It’s May 4, which is traditionally referred to as Star Wars day due to the uncanny ability to say “May the Fourth be with you,” which of course is a pun on the line “May the Force be with you,” a commonly used line in the popular Star Wars series. Personally I’m a fan of tomorrow, when I can say “May the Fifth of whiskey warm your belly,” but we’ve all got our vices.
In celebration of Star Wars day, we’re looking at four Star Wars games that we’d love to see made. The series has a long history of tie-in games directly licensed from movie content and crossovers into other games (Star Wars Angry Birds?). We’re particularly fans of the times when games explore and expand on existing lore bits, instead of following right along with the movies. Star Wars Episode I: Racer took the pod racing from The Phantom Menace and created an entire game around it. Knights of the Old Republic was the massive RPG that BioWare was known for long before Mass Effect.
More recently, The Force Unleashed bridged the prequel trilogy with the original movies, telling the story of Darth Vader’s secret apprentice. Even Battlefront and Battlefront II offer expanded looks at battles that were only mentioned or glimpsed in the mainline Star Wars stories, putting players in the boots of soldiers on the, well, battlefront.
With that in mind, we wanted to look at the possibilities for games that could expand on existing lore in unique ways. We don’t want games that feel like licensed copies of films we’ve already seen. Here are four Star Wars games we’d love to see made, along with a few bonuses.
What did you think of our list? Do you have any other great ideas for Star Wars games you’d love to see? Which characters and stories intrigue you the most about the universe? Let us know in the comments below and May the Fourth be with you.
Star Wars Games We Want
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Star Wars Rebels/Star Wars Clone Wars RPG
Okay, so we cheated and put two games in this first slot, but they fill the same niche. Both of these series are massive, expansive, planet-hopping adventures that would make for amazing RPGs. Think Mass Effect, but retain the signature art styles of the iconic Star Wars series.
Hard to say if I would trust BioWare with this one after Mass Effect: Andromeda, but what if we gave a studio like CD Projekt RED a chance? They've proven they can do licensed material very well with The Witcher, and Cyberpunk (another licensed property) proves they are adept at not only fantasy, but sci-fi as well.
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Coruscant Planet Builder MMO
Coruscant is the city planet, but how did it come to be? Where did all the buildings come from? What happens when new construction has to go in for new buildings?
This game might have to play a bit fast and loose with the lore and history of the planet, but it would be fun to get players around the world simultaneously building on top of each other, creating the multi-layered planet we see in the Star Wars universe.
The details are a bit hazy on this one, and it might be tough to work out the logistics, but we're not actually making the games here so I'm allowed to dream big.
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Smuggler Management Game
Star Wars is a universe filled with a seedy underbelly. Smugglers, bounty hunters, and other less-than-law-abiding characters roam the galaxy. What if you got the chance to manage your own empire of shady individuals?
It could allow you to set up trade routes, hire smugglers to run illicit merchandise, and put hits out on competition or those who rip you off. It could even cross over periodically with major Star Wars events to have those affect the galactic economy, or give unique missions to decide to either help the good guys or the bad guys. You can help shape the galaxy from the corners of a dark alley.
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Han Solo and Chewbacca Co-op Adventure
Think A Way Out. Connect these two characters inextricably, and allow people to bond as they play together. A couch co-op only game was a crazy thought for an original IP and it succeeded, so I can see people lining up to sit beside one other and play together as Han and Chewie get into a fair amount of trouble together. EA, can we trust you with this one?
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Star Wars 1313
We're well beyond four games now, but these are simply entries that have to exist on this list. Originally unveiled in 2012, Star Wars 1313 is the canceled(?) game that every Star Wars fan still wishes was happening.
It followed Boba Fett as he explored the 1313 level of Coruscant, unearthing a massive conspiracy. The game hasn't really ever been formally canceled, and execs at Disney have talked about looking at the material for the game--three years ago that is. It's a long shot, but we may just one day see the mature title finally produced.
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Knights of the Old Republic Revist
Okay BioWare, embrace your roots. Either give us KOTOR 3, or revisit this franchise in some way. Rebuild the first game for the modern generation (or maybe even next gen at this point). Not only were the stories from this era fascinating, but the gameplay was a lot of fun and set the stage for Mass Effect.
Do we still trust BioWare to return to KOTOR? Hard to say, but I know my excitement levels would be off the charts if another one was announced.
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Amy Hennig/Visceral Star Wars Game
Amy Hennig was let go and Visceral was disbanded as a studio when this game was canceled--or at least significantly changed--due to the perception that single-player games don't do well (God of War says hello).
I'd still love to see the original concept for this title come to fruition, rather than the multiplayer garbage fire that it is inevitably going to be turned into with EA's multiplayer focused approach. We've got Battlefront II for that.
