With the impending release of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Star Wars gaming is in one of the better spots it has been in over the last few years. Coming off the surprise success of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor looks to give fans more of the first game's brand of Soulslike, Metroidvania-inspired action in a galaxy far, far away. After all, developer Respawn has demonstrated what can come of a game that focuses purely on delivering a strong narrative experience.

While Star Wars Jedi: Survivor may seem like a vindication for EA's shaky handling of the property, it also serves as the end of a tumultuous era for Star Wars gaming. EA's ten-year exclusivity contract with the property will come to an end after 2023, meaning any developer will now be able to pursue a Star Wars game. In truth, it's now old news that companies like Ubisoft have been developing new Star Wars games, but many of them are nowhere close to releasing. This makes Jedi: Survivor the last game that EA will release under its contract, punctuating what has been an often difficult time for many Star Wars fans.

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Lootboxes, Lawsuits, And A Lack Of Ambition: EA's Time With The Star Wars Franchise

EA Star Wars Three New Games

When EA signed its exclusivity contract with Star Wars in 2013, it was at a time when the franchise as a whole was undergoing dramatic change. Disney had just bought the property from creator George Lucas for an extraordinary amount of money, and the galaxy far, far away would now be going in a new creative direction. With that came the promise of new games led by EA, who already had a reputation among gamers for being one of the industry's most divisive publishers. Amidst canceled games like Star Wars Battlefront 3, however, many fans were happy to be getting new triple-A games.

EA started its contract by somewhat resolving the despair of those looking forward to Battlefront 3 by rebooting the series with 2015's Star Wars Battlefront. While it lacked much depth, it was serviceable as a third-person Star Wars shooter, but everything would change with its sequel. 2017's Star Wars Battlefront 2 included predatory microtransactions, a pay-to-win-encouraging progression system, and content that still failed to convey the scope of the franchise. EA was lambasted by much of the gaming community and received numerous lawsuits from global governments as a result.

In the years that followed, EA would release just two more Star Wars games while developer DICE expanded on Battlefront 2's content. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order was a much-needed hit for the company, but while 2020's Star Wars Squadrons featured tight gameplay, its volume of content barely held a candle to the Rogue Squadron games of yesteryear.

The Future of Star Wars Games After Jedi: Survivor

Star Wars Jedi Survivor KOTOR Playbook

With the release of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor in April, EA will have made just five games over the course of its ten-year exclusivity contract. That amount may seem paltry to some, but the future of Star Wars gaming looks to correct that in a big way. At least three major Star Wars games are confirmed to be in development from various companies, with Ubisoft's open-world Star Wars game, Quantic Dream's Star Wars Eclipse, and the KOTOR remake. EA also has more Star Wars games of its own in the pipeline, with a Star Wars first-person shooter inspired by the Dark Forces games being among them.

Star Wars fans may have had to bear the many missteps of EA for a considerable amount of time, but the future of the franchise's gaming pursuits appears to be rewarding that patience. Not only does it seem the Star Wars: Jedi series could become a trilogy, but the impending end of EA's contract looks to start an era of Star Wars gaming as big as the galaxy itself. So as players dive back into the world of Cal Kestis and the rest of the Stinger Mantis crew, it should serve as a reminder that the best of Star Wars gaming may very well be yet to come.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor releases April 28 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.

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