After shuttering beloved RPG studio BioWare, Electronic Arts is now doubling down on its multiplayer shooter franchise, Star Wars: Battlefront, with a sequel reportedly in the works from DICE and Star Wars Jedi studio Respawn Entertainment.
As reported by Variety, this information was part of a memo to staff saying that Respawn and DICE are collaborating on a new project, with “multiple sources” further confirming that this was Star Wars: Battlefront 3.
While the validity of these sources has yet to be proven, the report does come after multiple rumours alleged that the franchise’s third chapter was in the works, such as a rumour from Electronic Gaming Monthly magazine, which stated that Disney was on a lookout for its development studio, with Wardogs studio head Joe Brammer responding to the rumours on social media that he had heard that it was DICE and Respawn that were selected for the sequel, information which now appears to be true.
This would mark a revival of the franchise’s third chapter, following reports in 2022 that EA had decided to cancel multiple Star Wars projects, one of which was a follow-up to 2017’s Battlefront II, instead focusing on Apex Legends and its Battlefield franchise.
Star Wars: Battlefront, EA’s Star Wars-themed counterpart to its main Battlefield multiplayer shooter franchise, made its debut in 2004 as a first and third-person shooter developed by Pandemic Studios. The original game received a sequel in 2005, before the franchise was rebooted by DICE in 2015 as a multiplayer-only title.
The franchise’s most recent entry introduced a proper single-player campaign, but stirred up controversy for introducing pay-to-win loot boxes to its multiplayer component. The backlash was so severe that it also kicked off a wave of legislation worldwide, with politicians around the world deeming loot boxes in video games to be a form of gambling. DICE would eventually give in and overhaul the game’s entire economy for the better, removing loot boxes entirely and redeeming the title with many future game patches to improve the player experience, with the game’s final update launching in 2020.
For now, it’s unclear if Star Wars: Battlefront 3 will follow in the footsteps of the first game in the reboot franchise and be a purely multiplayer-focused title, or if it will include any form of single-player component. One thing is for sure, however, the sequel will no doubt stay clear of pay-to-win mechanics, lest it feel the wrath of gamers and politicians once more.
Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race gamer with a penchant for franchise “duds” like Darksiders III and Dead Space 3. He has made it his life-long mission to play every single major game release – lest his wallet dies trying.
