Despite recent cancellations and layoffs affecting various projects within Electronic Arts, Respawn Entertainment‘s collaboration with Bit Reactor on a Star Wars strategy game is still very much alive. This development comes after EA’s decision to streamline its project lineup, focusing more on live-service projects and owned IP.
Amidst this financially motivated reorientation, Respawn’s Star Wars FPS faced the axe, leaving fans disheartened but still hopeful for other Star Wars projects in the pipeline.
Respawn, known for its success with titles such as Apex Legends and the Star Wars Jedi series, had initially partnered with Bit Reactor in 2022 to develop an untitled Star Wars strategy game. Bit Reactor, a studio formed by veterans of Firaxis Games, known for its expertise in strategy games like XCOM, has since confirmed that their project remains unaffected by the recent changes at EA. This much-needed assurance comes amidst a significant restructuring at EA, which included the laying off of around 670 workers and a shift away from future licensed intellectual property projects.
Last week was difficult for the industry, and more so because of our strong relationships within the other teams at Respawn.
But for those asking, we are still hard at work, and our game was unaffected by last week's news.— BIT REACTOR (@bitreactor) March 2, 2024
Laura Miele, EA Entertainment president, emphasized the company’s strategic pivot on the Star Wars Jedi series, all but confirming that a third game is in development, and Respawn’s rich library of owned brands, which prompted calls for a third mainline Titanfall entry.
Despite the setback, the Star Wars strategy game’s continued development is a positive sign for the franchise’s fans. Bit Reactor’s expertise in creating engaging strategy titles, combined with Respawn’s narrative prowess and deep understanding of the Star Wars universe, holds the promise of delivering a compelling strategic experience set within the iconic galaxy far, far away.
The anticipation for the still-untitled game is further fueled by the success of Midnight Suns, which demonstrated the potential for branded strategy games to deliver a deep, tactical gameplay mixed with rich storytelling albeit with a caveat that it wasn’t a commercially successful title.
While details remain under wraps, fans remain eager for news or sneak peeks into what the collaboration between these two esteemed studios will bring.
With a rich history of games set in the Star Wars universe, many are looking forward to what this new venture could contribute to the franchise’s gaming legacy.
