no human dismemberment rule that will prevent players from wielding lightsabers in such a way that would see enemy arms flying off into the sunset after a particularly savage stroke. Apparently, that rule came straight from the top, with developer Respawn Entertainment simply complying with Lucasfilm and Disney's requests for the presentation of the game, which will attempt to be at least somewhat family friendly given the franchise's current ownership.
Jedi Fallen Order fans were initially quite upset at the news that the game wouldn't feature human dismemberment, which sounds weird without context but has a lot of precedent in the older films. Luke Skywalker loses a hand during a lightsaber battle, for instance, while Darth Maul is cut clean in half during another one. A lot of the Star Wars universe involves these kinds of stories, which have been seen as empowering to some, as many characters are featured with prosthetic limbs and written about as heroes capable of all the same combat maneuvers and movements that their counterparts without prosthetics use.
That said, however, in a recent statement from IGN's Ryan McCaffrey, the reporter suggested that during a discussion with the designers on the Jedi Fallen Order team it was revealed the decision was entirely a Lucasfilm and "brand thing," implying that Disney also had a lot to do with what was ultimately the implementation of the no human dismemberment rule. Respawn Entertainment lead designer Brandon Kelch stated previously that the films were used "as reference," but that the studio is also working with Disney. The obvious implication there is that Disney has strict creative control over its properties and, given that Star Wars is a very family friendly property in its most recent iterations, there was directive to avoid making Jedi Fallen Order too gory for younger children to responsibly enjoy.
Jedi Fallen Order appears to be doing a lot of things right given the impressions E3 2019 attendees had of the game's off-camera demonstration. Embracing many of the movements and storyline elements that have made Star Wars such an enduring franchise in the public eye is the smart move from Respawn Entertainment and EA, and Disney's influence appears to have largely been in keeping the game accessible to as many players as possible. Those looking for dismemberment moments with their lightsabers will still find it, too, as Jedi Fallen Order allows players to chop the limbs off robots, at the very least.
Overall, dismemberment is hardly necessary in any game, let alone one that takes place in the universe of Star Wars. There's so much to do and see within the worlds built in the franchise that hacking someone to bits seems quite the waste, both because of the unnecessary violence in a property that tries to promote responsibility and peace, and because there are so many imaginative ways to solve problems when players have access to the Force. The no human dismemberment rule might have made waves, but they're the kind that raise ships during a rising tide, and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order being as accessible as possible is something that everyone should hope for.
Source: IGN
