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The new Star Wars game from the developers of The Division is only just getting started, so don’t expect it soon. During an earnings call, CEO Yves Guillemot said the game is only in the “early stage” of development.
His comment came in response to a question about when the game might be released. Guillemot declined to share a release window for the game, only stressing that the project is just getting started.
“We are very happy to be partnering again with Lucasfilm Games, Guillemot said. “The project will be aided by our Massive studio who will make the most of their cutting-edge technology, including the Snowdrop engine, to deliver a groundbreaking Star Wars adventure. We are very proud of this collaboration, which is a testament to Ubisoft leadership and expertise, notably in creating amazing works. It is another demonstration of our capacity to build partnerships with the biggest names in the entertainment and technology space.”
Also during the call, Guillemot confirmed that the announcement of the Star Wars game has led to an increase in job applications at Massive Entertainment.
“On Lucasfilm, we can say we are at the early stage of development on the Star Wars game. To answer your question about the benefit from that in terms of hiring, yes, we see lots of people wanting to participate in this adventure, and it’s really a very good thing,” he said.
Asked a second time, by a different person, to clarify a release window for the Star Wars game, Ubisoft management said people will “have to wait a bit” to learn more. EA’s exclusivity deal with Disney is believed to run until 2023, meaning Ubisoft’s game can’t release until around then, but this is just speculation at this point and Ubisoft would not confirm anything during the call.
Whatever the case, EA’s Star Wars games have been hugely successful, selling 52 million copies and driving $3 billion in revenue over the years. Going forward, EA will continue to release new Star Wars games with the recently established Lucasfilm Games.
Massive’s new Star Wars game is a “story-driven, open-world experience within the Star Wars galaxy that will also utilize the studio’s cutting-edge technology and advancements, including the Snowdrop engine,” according to the publisher.
Creative director Julian Gerighty said he has been a lifelong fan of the Star Wars universe, so he’s over the moon about working on the new game. “A New Hope was the first movie I saw at the cinema, the first VHS that I wore out, the first action figures that I craved,” he said. “The characters, the planets, the ships, and the timeless stories became so familiar and loved that I have no doubt that they have become part of who I am.”
Gerighty previously suggested that the new Star Wars game was only just getting started, as he said the studio was at the “beginning of our new journey.” As such, the developer said, “We are still working out many of the details” about what the game will be, though he stressed that the key takeaway to understand is that it’s a “story-driven open-world game.”
“For me, personally, this will be a departure from the world of The Division, and both I and the team at Massive are very excited to start crafting this new experience,” he said. “We truly look forward to create something totally different from what we have done in the past, while upping the bar for the industry.”
Gerighty said the new Star Wars game will be “unique” and it will tell a “captivating story” featuring a “set of characters that players can relate to and connect with.”
“We want to take what is familiar and resonant about Star Wars and tell the stories of new characters who have their own motivations and stakes. We have a passion for Star Wars and shared vision with Lucasfilm Games on the kind of original story we want to bring to fans, which makes this a very exciting part of the project,” he said.
Gerighty went on to say that one of the reasons why Ubisoft got the job in the first place was because of Massive’s technology base. He said the team will use the Snowdrop engine to “bring innovation to the gameplay and world building.”
“Our talented developers and our tech expertise, especially with our in-house game engine Snowdrop, enable us to push the envelope in various aspects of game development,” he said.
Also during the call, Ubisoft management stated that Massive will continue to work on new updates for The Division, alongside its efforts to create the new Avatar game and the new Star Wars game. “The Massive studio is a large studio, and they are also collaborating with lots of studios over the world. So you are going to see more on the Division in this year and the year after,” the company said.
