Now that E3 has come and gone, the second half of 2021 is loaded with major releases. That includes the holiday season, which is stacked with games for all consoles that'll make great gifts at the end of the year. There's still a lot of very famous games out there that don't have release dates yet, though, one of them being LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga. Once, Traveller's Tales intended for this ambitious new entry in the LEGO game franchise to come out last year, but it's been delayed multiple times now. LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is on the long list of games that didn't show up at E3, and so there's no word of it's release date.
However, there's a distinct possibility that LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga will come out in the holiday season. Traveller's Tales hasn't shared any specifics on the release date since telling fans that it wouldn't release in spring 2021 anymore. That's a good indicator that, at the time, the developers felt there was a lot of work left to do on the next LEGO Star Wars game. It's already been a long time since that revelation, and there's still quite a few months left before the holiday season. If there's still a lot of work left to do on The Skywalker Saga, then a holiday release would give its developers plenty of time to polish the game while releasing in a prime launch window.
A Comeback for LEGO Star Wars
2020 was definitely a bit tumultuous for Traveller's Tales and the LEGO series of games. It was the first time in 15 years where Traveller's Tales didn't release a licensed LEGO video game, in spite of the wide range of IPs that LEGO interacts with. That's because the studio was banking on The Skywalker Saga, a revolutionary entry with a huge overworld and major gameplay changes, as its 2020 capstone. This franchise, which frequently releases games well within a year of each other, needs to get back on its feet after a rocky year.
One way that it can help itself stand back up is by coming out at a time where it'll be a hot ticket item. That makes the holiday season an ideal time for The Skywalker Saga to finally break free from a long development. LEGO games are wholesome and easy to get into, making them great family games or casual games to pick up and play with a friend. The sense of togetherness that LEGO games foster perfectly mirrors the camaraderie of the holiday season.
There's also the question of The Skywalker Saga's state of development that's worth addressing. Traveller's Tales certainly has a lot to prepare for this new title. It's got more story levels than any previous LEGO Star Wars game, plus a huge overworld and hundreds of playable characters. On top of that, Traveller's Tales probably already started work on the six known DLCs coming to The Skywalker Saga in the future.
If Traveller's Tales aims to release The Skywalker Saga at the end of 2021, not only will it have a good sales opportunity, but it'll still have many months to make sure every squeaky wheel in the game is greased. If there's no release date yet, then clearly a lot of work is still underway. There's no shame in taking extra time to get it done.
The Saga of The Skywalker Saga
If there's any hope of LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga getting a release date anytime soon, then it stems from LEGO Con, a digital event that LEGO is running on June 26 to give fans of the building blocks a sneak peak into the product's future. The LEGO website doesn't advertise any spotlight on The Skywalker Saga, but LEGO Star Wars products will be discussed there, so the game might get a nod. Barring that, Traveller's Tales might decide to hold off on announcing a new release date until late in the summer. That'd make sense if a holiday window is really what it's aiming for.
The LEGO Star Wars games aren't going anywhere just because its next game got delayed. Still, the franchise's leave of absence last year is a stark contrast to its usual annual entries. The quiet around The Skywalker Saga might seem like a bad sign for its development, but actually, the contrary seems likely. Traveller's Tales has probably just accepted that it needs to focus on polishing the game, not on meeting a solid deadline. Since The Skywalker Saga is taking its time already, it might as well play the long game.
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is in development for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.