Star Wars Open World Game Canceled

What a shocker! I kid. EA has done a terrible job with the Star Wars license. I really thought we'd finally get some good new Star Wars games out of this deal when it was originally announced. Nope. I was wrong.

https://kotaku.com/ea-cancels-open-world-star-wars-game-1831786371

 

I had a feeling EA getting the exclusive license was bad news. I had no idea it would be due to a lack of games.

 

Someone on Reddit created this graphic to show the difference in 6 years of development when Lucus Arts was still in charge of SW games compared to 6 years under EA. So many great games during Lucas Art's stewardship. Truly a golden era of SW gaming. Before the dark times, before the EAmpire..

 

Funny thing is, the only two games from Lucasarts that I actually own are BF and BF2; which were the ones that EA remade.

 

That's a shame, so many other great games from that time. Republic Commando, Empire at War, Jedi Knight/Outcast, KOTOR....

 

Actually come to think of it, I might own some of those games as they were included with a special promotion when I bought BF 2015; at least on the PS3.

 

I have everything on that list. Including my original Galaxies cd’s and my JTL Beta disc.

God if there was ever a game i would give anything to play again it would be pre-NGE galaxies/JTL.

I was so invested in that character i actually get sad thinking about it on and off. So many friends and memories made over the decade it ran...

 

It certainly doesn't go unnoticed. Gary Whitta, co-author of Rogue One, just fired off a complaint about EA's use of the Star Wars license as well.

There is also the tweet from Jason Schreier, who works for Kotaku, that Bioware had tried to convince EA multiple times to start development on KOTOR 3, but got denied every single time.

The way EA has treated this franchise is just pathetic. Two games is all they have to offer, and neither was particularly creative, apart from the ways in which they could rob players of their money. Video games are a form of art, not just a tool to maximize income in the worst possible way. But it seems for EA, all there is are lootboxes and whatever nonsense they pull with FIFA, instead of trying to get people to buy games based on the quality. Visceral and Amy Hennig didn't get successful by developing cookier-cutter stuff that used all means possible to take money from people, instead they developed stuff that people actually cared about.
Kind of reminds me of what George Lucas used to complain about when talking about the old studio-system. Creative minds with an eye for the art were gone, and left in control were people who had no idea about movies but who knew how to make money, and who cared way too much about market research without fully grasping it.

 

I'm pretty sure that First Assault would have been a better game than EA Battlefront games. Maybe the developers at Lucasarts weren't as talented as Dice but they at least would have put their soul into making a fun Star Wars game.

But then Disney canceled it when it was ready to be launched on Xbox Live.

 

I guess all good things must come to an end.

 

There had been hints that EA was ignoring companies who came to them offing to do subcontracting on some games, only to be told we will let you know or not the right time right now, since 2017. EA still has the license for the next 3 or 4 years. Hopefully Disney dumps them and pick an actual game making company, preferably one that has a love for Star Wars and not afraid to test their creative side.

 

THQ Nordic is the best option imo.(Since they are focused on AA games from what I know.)

 

I love the movies and the animated series, and now we even have live action series on the way. There are books, and graphic novels, toys, collectibles shirts, cosplay, everything you could want. But if I had to pick an area where they have really dropped the ball, it is VIDEO GAMES.

There should be a ton of Star Wars games. Everything from side scrolling to first person shooters and racing games. There should be some that take you through the events of all the movies and some that create all new adventures. Fighting games. Turned based RPGs and strategy based RPGs.

I know some of these already exist in some form, but they are relatively ancient now. There needs to be new versions. I need a Rogue One game and a Star Wars: Resistance racing game. I need to play through the throne room scene of The Last Jedi.

There’s just so much potential and not nearly enough has been done with it in my opinion. I am not much of a video game player, but I would buy new consoles just to play some of these games and I can’t be the only one.

 

I'll just patiently wait until Jedi: Fallen Order is inevitably cancelled, its studio closed and employees laid off, and whatever other game that is in development now relegated to a cheap mobile cash-grab. Fallen Order is supposed to come out later this year. We've heard nothing.

I just have a feeling . . .

 

Disney Says It’s Never Been Good at Video Games, Remains Happy With EA’s Work

I actually agree with Iger here. Disney has never really been good at making games in-house. Licensing is much more their speed. The issue then becomes "Will their license be renewed as is?", which I highly doubt. From what Jason Shrier wrote about EA and Star Wars, it's clear that they aren't the happiest working extensively on a property they don't have direct control over, and I can imagine scrapping two projects isn't doing wonders for their bottom line. Given that, i think it's possible that EA will actually sever ties when it comes time to negotiate a new contract, not Disney.

 

https://winteriscoming.net/2019/02/06/disney-perfectly-fine-ea-handling-star-wars-games/

"In 2013, Electronic Arts and Disney signed a 10-year licensing agreement that gave EA the sole right to produce Star Wars video games. Since then, the developer has produced are two lackluster, unimaginative Star Wars: Battlefront games, both of which had their fair share of controversy. (For comparison’s sake, when LucasArts was managing the Star Wars license, we got 16 games over the same span of time.)"

 

I literally just posted that story.

 

EA have squandered the SW licence in precisely the same way Activision did for 007.

I almost want the rights for both to go to Gearbox Software.

 

Fate worse than death.

 

A fate so bad it's preferred to EA and Activision.
Agreed.

 

It really isn't.

 

It is sad. Go back to 2005 and they were awesome. Brothers in Arms: Road to hill 30 and BIA: Earned in blood are still the best WWII fps. Even 2008's BIA: Hell's highway was still really good and finished the story well. Then Gearbox went wrong.

 

Yup. They haven't been good for quite a while now. And that isn't getting into their recent, uh, legal trouble.

 

If anyone here listens to now this is podcasting the first 20 minutes of the last episode is devoted to Star Wars games and this news.

Jason ward says during the episode that.
1) Activision and Ubisoft are both courting Disney for the games license
2) supposedly gaming at celebration this year is going to be huge.
3) the game that has just got cancelled was meant to be destiny 2 but Star Wars.
4) it may not be so easy for Disney to end the contract with EA

Also says other things, but I thought these four where the worth the share.

As far as what Bob said during the investors call it’s clearly PR talk. Considering the success of marvel games I wouldn’t be surprised if they took that root once the contract with EA is over.

 

I want a good Star Wars rpg!!!