As May builds its way toward the end, it seems safe to say there’s a lot of anticipation for upcoming Star Wars projects. Obi-Wan Kenobi will feature a two-episode premiere on May 27, while Star Wars Celebration will take place from May 26 to May 29 in Anaheim, California. It’s there that EA is expected to unveil the sequel to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, reportedly called Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.
While publisher EA and developer Respawn Entertainment has remained quiet about Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, reporter and insider Jeff Grubb has spoken about it quite a bit. Fans should still take it with a grain of salt, but as he is the one to say it’ll be at Star Wars Celebration, fans will know how much of it is true then. Grubb’s information is usually good, though, so fans can trust that this isn’t something just picked off of Reddit or, worse, 4chan by an anonymous user.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is a Sequel to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
According to Jeff Grubb’s information, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor will be revealed at Star Wars Celebration. He had avoided mentioning the game’s title until the Survivor subtitle was brought up by a viewer during a show, and he has also suggested that it would release in February or March 2023. It is also said to be skipping the PS4 and Xbox One generations. Unfortunately, that’s the long and short of what’s known about Star Wars Jedi: Survivor right now, but it’s enough to bide the time with.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is NOT Jedi Fallen Order 2
The big thing here, of course, is the name. Many would have presumed that the title would be Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order 2, as in a direct sequel to Cal Kestis’ original adventure, but that’s not the case. If the game is changing subtitles, it could be that Cal Kestis remains the protagonist, but it’s possible that he doesn’t. Names are important everywhere, but especially in the gaming industry. There’s a certain fatigue associated when a numbered game starts putting out more than a third-numbered title, but sequels and threequels pound on the success of the original.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order was successful, and the safest bet for a sequel to keep that attention and success is a title of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order 2. To abandon that would have to be intentional, and it could be that the franchise was never intended to be a standard series or trilogy. Notably, without any consideration of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, the colon placement in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is weird.
“Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order” is a little more visually appealing, and its message is clear cut—it’s about the Fallen Order during Star Wars’ Dark Times. Yet, Respawn was insistent about the colon being after Jedi, meaning the official title of the series is actually Star Wars Jedi. And if that’s the case, it would make sense that instead of direct sequels, it was more of a collection of stories about Star Wars Jedi, potentially old and new.
Perhaps the best comparison would be the Assassin’s Creed franchise, which typically features a new character in each game. Star Wars Jedi’s naming convention could very well suggest it’s the same, and exploring Jedi through all eras of the galaxy would be a fantastic video game series.
Why a Star Wars Jedi Anthology Series Would Be Perfect
After all, one complaint lodged against Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is its placement in the Dark Times. It introduces a new Jedi in a time when there were almost no Jedi, and the whole storytelling vibe is a little old hat at this point. If Fallen Order 2 would be Cal’s story continued, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor suggests it could take place elsewhere, with a new story, a new crew. It would likely even be a new character in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, but that character wouldn’t have to be “new," per se. It definitely could, there’s a strong case that it shouldn't be, but an anthological series opens so many doors.
It could be another character from Jedi: Fallen Order, like Cere and Merrin, on their Jedi adventure/path. It could be another established character, and if the stars align, there is some potential that Star Wars Jedi: Survivor’s protagonist could be Obi-Wan Kenobi. Or it could be another new one set in a completely different time in the galaxy. Playing a young Jedi student of Master Yoda before the prequels, for example, would fit well into the franchise IF it were an anthological series.
Either way, an anthology or just an oddly changed subtitle, fans should know come Star Wars Celebration.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is reportedly in development.