Another entry in theStar Wars: Battlefrontseries may not be necessary, but it would make a lot of sense. It has been four years since the release ofStar Wars: Battlefront 2, a troubled game in terms of reception, but a successful one in terms of sales. Since then, many have wondered ifStar Wars: Battlefront 3will be next in line. The game would likely be another hit, but EA and DICE have yet to confirm another multiplayer online shooter.
There have been plenty ofrumors about the development ofStar Wars: Battlefront 3, and EA is likely feeling the pressure to release another solidStar Warstitle. Even with E3 coming to a close and noBattlefront3 announcement in sight, the stars in a galaxy far far away could align just right forBattlefront 3to be released in the near future. That being said, the game would need to be done right if it were to be released.
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The Star Wars: Battlefront Games Are Commercial Successes
One of the biggest reasons thatStar Wars: Battlefront 3makes sense is a financial one. TheBattlefronttitles are some of thebest-sellingStar Warsgames. TheBattlefrontseries started in 2004, and its sequel launched in 2005. After a ten-year hiatus, the games returned withStar Wars: Battlefrontin 2015 andStar Wars: Battlefront 2two years after. Those four games are all in the top ten highest-sellingStar Warstitles since 1995, with the 2015 and 2017 games taking the number one and three spots respectively.
If sales are high, clearly fans have enjoyed the series as well. Even thoughBattlefront 2failed to meet expectations, plenty ofStar Warsenthusiasts picked up the game.Battlefront 2unfortunately disappointed thanks to its pay-to-win nature/microtransaction mismanagement and design flaws, but there has been a player base still intact. Additionally, there is an opportunity to build off of what has been put in place over the past few years.
There have beenwhispers thatBattlefront 3is in the works, but that has yet to be confirmed. Those rumors built up a lot of excitement because there are a plethora of fans for this multiplayer series. Even ifBattlefront 2had hiccups, many seeBattlefront 3as an opportunity to address the concerns, start fresh, and create a qualityStar Warsmultiplayer experience.
EA Should Continue To Provide Quality Star Wars Content
The fact thatEA lost itsStar Warsexclusivitymeans the publisher has to work harder to put out quality content. After almost a decade of being the sole publisher for the beloved IP, EA only came up with four core video games. Two of those titles were in theStar Wars: Battlefrontseries. The others wereStar Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, the singleplayer game from Respawn Entertainment, andStar Wars: Squadrons.
WhenStar Wars: Battlefrontreturned in 2015, it was well-received, even if a bit barebones. So when 2017’sStar Wars: Battlefront 2was announced and released, there was a lot of built-up excitement behind it. The end result was shaky, but another shot at the series could fix many flaws, as well as advance the franchise with fresh ideas. Meanwhile, Respawn Entertainment’sStar Wars Jedi: Fallen Order2 has not yet been confirmed to be in development, but it feels like a sure thing.Star Wars: Battlefront 3does not feel too far behind it.
Even once the exclusivity deal is up, EA can still make games under theStar Warsumbrella. That being said,EA could end theStar Warsdeal strongeven before the deal is completely over with a great sequel toStar Wars Jedi: Fallen Orderand a solidStar Wars: Battlefrontgame. With that, it could make up for how it bungled some of the previous years.
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How Battlefront 3 Could Innovate and Succeed
IfStar Wars Battlefront: 3were to be revealed and released, it would need to tackle a few issues from previous games and innovate in intriguing ways. This newest game will want to remember what made the past games special while avoiding the controversies ofBattlefront 2. The bottom line is thatBattlefront 3needs to be different fromBattlefront 2.
Battlefront 3will need to avoid all pay-to-win controversies. With a lot of added revenue coming from additional content, often cosmetic, EA and DICE will need to make rational decisions. It is possible to implement an intelligent microtransaction setup for the game, but the team will need to tread carefully around the topic altogether. Things like progression will need to be entirely tied to skill and playtime, not how much money someone is willing to dump into the game.
In terms of further innovation,Battlefront 3could take everything that Motive Studios learned from therelatively well-receivedStar Wars: Squadronsand create a more fleshed-out space dogfighting experience than ever. In some ways, the dogfights and space battles fromBattlefront 2from 2005 was more advanced than the 2017 version. Players were able to take down Imperial Star Destroyers in various ways, including even hijacking them from the inside, running through the craft on foot, and attacking the inside of the ship.
EA and DICE could think big and have dogfights and missions in space while teams duke it out on the planets below at the same time. It would be amazing if battles took place in real-time both in space and on planets, while those conflicts affected one another. Imagine teams on ground level working towards removing the shields of anImperial Star Destroyerabove, which would make the mission for one team a bit easier.
There are plenty of possibilities for innovation and change with the nextBattlefront.The series has been among the most successful ever for theStar WarsIP, so there is little doubt that it will come back eventually. It would not be a surprise if the next game was not a numbered title and EA attempted to make it a true game as a service style game, althoughnot all games can be a live service game. If done right,Star Wars: Battlefront 3could be a special and welcome addition to the series.
