Retro Battlefront: Revisiting Star Wars Battlefront III
The Outlook for the 'Star Wars Battlefront' Series: updates ahead
Here's the scoop straight from the Hutt's mouth: the urge for another installment of Star Wars Battlefront is back among gamers and enthusiasts. Star Wars: Battlefront II from 2017 has resurfaced, witnessed by its rapidly growing player count on PC, and the community is seizing the moment to beef up the game with a day-long global event.
All this has been sparked by Star Wars' May 4 celebration and Star Wars: Andor star Muhannad Ben Amor's call for another entry: "Born and bred on Battlefront II, been a veteran since day one, let's pray a Battlefront III comes to be."
On its 20-year voyage, the multiplayer shooter series has experienced two lives, with its initial two games released during the prequel era, developed by the late Pandemic Studios, and the latter, secondary set crafted by Battlefield makers, DICE. Neither reached the coveted number three, but there was a moment in time when it almost happened; a Battlefront III for the original series was in the works, developed by several studios including Timesplitters creator Free Radical Design. But that was before Electronic Arts snatched the Star Wars game license from LucasArts, hindering the restart of the games.
LucasArts once made attempts to revive the games, as online-only projects, a smaller scale multiplayer entry, and a fourth game centering on an alternate reality where Obi-Wan and Luke were Sith Lords. But those plans never saw the light of day. And once DICE stopped supporting its Battlefront II in 2020, the sub-series vanished into the galaxy, along with its prospects.
Now, we ponder whether another Star Wars Battlefront can return and if it's worth the effort. It's a tricky question, given the high-stakes history of creating games for this galaxy far, far away. Some of the most legendary Star Wars games are the ones that never happened, such as Boba Fett's 1313 or third entries for Knights of the Old Republic and Force Unleashed. Even EA faced hardships; it ditched a pirate-focused project from Visceral Games and Motive Studios, and recently handed over a Mandalorian-centric first-person shooter at Respawn because, well, let's just say those ideas didn't float their spaceships.
DICE is currently up to its ears in the next Battlefield game, while several other EA studios lend their support, so it's safe to say another Battlefront isn't happening with EA, much less anytime soon. Mats Holm, a former live producer on Battlefront II, recently shared his thoughts on Reddit, advocating a remaster of the previous game before developing a legitimate sequel, preferably with anyone from the previous team willing to join the fray. A remaster would be a decent entry point, but getting past the arduous process of convincing EA to take the plunge might prove challenging.
Since the release of Fallen Order in 2019, Star Wars has been focusing on solo titles like Ubisoft's Star Wars Outlaws and Bit Reactor's Zero Company in 2026. Other than Star Wars Squadrons, EA hasn't dipped its toes into multiplayer again, perhaps because the controversy surrounding Battlefront II's monetization was such a disaster, it left bitter taste in our collective mouths. To this day, only Epic Games' Fortnite has managed to wriggle its way into the hearts and blasters of Star Wars multiplayer enthusiasts, with its recent "Galactic Battle" tie-in event, various in-game skins for franchise characters, and plot-revealing audio logs that hinted at Emperor Palpatine's return in Rise of Skywalker.
Battlefront II once reigned supreme as the epicenter of Star Wars, playing host to characters, locations, and storylines from all three trilogies, Rogue One, and Solo. Since DICE ended support for the game in 2019, Star Wars has found itself entangled in Fortnite's web, along with a lack of the momentum necessary to justify a real Battlefront III happening.
By 2026, The Mandalorian & Grogu and other unnamed Disney projects might find themselves joining Fortnite in a crossover event, like Star Wars: Andor's Lonni Jung, making Star Wars an integral part of the Fortniteverse. So, while hope for a Star Wars Battlefront III may still smolder, it's hard to imagine how it would fit into the evolving narrative and multiplayer landscape of Star Wars. As we navigate this new era in the galaxy, we can only wonder if Battlefront III has a chance at becoming more than a distant dream.
Stay tuned for updates on the latest Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, DC Universe, and anything else that might irk or delight the nerdy community. May the Force (of gaming news) be with you.
Bonus Info:
- Fan demand for Star Wars Battlefront III has spiked in recent weeks, prompting discussions about the feasibility of a new installment.
- A dedicated fan-made mod provides a glimpse of what a hypothetical Battlefront III might look like.
- The success of recent Star Wars games like Jedi: Survivor and Star Wars: Squadrons underscores the franchise's lasting appeal among gamers.
- The resurgence of Star Wars: Battlefront II has sparked discussions among gamers and enthusiasts about the possibility of a new installment, particularly Star Wars Battlefront III.
- Gizmodo, Io9, and other tech-focused sites have been exploring the potential future of Star Wars games, including the potential return of Star Wars Battlefront III.
- The success of recent sports games and the increase in demand for competitive multiplayer experiences have raised questions regarding the viability of a Star Wars Battlefront III in the current gaming landscape.
- While Epic Games' Fortnite has managed to captivate Star Wars multiplayer enthusiasts with its crossover events and Star Wars-themed skins, fan-made mods offer a glimpse into what a hypothetical Star Wars Battlefront III could look like.
