Electronic Arts has confirmed that Star Wars Battlefront 3 is in development, a piece of positive news for fans coming at a tumultuous time for the company. EA recently closed down its RPG studio BioWare and canceled its new Mass Effect title as part of a larger layoff impacting 3% of its global workforce, following its acquisition by a consortium including Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners.
Development of Battlefront 3
According to Variety, EA executives confirmed that the company is experiencing success with its live-service shooters, including the Battlefield franchise. In a move to leverage this success, EA is bringing together its Respawn and DICE studios to collaborate on a future project. Multiple sources have indicated to Variety that this project is indeed Star Wars Battlefront 3, developed for Lucasfilm Games. This development appears to counter previous rumors that Bungie, known for the Destiny series, would be taking over the Battlefront mantle. DICE has historically managed the modern Star Wars Battlefront titles.
The original Star Wars Battlefront 2, released by DICE in 2017, featured a single-player campaign and multiplayer battles across various Star Wars eras. While the game initially faced criticism for its pay-to-win mechanics, subsequent updates improved its reception. The title has seen a resurgence in player interest, partly fueled by community efforts and the success of series like Andor, leading to speculation about a potential sequel.
With Respawn, developers of Apex Legends, now contributing to the Battlefront series alongside DICE, the future of the franchise holds potential for new eras and gameplay experiences from the Star Wars universe. The specifics of which eras, such as The High Republic or Dawn of the Jedi, might be included in the new game remain to be seen. The original Star Wars Battlefront 2 from Pandemic Studios and LucasArts was released in 2005.
