Star Wars is no stranger to video games. The franchise has had a lot of games over the years, ranging from classic genre-defining pieces to grotesque exercises in clunky gameplay. They have covered many different genres including RPG, shooter, hack-and-slash, beat 'em up, real-time strategy, puzzles, edutainment, metroidvania, souls-like, flight simulators, and racing. Despite this, there has never really been a game that allowed the player to fully immerse themselves into the universe. Sure, many of the games have allowed the player to visit iconic locations, but a lot of those games were made before open world games were possible. Even ones that allowed some exploration like Knights of the Old Republic had to limit the player to pre-defined areas.
The open world game has grown increasingly popular in recent years, both for original games and existing properties. It would be an excellent genre for Star Wars to explore, and Ubisoft has such a game in progress already. However, as exciting as Ubisoft's promises are, some of them might seem a bit too ambitious. As much as fans would love to freely explore the Star Wars galaxy, it would probably be a more realistic idea to scale back and focus on one of the many distinct worlds that have appeared throughout the series. Every setting comes with its own unique lore and environment, and focusing an open world game on just one would allow a far deeper exploration of lore than any galaxy-trotting adventure.
5 Any City Planet
Open world games set in big cities are hardly anything new. There are several different urban planets, literally entire planets (and at least one moon) that are 100% covered by a massive city. Many of these are harsh capitalistic settings where the rich stomp on the poor, and they are frequently a hotbed for encountering unscrupulous characters and questionable deals. There are several to pick from- Coruscant, Nar Shadaa, Taris, or Daiyu would all be good choices.
The logical route to go with one of these settings would be a GTA-style adventure that explores the criminal underworld, but Star Wars can add its own unique spin on the genre. For one thing, unlike Los Santos, urban worlds of the Star Wars galaxy tend to be multi-layered, a trait which would undoubtedly affect any vehicle-related mayhem. There are several characters with criminal histories who could conceivably star in such a game. Jyn Erso or Fennec Shand would both be great contenders.
4 Endor
The "forest moon" of Endor first appeared in Return of the Jedi, where it was used as a backdrop for the climax. Endor quickly became well-known among fans for one thing- ewoks. The iconic teddy bear warriors have at different times been loved and reviled by fans, but their appearance was only the tip of the iceberg when it came to the moon's secrets. There was only so much that Return of the Jedi could show, including some of the forest's greater dangers. There have been attempts to explore Endor in more detail. The Ewoks cartoon series and the TV films both indicated other dangers such as the barbaric duloks, Morag the Tulgah Witch, the colossal phlogs, and a ravenous predator known as the Gorax.
Assuming it was not set during the Battle of Endor, a game set on the forest moon would likely be a departure from other Star Wars games. There would be less emphasis on technology and space battles, with a greater emphasis on stone age-level survival strategies. The player would be expected to navigate Endor's treacherous environment. This could be done as a traveler who is stranded on Endor, but the developers could also introduce an ewok protagonist. Either way, the game would have to be centered around exploring Endor while learning to face its dangers. An element of management could also be added by giving the player an opportunity to help an ewok village, maybe even help them with a few technical advancements.
3 Korriban
Korriban was once the homeworld of the ancient Sith, back when they were a species instead of an order, and it would continue to be a popular training ground for those looking to embrace the dark side. The whole planet is infamous for having a corrupting influence on visitors, so much so that many avoid it at all costs unless absolutely necessary. Of course, resisting that influence is only a concern to anyone who manages to avoid dying, or worse, to any of its numerous dangers. Perils of Korriban range from ravenous monsters to cursed Sith artifacts.
Considering the planet's infamous reputation as a giant death trap that will either kill or corrupt, it would make an interesting setting for an open-world survival game. The player could be an unfortunate traveler stranded on the planet and having to find a way to get off in one piece. They could even take a page from Knights of the Old Republic or Bioshock and have options that affect the ending, with the player either resisting and fighting against the planet's evil or giving in and embracing the dark side.
2 Tatooine
It's impossible to be a Star Wars fan and not know of the planet Tatooine, a world that has been central to the franchise from its beginning. The iconic desert world was where fans were first introduced to Luke Skywalker in the original movie, and where he would begin his famous hero's journey. Tatooine would become a common setting for later Star Wars adventures, appearing to some degree in five of the nine main Star Wars movies. It would also be a popular location for novels and video games to visit, and it was the primary setting for The Book of Boba Fett. Such a key location would be easy to market as the setting for a video game.
Tatooine has appeared in a lot of Star Wars video games over the years, but there has never really been one that gave players a chance to freely explore the planet. An open world game could really get into the lore surrounding Tatooine. There are several directions one could go with its story. One approach might be to mirror A New Hope and present a hero's journey where the player rises up against an oppressive force, something unfortunately common on Tatooine. Another angle might be to go the Red Dead Redemption route and focus on being an outlaw or bounty hunter navigating an often-lawless society. Given the whole planet is one big desert and players would almost certainly have to navigate its "dune sea," it could be neat to add survival mechanics based around hydration and heat management.
1 Rakata Prime
The climax of Knights of the Old Republic brought players to an "unknown world" that existed outside charted space. That planet turned out to be Rakata Prime, also known as Lehon, and it was once the capital of the Rakatan Infinite Empire. The Rakatans were a violent race that conquered most of the galaxy only to be thwarted by their own over-reliance on the dark side. They are largely forgotten even by the time of the Old Republic, but pieces of their regime remain scattered around the galaxy. The Rakata have been referenced several times since Knights of the Old Republic and have been established to have at least some presence in canon, but their homeworld has largely been unexplored outside the one level.
A game centered around exploring Rakata Prime would be an intriguing opportunity to really get into the history and culture of the Rakata. A logical way to approach this idea would be a game centered on a traveler who is stranded on the planet, and presumably has to survive its environment while uncovering its secrets. A big part of the game would have to be uncovering pieces of history and slowly assembling a picture, which would probably come in the form of exploring ruins, uncovering artifacts or recordings, and finding logs from previous visitors, all while evading hostile wildlife and the devolved Rakatan tribes.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is available for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S