It was THE news of yesterday Wednesday: Lucasfilm Games is entering into a cooperation with the Ubisoft studio Massive and working with the makers of The Division on an open world game in the Star Wars universe. Does that mean the end of Star Wars for EA? Not at all, as is now certain!
Shortly after the announcement of the open world game from Ubisoft Massive, Electronic Arts has now also spoken out and has confirmed that it will continue to work with the sci-fi brand Star Wars in the future. One is planning to continue with Star Wars “in the coming years”, even if Lucasfilm Games has now also brought a new partner on board with the makers of The Division.
That would mean that the exclusivity of the licensing by EA will end in 2023, but that EA will not be completely excluded from the Star Wars brand. Rather, Lucasfilm Games seems to want to put the franchise in the game industry on several legs. EA should therefore also develop new gaming experiences in the huge Star Wars universe.
“We are proud of our longstanding collaboration with Lucasfilm Games,” reads a statement from EA. They have “created some of the most successful games in the history of the Star Wars franchise” and are “ready to develop more exciting experiences for the players”.
It also fits that Lucasfilm Games themselves announced that the presentation of the new Star Wars game from Ubisoft Massive and a new Indiana Jones game from Bethesda were just the beginning. In the course of the new year 2021 and beyond, further ambitious projects are to be presented, including other Star Wars games.
According to Vice President Reilly, Lucasfilm Games always wants to have its own fingers in the game and is guided by PlayStation Productions, among other things. After all, you know more about your own brands than external developers and would like to provide input yourself in order to live up to the legacy of big brands like Star Wars. Lucasfilm Games itself would also like to contribute and pitch new (game) ideas instead of just accompanying development processes.
On May 4th, the unofficial worldwide Star Wars Day, there will also be a free new update for Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.
