The Star Wars Battlefront series seems to have a bit of a jinx when it comes to making a third game. You might remember how Free Radical’s Star Wars Battlefront 3 was abruptly cut off by LucasArts, just as it neared completion, back in 2009. Fast forward about ten years, and EA reportedly put the brakes on DICE’s proposal for a Star Wars Battlefront 3 due to the hefty costs associated with licensing the Star Wars IP.
Despite initial backlash, EA’s Star Wars Battlefront 1 and 2 have found a place in fans’ hearts over time. This is particularly true for the 2017 release of Star Wars Battlefront 2. While it launched under a storm of controversy, primarily due to its notorious loot box system, the game has since transformed significantly. Continuous free updates and the removal of the controversial monetization model have helped the game’s reputation. Fans eagerly hoping for Battlefront 3 find its absence troubling, and considering EA’s current strategies, it feels like a missed chance.
Interestingly, EA has been keen on entering the live-service arena for years. Battlefield 2042 is perhaps the most glaring example of their efforts, though it didn’t quite pan out as they hoped. The game was widely criticized for its lackluster offering of maps and modes, stripping down of iconic features, and a multitude of technical glitches. It seemed like EA was banking on the live-service model to eventually patch up these shortcomings, betting on players’ willingness to invest initially with the promise of future updates. Although the developers worked hard post-launch, Battlefield 2042’s reputation took a hit, and the series is still recovering from that blow years later.
Yet, EA doesn’t seem to be backing down from the live-service dream. Even the long-awaited Skate reboot is poised to include microtransactions, despite not being fully released yet. In a recent earnings call, EA CEO Andrew Wilson discussed why games like Dragon Age: The Veilguard may be critically acclaimed yet falter commercially. His point? Games must now cater to evolving player demands, particularly those seeking shared world experiences.
In this landscape, Star Wars Battlefront 3 might have been EA’s golden ticket in the live-service domain. While The Sims 4 stands as an exception, the bulk of EA’s ventures into this area haven’t been very successful. However, there’s potential gold on the table with the Battlefront series. Back in 2017, Star Wars Battlefront 2 operated much like a live-service game, rolling out new content every few months in a manner that predated the formal establishment of the live-service model outside of MMOs.
Building on Battlefront 2’s foundation, a third installment could have emphasized steady releases of new maps, modes, vehicles, and heroes. The Star Wars universe is teeming with content ripe for regular updates and cosmetics, the real money-makers in live-service games. With the right approach, EA could have turned Star Wars Battlefront 3 into a success story rather than a what-could-have-been.
