Summary
There have been some belovedStar Warsvideo game series over the last few decades, but few come close to the crown jewel that isStar Wars: Battlefront. Debuting almost 20 years ago now,Star Wars: Battlefrontwas one of the first games to capture the franchise’s large-scale battles in a realistic, engaging way. Taking fans to iconic planets like Naboo, Hoth, Tatooine, and more, the firstStar Wars: Battlefrontwas an incredible starting point, paving the way for its beloved sequel to overshadow just a year later.
2005’sStar Wars: Battlefront 2is still widely regarded as one of thegreatestStar Warsvideo games ever made, and though its graphics and a handful of mechanics so age the game slightly, it holds up surprisingly well all these years later. And that’s not even mentioning the upcoming remaster. A modern-day port of both original titles, Aspyr’sStar Wars: Battlefront Classic Collectionis set to release in just a few weeks, and nostalgic fans are very excited. And while this collection is probably just a one-and-done, there’s hope that it could spark a little rebellion.
Star Wars: Battlefront 3 Has Been a Pipe Dream for Years
Back in 2006, just a year afterBattlefront 2’s release, LucasArts set about beginning production onStar Wars: Battlefront 3. Rather than get Pandemic Studios to work on the third installment, LucasArts turned toFree Radical, the developer behindTimeSplitters.
According to various interviews over the years with former Free Radical leads,Star Wars: Battlefront 3was progressing well in development, but did require a few internal delays. While LucasArts' then-president Jim Ward apparently embraced this, his eventual successor Darrell Rodriguez allegedly wasn’t as forgiving, and after Free Radical’s disappointing FPSHazewas released the relationship between the studio and publisher quickly soured.
Star Wars: Battlefront 3was eventually canceled in October 2008, though the reasons for its cancelation have been claimed and counter-claimed by both ex-LucasArts and Free Radical employees. Regardless of how it happened,Star Wars: Battlefront 3’s cancelationwas devastating for fans when they eventually found out, especially as the game was set to be a much more ambitious entry, adding ground-space transitions, along with a dedicated single-player campaign.
As time has gone on, and more early-build footage ofStar Wars: Battlefront 3has continued to leak online, fans' desire for a revival of Free Radical’s third installment has only grown. Of course, EA would revive theStar Wars: Battlefrontbrand in 2015, but neither the reboot nor its sequel scratched that same itch for fans. But maybe not all hope is lost. Based on the reactions toStar Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection’s announcement, there’s a surprising amount of buzz surrounding these nearly two-decade-old games.
If that buzz translates to sales and those sales are high enough, it might be enough to stoke the flames under aStar Wars: Battlefrontrevival.
Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection Could At Least Add More Content
While a revival of Free Radical’sStar Wars: Battlefront 3is unlikely to ever happen, that doesn’t mean that it should be the end of the road for theBattlefrontfranchise. If Aspyr’sStar Wars: Battlefront Classic Collectionends up being wildly successful, then at the very least Aspyr has the option to add more content to the remaster. BothStar Wars Battlefront: Renegade SquadronandStar Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron—two handheld-exclusive spinoffs—could come toStar Wars: Battlefront Classic Collectionin the future as paid DLC, and while it isn’t newBattlefrontcontent, it’s content that not many fans have experienced before.
Star Wars: Battlefront 2 (2005)
With brand new space combat, playable Jedi characters, and over 16 all new battlefronts, Star Wars Battlefront II gives you more ways than ever before to play the classic Star Wars battles any way you want. Join the rise of Darth Vader’s elite 501st Legion of Stormtroopers as you fight through an all new story-based saga where every action you take impacts the battlefront and, ultimately, the fate of the Star Wars galaxy.Fight inside the corridors of the second Death Star, in the marshy swamps of Dagobah, and even aboard the Tantive IV, Princess Leia’s Blockade Runner, as seen at the beginning of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.Now choose from six distinct soldier classes, plus bonus hero characters for each of the four factions: Rebels, Imperials, CIS and the Republic. Then jump into more than 30 diverse ground and space vehicles, including the clone BARC speeder, AT-RT and new Jedi Starfighter and ARC 170.Engage in massive online battles with multiplayer action for up to 64 players. Play five different online game modes including Conquest, Assault, one-and two-flag Capture the Flag, and Hunt.
