba Fett or third entries for Knights of the Old Republic and Force Unleashed. Even Electronic Arts, which currently holds the game license, has faced troubles, canceling projects from Visceral Games and Motive Studios, and more recently shutting down a first-person shooter based on a Mandalorian from Respawn.
At present, DICE is wholly focused on the next Battlefield game, with other EA studios providing support, making a new Battlefront unlikely, let alone soon. A former live producer on Battlefront II, Mats Holm, suggested a remaster of the previous game as a stepping stone for developing a proper sequel, ideally with members from the original team joining forces. However, the problem lies with EA; while Pandemic-made Battlefront games have been remastered, the publisher may not be open to remastering or remaking every game.
Since 2019's Fallen Order, Star Wars has primarily focused on single-player titles like Star Wars Outlaws from Ubisoft and 2026's Zero Company from Bit Reactor. The space combat-focused Star Wars Squadrons remains the only exception. EA might have halted multiplayer development due to the disastrous and heavily criticized monetization of Battlefront II or because Fortnite has become the franchise's most crucial multiplayer shooter, thanks to recent tie-ins, in-game skins, and plot-relevant audio logs.
Past versions of Star Wars Battlefront existed during a time when they could be the franchise's sole hub. Battlefront II marketed itself as a unifying point for all three trilogies and later incorporated content from the sequels, prequels, Rogue One, and Solo. Since DICE ended support for the game in 2019, Star Wars hasn't seen consistent momentum that would justify a real Battlefront III.
In 2026, The Mandalorian & Grogu and upcoming Disney+ series like Maul: Shadow Lord and the 2027 Starfighter film might receive Fortnite tie-ins, trapping Star Wars within Epic Games' web, and it's unlikely Disney will terminate that partnership anytime soon.
Although hopes for a Battlefront III may never die, the odds are stacked against it given the franchise's new phase and the rapidly changing landscape of online games. As Star Wars explores new epochs, it remains to be seen if a new Battlefront could find a place within the franchise's grand designs.
- In the midst of a global event celebrating Star Wars and the community's enduring spirit, io9, Gizmodo, and other tech-focused platforms might discuss the complexity of developing a new Star Wars Battlefront game, given the series' historical challenges and EA's current focus on single-player titles.
- Despite the renewed interest in the multiplayer shooter series, such as Battlefront II and the call for another installment by Andor star Muhannad Ben Amor, the rapid pace of technology and the ever-evolving gaming landscape could pose significant obstacles for a new Battlefront III, especially with Fortnite's strong presence in the Star Wars multiplayer sector.
- Future games set in the Star Wars universe, like the upcoming Disney+ series Maul: Shadow Lord, The Mandalorian & Grogu, and the 2027 Starfighter film, may find their way into the Fortnite universe, which could potentially prevent the development of a new Battlefront game, as Epic Games could effectively trap Star Wars within its web, making a Battlefront III an increasingly remote prospect.
