We got Indy and Vader, we just need Howard the Duck
Publisher Ubisoft and developer Massive Entertainment have announced that production has begun on an open-world adventure set in the Star Wars universe. The as-yet-untitled new project will be released under the recently revitalized Lucasfilm Games banner.
First revealed in an article with Wired, the Star Wars project is in its very early stages, with Massive Entertainment (of The Division and The Crew fame) still in the recruitment stage. The Ubisoft title represents the first major Star Wars game not produced at Electronic Arts in almost a decade.
“EA has been and will continue to be a very strategic and important partner for us now and going forward,” said Sean Shoptaw, senior VP of Interactive Experiences at Disney. “But we did feel like there’s room for others.”
Yves Guillemot spoke of his excitement for the project. “The Star Wars galaxy is an amazing source of motivation for our teams to innovate and push the boundaries of our medium,” said the Ubisoft CEO. “Building new worlds, characters and stories that will become lasting parts of the Star Wars lore is an incredible opportunity for us, and we are excited to have our Ubisoft Massive studio working closely with Lucasfilm Games to create an original Star Wars adventure that is different from anything that has been done before.”
The news comes less than 24 hours after it was revealed developer MachineGames and publisher Bethesda are starting work on a new title set within the Indiana Jones universe. Given that the re-launch of Lucasfilm Games was only announced scant days ago, clearly the brand is eager to stake its spot in the world of AAA gaming, capitalizing on some of its biggest and most profitable IPs to do so.
Lucasfilm Games’ new jaunt means the galaxy’s the limit [Wired]
We’re thrilled to announce we are working with @Ubisoft and @UbiMassive to develop a brand-new, story-driven, open-world Star Wars adventure!
Learn more about the future of @LucasfilmGames in the Star Wars galaxy and beyond: https://t.co/uO1K1pivl2 pic.twitter.com/wRDccZvi3o
— Lucasfilm Games (@LucasfilmGames) January 13, 2021