Will There Be an Open-World Star Wars Game?

Following E3's trailer-reveal for Ubisoft's open-world Avatar game, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, gamers and Star Wars fans and gamers alike are now hungrier than ever for a Star Wars-themed experience of the same nature. Fortunately, such a game was already confirmed to be in development in January this year, with Ubisoft and Massive Entertainment heading up the project.

The official Ubisoft website states the following: Ubisoft has announced it is collaborating with Disney and Lucasfilm Games on a new story-driven open-world video game set in the Star Wars galaxy. Headed by Massive Entertainment, the project gathers some of the most experienced talents in the video games industry and will make the most of Massive's innovative spirit and cutting-edge technologies, including the Snowdrop engine, to deliver a groundbreaking Star Wars adventure.

Ubisoft's track record of open-world games includes the likes of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood and Far Cry 3, all of which have been huge hits and boast impressive open-world environments.

So it's true; an open-world Star Wars game is in development. While no release date has even been hinted at, and it's likely it's a few years off, this is still promising news for fans. Not only does Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora look as revolutionary as the 2009 movie by James Cameron, but an open-world game set in the faraway galaxy simply makes too much sense not to happen.

There's no shortage of Star Wars gaming titles, of course, with the hugely popular Battlefront series expecting the third entry in due course, and 2019's Jedi: Fallen Order has proven to be an equal hit, but an open-world game would be the first of its kind in Star Wars gaming history. It will also be the first major non-EA Star Wars game.

So, with Star Wars being up there with the biggest fictional universes, which worlds will be available to explore? Will it be desert planet after desert planet, or will we be able to immerse ourselves into the city world of Coruscant and dive into the deep oceans of Mon Cala? When will the game be set? And will there be a roster of characters to choose from, just like within the Battlefront series?

It's fair to say that the Star Wars universe is a rich playground that boasts an infinite number of possible journeys, scenarios, and characters. And for the first time ever, it looks like fans will finally be able to visit the faraway galaxy and forge their own path. The open-world project is the latest in a line of ‘prayer-answering titles, which include Harry Potter-themed game Hogwarts: Legacy, and now, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora.

On May 4th this year, potential teasers – or perhaps tasters – did arrive in the form of BIOMES on Disney+. Unrelated to the future game (as far as we know…), BIOMES is a ‘virtual vacation' whose bird's-eye flew contemplatively over iconic landscapes from Hoth to Tatooine, with the worlds having clearly been built using a powerful game engine (you could practically see the grains of sand and snowdrifts).

If this is the level of detail LucasFilm is willing to put into bitesize films on Disney+ for Star Wars Day, then it's reasonable to expect the same level of care, if not more, for Ubisoft's ambitious project. Either way, expectations will be high, to say the least.

No release date has been given to the untitled open-world Star Wars project, however, Ubisoft's Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is set for release in 2022.

Related:Ubisoft Confirms Avatar Game in Development, Drops First Look