Red Fly Studios Layoffs Reveal Cancelled Star Wars Project

Looking back over the last few months, there has been an onslaught of open world games including GTA V, Assassin's Creed IV, Saints Row 4, Batman: Arkham Origins, and Dead Rising 3This list doesn't even account for the recently delayed Watch Dogs that was originally slated to release alongside the next-gen consoles.

Indeed, it appears that open worlds are as popular as Star Wars licensed properties are about to get as "bigger" games become the norm as we transition into next-gen platforms and franchises aim to craft more immersive living, breathing worlds. Thanks to Disney buying up Lucasfilm, the Star Wars brand is being revived on all fronts, and gamers look to benefit from the new leadership.

With a promised trilogy of films and several rumored spinoffs in the works, Star Wars is about to take control of cinemas once again. To compliment that, Star Wars is also going to have a hefty presence in the gaming world with EA recently securing the franchise's license for ten years. A DICE produced Battlefront reboot is on the way, but that's not the only Star Wars project currently in the works.

As pointed out by Kotaku, EA Canada is working on an unannounced open world Star Wars game. According to a job listing on EA's recruitment site, the developer is looking for an Animation Director "to help define and deliver on the vision for a major new next-gen open world action game." So if you are looking for a job and have shipped 2+ AAA games as an Animation Director or Lead Animator, it might be worth sending a CV across.

Star Wars 1313 Official Details

Besides the fact that there is an open world game in development, there's very little else to go on. We know that EA isn't currently working on any direct movie tie-ins (cue sigh of relief), so players can scratch that off the list. It is also unlikely that the game will end up being a traditional-esque MMO since EA is already sustaining The Old Republic, but that doesn't mean the open world couldn't be connected to a server like in Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto Online or Ubisoft's The Division.

It's also likely that the game (or portions of it) will take place in the same time period of the new trilogy of films as the first wave of new triple-A Star Wars games won't debut until around or after Star Wars: Episode VII hits theaters in fall 2015. Perhaps the game will bridge the gap between Episode VI and Episode VII, or perhaps it will go back to either the original or prequel trilogy time periods. It is just impossible to say at this point.

It isn't entirely clear if this game is solely in the hands of EA Canada or if the studio are just being outsourced for some extra support. It has been rumoured recently that Dead Space aficionados Visceral Games are working on a Star Wars title and this could very well be that same project. EA Canada is mostly known for their sports titles FIFA, NBA Live and NHL so an open world action game would be a major change of pace for the studio.

Are you excited about the prospect of an open world Star Wars? Where would you want it to take place and in what time line? Let us know below.

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Source: Kotaku, EA Recruitment