Ubisoft developing open-world Star Wars game, ending EA exclusivity

By Giovanni Colantonio January 13, 2021

Ubisoft is developing an open-world Star Wars game that will release under the revived Lucasfilm Games banner. The planned release will be the first Star Wars game from a studio outside of EA in nearly a decade, ending a multiyear exclusivity deal.

The new title is being developed by Ubisoft Massive and will use the studio’s Snowdrop engine. The Division 2 director Julian Gerighty is serving as creative director on the project and Ubisoft is currently staffing up for it.

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Ubisoft hasn’t revealed any specifics about the game. Per a report from Wired, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot teased that the game will be a first for the franchise.

“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,” says Guillemot.

The news is significant as EA previously had an exclusive deal with Disney to create its Star Wars games. When the deal was announced in 2013, it was heralded as a 10-year agreement between the two companies. Disney President of Global Games Sean Shoptaw told Wired that the company would continue working with EA, but wanted to open the door for other developers as well.

The news comes one day after Bethesda revealed that it is working on a new Indiana Jones game under the Lucasfilm Games name. Disney recently revived the Lucasfilm Games brand, but it appears that the company will only serve as a label and not as an actual developer on any projects.

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Giovanni Colantonio

Senior Gaming Editor

As Digital Trends' Senior Gaming Editor, Giovanni Colantonio oversees all things video games at Digital Trends. As a veteran…

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