The Star Wars gaming landscape is about to look very different in the next couple of years. After almost a decade of exclusivity to EA, the gaming license for the galaxy far, far away is moving on to Ubisoft for an open-world game developed by Massive Entertainment. This doesn't mean that EA is done making Star Wars games by any means, but it does mark a new era where a more diverse group of developers will be able to put their own spin on the franchise. After EA Star Wars titles were few and far between with the license, a lot of fans are looking forward to this change of pace.
It's likely that details on the Ubisoft Star Wars game won't be coming for awhile, but the appearance of a new studio in the mix opens up a lot of possibilities. EA had a hold of the franchise for a long time, and if the move to tap Ubisoft is any indication, Disney and Lucasfilm Games probably want some fresh ideas. If there's really a strong desire to branch out to other studios, there's a handful of different candidates that could be perfect for a new Star Wars game.
A Rocksteady Star Wars Game
One of the biggest gaming success stories of the last decade is the work that Rocksteady has done with the Batman: Arkham series. The Warner Bros. Interactive studio managed to bring superhero games away from their film tie-in status, and the same could be done to redeem the image of the Star Wars games. The Batman: Arkham games also had stellar combat, and seeing the same mechanics in a Star Wars game could end up being very successful. Whether players are fighting as a Jedi or a bounty hunter, it would have the potential to be the tightest combat in any Star Wars title ever.
A Bungie Star Wars Game
If there's any game developer that's familiar with sci-fi and creating an expansive narrative across the stars, it would be Bungie. The creators of Halo and Destiny have been instrumental in crafting the first-person shooter as gamers know it, and that expertise could be leveraged in full effect with a Bungie-led Star Wars title. The franchise isn't particularly known for going FPS, but games like Star Wars: Dark Forces have shown that there's a market for the genre amongst some fans. If Bungie was given control of the Star Wars license for just one title, it could prove to be one of the strongest Star Wars shooters in a long time.
An Obsidian Star Wars Game
It should be said that Obsidian Entertainment has already taken a crack at the galaxy far, far away with the critically-acclaimed Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords. However, it's been so long since that game released, and Obsidian has released so many other strong titles since then that it would make a great studio for another Star Wars title.
The Outer Worlds alone shows how Obsidian is capable of making a detail-rich sci-fi RPG, and it makes a great case for the studio to work on another original Star Wars title. A game centered on smugglers would probably be the most likely outcome, and it would fit perfectly with the kinds of stories that Obsidian tends to tell.
Wishful thinking aside, there's really no telling where the Star Wars license is going to go once more details are revealed on Ubisoft's upcoming title. The newly reformed Lucasfilm Games seems to be doing big things with this new Star Wars game and a new Indiana Jones title developed by Bethesda, but it will probably take some time before the license is passed off to any other studios. With a sequel to EA's Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order rumored to be in development, and Ubisoft's title a long ways away, the priority will likely be on those studios before other ones are added to the mix.
Ubisoft's open-world Star Wars game is currently in development.