I realise I might go on about the Star Wars Battlefront games way more than I should, but why can’t I? It’s the only shooter game I am most interested in, as goes for the 28,000 + people that like the page Who Else Wants Star Wars Battlefront III [now The Star Wars Hub]. The question on that page is what makes me post this.
“So what would you rather want? The 2008/9 Pre-Alpha version of Star Wars Battlefront III finished and released or for Star Wars Battlefront III to be rebooted from scratch for the Next Generation era?”
As everyone knows, Star Wars Battlefront III was meant to come out ages ago. It then got caught up in setbacks and financial difficulties as the management of LucasArts changed. Free Radical were counting on this game to get them out of the difficulties they were in, and the new management of LucasArts kept rearranging deadline dates and demanding results, to the end that Free Radical eventually called for administration at the losses they had with Battlefront III.
The obvious successor was Pandemic Studios, who had produced the first two Battlefront games to critical acclaim. Rebellion Developments were also shortlisted, having produced Renegade Squadron, a spin-off to the main series exclusive to PSP, and released it the year before. Several sources report that Pandemic had lost the rights of development after closing its studio in November 17, 2009.
Whether this was true is unknown, as Rebellion Developments had yet again released a Star Wars Battlefront on PSP, this one being Elite Squadron, on 3 [US] / 6 [EU] November. Featuring the same sort of technology that was shown in the leaked Star Wars Battlefront III footage, albeit with a small cutscene during loading the transition to each area, it became a hit on PSP, but still we had rumours flying everywhere of Battlefront III.
Away from the history and onto the question, Star Wars games we know are in production or soon to be released are as follows:
-1313
-Pinball
-LEGO Star Wars IV
We can count the Pinball game out as having any relevance to Star Wars Battlefront, as it doesn’t even have shooting elements to it. 1313 is the Uncharted of Star Wars. However, lurking underneath there somewhere might be references to the Battlefront series, or even a secret hint of a release.
LEGO Star Wars IV is a questionable one. The third one did feature a ‘Battlefront’ mode, but this was more strategy than Battlefront, but it still showed it could be possible. Since that third game, we’ve had many advancements to the LEGO engine. It could be possible for Traveller’s Tales to put in an even closer realisation of Battlefront in the fourth game. But at its fore, it would still be a LEGO game, and we’d all much rather the real deal of Battlefront III.
So, this finally brings it back to the question. Pre-Alpha finished and released or a reboot featuring the new trilogy? If it was the reboot on the new trilogy, we would have to be waiting a way long time. And it seems as though LucasArts feel we don’t even care for a new Battlefront. So how best to test this then, by finishing the work Free Radical started, and releasing it on digital formats. It wouldn’t warrant a full disc release, as it wouldn’t be near finished, but bug testing and getting it onto those digital stores for a fair price will show that the community wants a new Star Wars Battlefront game.
That gives a years’ worth of sales from the game, as it will be popular, as well as the extra years it also sells for. That then raises enough money to start on the latest Battlefront, and even if it’s not for another five years or so, at least we will be able to play what Free Radical first set out to do.
Images Taken From:
Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron | IMDB
Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron | Amazon
