LucasArts shut down by Disney - Many Star Wars games likely cancelled

[Mister_SGG]

http://mp1st.com/2013/04/03/disney-...ar-wars-1313-first-assault-and-battlefront-3/

Disney finally put LucasArts out of its misery, and with it, goes a multitude of planned Star Wars video games.

With Disney cancelling the popular show Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and essentially eradicating all other aspects of the Star Wars franchise, it was only a matter of time before LucasArts got the axe.

Besides putting many developers out of job, this course of action has affected many Star Wars fans, particularly the gaming portion of them. For the last few years, numerous rumours about new Star Wars games have been flying around, but other than the mediocre Force Unleashed series, we have received very little. Most anticipated among these rumoured games were a select few:

- Star Wars 1313, a more mature shooter where you could play as a bounty hunter in the slums of Coruscant
- Star Wars: First Assault, a downloadable FPS similar to the Battlefront series, which was supposedly the "step zero" for the high anticipated Battlefront III
- Star Wars: Battlefront III itself, the highly anticipated third installment in the award-winning Battlefront series

Any of these games being finished was unlikely while LucasArts was still running, and now that the company is shut down the chances of any of these titles seeing the light of day is slimmer than ever. When news of First Assault surfaced in the beginning of March, it sparked a new hope for Battlefront fans, a hope which has been crushed not a month later by Disney's tyrannical reign over the Star Wars universe.

What are your thoughts on the closing of LucasArts? What do you think is the future of Star Wars video games?

 

[woot21]

Not to be too cynical, but when was the last time a LucasArts game was released?

woot21 out dawgs

 

[Dread Advocate]

The last LucasArts game internally developed was The Force Unleashed II, which was abysmally short and had a terrible story. Decent gameplay though.

There's a chance 1313 will continue. Battlefront III, since the leaked alpha footage was a particular build that was cancelled, was never confirmed.

And, like I said in the Star Wars thread up in Entertainment, this is this gives other developers a chance to make the Star Wars games they've wanted to. Think Obsidion and Knights of the Old Republic III.

 

[Chris]

Nothing of value was really lost, except for the studio being around since the old days. Most of the folks who made the studio what it was had already left long before this. Top it off with the fact that there hasn't been a good Star Wars game since the two KOTOR games and that there was never a chance in hell of ever seeing Battlefront III or another Rogue Squadron. Disney was simply protecting their brand from another Star Wars Kinect happening.

 

[Mr.Billehh]

Hmm star wars 1313 had potential to be really good. Bring that game back to life.

On the battlefront 3 bring it back it would sell amazingly and not let fans down. Instead of continuing battlefront they went with force unleashed which wasn't all that great.

 

[Charizard Champion#06]

I didn't think 1313 looked that good, based on the early footage. It seemed like it was just Uncharted in the Star Wars universe. I guess that might appeal to some people, but for me it felt like a step in the wrong direction.

 

[Breeder Drew]

I'm just pissed that we'll never get Battlefront 3 now. Somebody really needs to make a Battlefield 3 mod or something that would resemble a Battlefront-style game.

 

[Dread Advocate]

How does no LucasArts automatically mean no Battlefront 3? If anything, this gives developers who've wanted to make Star Wars games make Star Wars games. There is still a chance for Battlefront 3 to be developed by anyone (preferably no one owned by EA).

 

[Night_Walker]

If it saves us from another Star Wars Kinect then I'm all in favour...

Also realistically I think the last Star Wars game that was appreciated overall was the original Force Unleashed - most games from LucasArts have been efforts to cash in on the Star Wars name.

 

[Kanix]

It was bound to happen sooner or later. 1313 and Battlefront 3 were some very promising games I was waiting for. After they canceled KoTOR 3 and basically canned the Dark Forces/Jedi Knight series, I kind of saw this coming - it just took longer than I expected.

 

[Chris]

Hmm star wars 1313 had potential to be really good. Bring that game back to life.

Force Unleashed and Star Wars Kinect had potential, too. Look how those turned out.

How does no LucasArts automatically mean no Battlefront 3? If anything, this gives developers who've wanted to make Star Wars games make Star Wars games. There is still a chance for Battlefront 3 to be developed by anyone (preferably no one owned by EA).

That's not how licensing works. Just because Lucasarts isn't around doesn't mean anyone can make the Star Wars games. They still have to get approval from Disney. Considering they shut down the very source of SW games, it's unlikely they're willing to allow anyone to make new SW games for a while. BioWare's MMORPG didn't help, either.

Also realistically I think the last Star Wars game that was appreciated overall was the original Force Unleashed - most games from LucasArts have been efforts to cash in on the Star Wars name.

No? Force Unleashed was met with more of a "meh," especially from players. Rogue Squadron III, Jedi Academy, Battlefront II, Knights of the Old Republic II and the LEGO Star Wars games were the last games in the franchise to receive well received praise.

 

[Dagur]

I've never been a huge fan of Star Wars game releases by LucasArts. Hopefully companies like Rockstar Games will have the opportunity to work on Star Wars games and make them REALLY good.

 

[AuroriumX]

I only really liked Jedi Academy and Battlefront 2, not a huge loss to see Lucasarts go to be honest.

 

[Dread Advocate]

That's not how licensing works. Just because Lucasarts isn't around doesn't mean anyone can make the Star Wars games. They still have to get approval from Disney. Considering they shut down the very source of SW games, it's unlikely they're willing to allow anyone to make new SW games for a while. BioWare's MMORPG didn't help, either.

Forgot about that part. But my point remains that no LucasArts does not mean no Battlefront III or Battlefront-type game.

 

[BJPalmer85]

Forgot about that part. But my point remains that no LucasArts does not mean no Battlefront III or Battlefront-type game.

Dread is right and like he pointed out here and in the other SW thread, this will give other developers a chance to pick up these titles and make them way better that LucasArts could hope to do.

Ill say it again, Im hoping for an Ubisoft backed KOTOR 3.

B

 

[Interference]

Eh, other than Battlefront I wasn't a big fan of LucasArts games.

 

[Dread Advocate]

Dread is right and like he pointed out here and in the other SW thread, this will give other developers a chance to pick up these titles and make them way better that LucasArts could hope to do.

Ill say it again, Im hoping for an Ubisoft backed KOTOR 3.

B

Just remember that, like Chris pointed out and I forgot about, for developers to make Star Wars games now, they must get the green light from Disney.

 

[BJPalmer85]

Just remember that, like Chris pointed out and I forgot about, for developers to make Star Wars games now, they must get the green light from Disney.

Very true. I hope they don't get stingy. They have the potential to make a lot of money in the game sector, especially with the release of the PS4 and rumored XBOX 720 later this year

B

 

[GreatGonzales]

Ending on Force Unleashed II is a poor farewell to a once great franchise. It was so terrible...repetitive, and really a dwarf of a game regarding length.

My friend told me that they're canceling the movie trilogy and making a musical, which I refuse to believe because that's both incredibly asinine and irrational. I'm not pumped about another marring of the grace of episodes 4-6, but, eh.

 

[BCVM22]

My friend told me that they're canceling the movie trilogy and making a musical, which I refuse to believe because that's both incredibly asinine and irrational.

Tell your friend he/she/it is never allowed to discuss anything again, ever.