Without a doubt,Star Warsis one of the most successful IPs of all time. Spanning a number of films, games, movies, comics, and pretty much any other medium one can imagine, the franchise has been a nerdy icon since the first movie’s release in 1977. Now,Star Wars: The High Republicis set to introduce fans to a new era of theStar Warsmythos, and if it translates to games, it could mean players get the best of both worlds.
There are two distinct parts ofStar Wars.Since the Disney acquisition, there’s been a heavier emphasis on content surroundingthe Skywalker Saga, showing the events of the Prequels onward to tell the tale of the Skywalker family and those wrapped up in it. Then there’s the expanded universe, which has largely been axed in the last decade, but still features characters fans know and love.
RELATED:Star War’s High Republic Era Gives Off Knights of the Old Republic Vibes
For a long time before the Disney acquisition,games likeKnights of the Old Republicwere releasing alongside full-fledgedStar Warsmovies. Though many were disappointed by the Prequel trilogy, fans still had solid expanded universe experiences to look forward to. That time has come and gone now, but the High Republic setting could bring it back.
The beauty ofKOTORwas that allowed the developer’s imaginations to run wild simply because of how far removed it was from the mainstream timeline. It allowed the introduction of new characters likeDarth Revan, who has become one of the most iconic characters in theStar Warsroster. The High Republic setting takes place about 800 years after the Old Republic and about 200 years before the events of the Skywalker saga, putting it in a similar position as theKOTORera ofStar Wars,in terms of what it can do with the narrative.
If another bigStar WarsRPGwere set during the High Republic era, players could potentially have the same journey from space-nobody to heroic Jedi or evil Sith, but have more freedom with ship types, or possibly even expanded lightsaber options. Introducing a wider variety of lightsaber types has been a big part of modernStar Wars,and while they haven’t all been popular among fans, it would still be an option many would appreciate. Letting players create a hybrid lightsaber-blaster set up not only implements some of the unique aspects from the franchise’s current iterations, but it could also add an extra layer to roleplaying.
The question is whatStar Warsgames would look like in the High Republic setting, especially under EA, which currently holds the video game license to theStar Warsfranchise. Doubtlessly, fans would want to see some type ofKnights of the Old Republic 3,perhaps reborn asKnights of the High Republic.The first game was developed by BioWare, which EA owns, so the pieces are in the right place, assuming EA was to proceed with it.
The problem is that, as it stands, there’s no indication EA or Disney is interested in pursuing the High Republic setting in a video game format, with novels based on the setting slated to release early next year, but with little else being announced. Of course, it’s possible that something has been put into motion that hasn’t been announced, but given what’s currently known, it isn’t certain if that’s the case, or even if it’s all that likely.
BioWare already has it’s hands full, with a rumoredMass Effecttrilogy remasterand anAnthemoverhaul in the works. The studios is massive, of course, so it’s possible that something could come out of the studio, but it’s difficult to say. The developer has lost some goodwill with fans after releasingAndromedaandAnthemback-to-back, though, so it may even be best for a High Republic game to come out of another studio.
If the games were going to enter development, it’d be years before fans got to play anything, likely landing somewhere around the middle of the PS5 and Xbox Series X lifespan. That might not be such a bad thing, though. Depending on how the early work in the High Republic novels goes, it may or may not be worth investing in an entire game. If it does work out well, though, the extra time may be enough to lay a better foundation for the High Republic setting, which would make the era feel more fleshed out by the time that a game is ready to launch.
CurrentStar Warsgames, however, haven’t quite lived up to the expectations of most fans. WhileBattlefront 2has evolved a lotsince its debut, the meatiest game released by EA has beenJedi: Fallen Order,and while that game was generally well-received, EA doesn’t have much to show for its time withStar Wars.
No matter what, it does present a massive opportunity for whichever studio would be behind it. While EA has stumbled numerous times withStar Wars,it has learned a lot by doing so. It’s now managed to create games with compelling lightsaber combat, space combat, and large-scale battles. Those are all things that fans would want to see in a big newStar Warsgame set in the High Republic era, along with intimate moments between characters.
It’s understandable that such a game would be a risk, but it’s something that could pay off big time for EA if it’s a success. TheDisney trilogy ofStar Warsmovies, as well as the variety of other TV shows and media, has been met with a mixed reaction, but there are still some elements that could make for an interesting game, especially when coupled with the aspects of olderStar Warsmedia.
For now, fans can only wait and hope that something big is announced. The new generation of hardware presents a major opportunity to give fans what they’ve been looking for with a shiny coat of paint – not to mention giving EA the chance to put it’s knowledge to use.
