Sometimes, a game is so popular and does so well that a sequel is a given, well before launch. This was true of major Sony exclusives like God of War, Horizon, and Spider-Man, and the same can be said of EA's major single-player Star Wars title, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Since its release at the end of 2019, however, it's been quiet around whether or not a sequel was actually happening, no matter how obvious it is.
That is, until the most recent EA earnings call, where the company commented on the game. In fact, EA said it will "continue to invest in the Jedi: Fallen Order franchise." However, based on other news out of EA, that statement comes with one big caveat.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order 2 - Becoming a 'Franchise'
First, it's worth looking at the exact wording from EA. The mention that it will "continue to invest" implies that it already has and will continue supporting it, for however long. Now, of course, this could simply mean the first release of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and the support it received afterward, but chances are, it means a proper sequel (maybe more?) The key word here is "franchise,: and one game does not a franchise make. There are a lot of one-off games out there that are great on their own, and while many fans would not want to see that of Jedi: Fallen Order, it would technically be possible.
The end of the game asked, "what's next?" That's a question Cal and crew, as well as fans of the game, want to see answered. The idea of a franchise doesn't likely mean Star Wars as a whole, but the sub-franchise started by Jedi: Fallen Order. As such, it's easy to read this as, and is likely to mean, that EA has already been investing in a sequel developed at Respawn Entertainment. It's a nod toward something many already believe to be happening anyway. However, despite this, the caveat means that it's not coming any time soon.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order 2... In 2022?
Prior to EA Play, the publisher did a good job of managing expectations. It confirmed several games and franchises that wouldn't be there, but it went a step further with Star Wars. As EA announced, not only would Star Wars not be there (and it wasn't), but it wouldn't announce any more Star Wars games—its vision for the galaxy far, far away—until 2022. This confirmation of sorts from EA's earnings call, as a result, won't turn into a full-blown announcement any time soon. On the one hand, this makes sense given that the first game released in 2019. Even if development began on a sequel right away, less than two years have passed since then.
On the other hand, the timing of the tweet and subsequent potential announcements is concerning. It could mean that new Star Wars games would be announced at next year's EA Play, meaning that fans may be lucky enough to get Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order 2 in 2022, but that 2023 is more likely. After all, there could be any number of announcements, and while Jedi: Fallen Order 2 seems likely, it's not the only thing EA could be referencing. Either way, the best potential outcome is an early 2022 announcement followed by a fall 2022 release, but with the pandemic still bearing down on the gaming industry, anything could go. As such, the move from single game to franchise for Jedi: Fallen Order 2 seems like a loaded gun, but no one knows when it will fire.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order 2 is likely in development.