Star Wars Battlefront 3 might be in the works, if recent reports happen to be true. These rumors started circulating after EA announced that the company would be closing down BioWare and canceling the studio’s next Mass Effect game. It has proven to be one of the most shocking gaming stories of the year, and the reports that EA canceled the game specifically to make way for Star Wars Battlefront 3 has ignited even deeper frustration.
These claims come from a recent report by Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier. He’s a journalist with quite a strong track record, but all reports should be taken with a grain of salt until officially confirmed by EA itself. A third Star Wars Battlefront game is something that a lot of fans have been interested in for a long time, so even if a new Star Wars game caused the Mass Effect to be axed, it isn’t all bad news. However, if it turns out that EA is truly betting this hard on another Battlefront entry, then the publisher needs to learn a few important lessons from Battlefront 2‘s disastrous launch.
If Battlefront 3 Is Happening, EA Needs to Prove That Choosing Star Wars Over Mass Effect Is Worth the Backlash
According to Schreier’s report, what ultimately pushed EA to cancel BioWare’s in-development Mass Effect project was because the company didn’t want to spend millions of dollars on two sci-fi projects. A new Mass Effect game and Battlefront 3 would theoretically be incredibly different experiences, but EA allegedly saw the overlap in genre as a big enough issue to scrap one project completely. Since Star Wars is one of the most well-known IPs of all time, EA reportedly chose to bet on what the publisher likely sees as a guaranteed success. Just because a franchise is more popular doesn’t mean it is destined to do well, though.
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When EA released Battlefront 2 back in 2017, it was a disaster. There have been some pretty controversial game launches over the years, but Battlefront 2 is one title in particular that got a lot of negative attention because of its approach to the live-service formula that was riddled with loot boxes and grind-heavy progression. The Battlefront 2 loot box controversy caused such an uproar that Hawaii and both the Netherlands and Belgian governments investigated the game for gambling.
If it turns out that EA is truly betting this hard on another Battlefront entry, then the publisher needs to learn a few important lessons from Battlefront 2‘s disastrous launch.
It was a PR nightmare, and EA’s attempts at reassuring players definitely didn’t help. To this day, EA holds the record for the most downvoted comment on Reddit, because of the company’s response to an angry player’s comment on the site. Disney was reportedly furious with EA over the debacle. To make matters worse, the publisher ended support for Battlefront 2 in 2020 after DICE put in several years of work to try and flip its reputation around.
If Battlefront 3 really is in the works, Battlefront 2 will cast a heavy shadow over the project until EA reveals deeper details about the game. Players are growing tired of live-service games, and it’s hard to imagine a world where EA makes Battlefront 3 a multiplayer experience that isn’t live-service. It’s not impossible, but I have serious doubts. Live-service makes up the bulk of the publisher’s revenue, and with a franchise as big as Star Wars, the company is probably hoping that Battlefront 3 is a project that continues that money-printing trend. If Battlefront 3 actually does happen, there will be the usual battle passes and content roadmaps, but the controversy that Battlefront 2 caused at least likely keeps the rumored successor safe from the intense loot boxes and progression.
A Well-Known IP Doesn’t Mean Success, and That Makes EA’s Rumored Decision an Even Bigger Risk
Even if EA learns its lesson from the Battlefront 2 controversy, there are still going to be plenty of gamers who are mad about the BioWare shutdown and the canceled Mass Effect game. Winning over the Mass Effect crowd won’t be easy. I can already picture the “Boycott Battlefront 3” calls to action across social media. The Star Wars brand isn’t enough to convince gamers to jump in and play. EA actually has to ship a good game that’s worth a player’s time.
Ubisoft’s poor Star Wars Outlaws sales are proof that a Star Wars game isn’t an automatic road to success. Even beyond the Star Wars brand, games like Marvel’s Avengers and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League are further examples of this. It’s going to be interesting to see if EA makes an official Battlefront 3 announcement before the year is over. Upcoming events like The Game Awards are always the go-to stages for a lot of companies to make big reveals, but if Battlefront 3 actually is in the works, the reports make it sound like the project is still in its early stages. Only time will tell, but EA may have been better off letting two sci-fi projects share the spotlight.
- Released
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November 17, 2017
- ESRB
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T for Teen: Violence
- Publisher(s)
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Electronic Arts
