Modern recently-delayed Star Wars Hunters offering up a promising multiplayer battle royale title that will give players control of a wide range of intriguing characters.
However, there is one slight issue that some fans might take with these games, one that could just as well be applied to the bulk of Star Wars media that has been released since Disney acquired the franchise in 2012: they take place during, immediately before, or immediately after the time of the Original Trilogy and its signature battle between the heroic Rebel Alliance and the sinister Galactic Empire. While this period is undoubtedly the most popular and beloved chapter in the long-running Star Wars timeline, it is far from the only one - and there are plenty of different eras that are ripe for the picking as the backdrop of a few new Star Wars games. This includes the far-off future established after the Sequel Trilogy, though it is doubtful that Disney would want this still-undefined era explored in a video game before any movies or Disney + spin-off shows.
There is also the High Republic, which is set to receive a tie-in video game of its own in the form of Star Wars Eclipse - though long-standing controversies and production issues at developer Quantic Dream could put the future of this title in question. Likewise, the previously-announced remake of the classic 2003 RPG Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic was recently delayed following a staffing shake-up at Aspyr Media and development duties being transferred to Saber Interactive, meaning that another game not set in the Original Trilogy timeline has been held back for the foreseeable future. However, the well for interactive Star Wars stories beyond the confines of the Rebellion/Empire conflict and the great Jedi Purge immediately before it is still quite full, especially in the events leading up to the Prequel Trilogy.
Star Wars Games Could Explore The Time Before The Prequels
While Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace was met with a level of derision that would cast a shadow on the rest of the Prequel Era, there is still potential in the setting leading up to Qui-Gon Jin and Obi-Wan Kenobi’s fateful meeting with the Trade Federation about 20 years before the rise of the Empire. The Jedi Order was at its peak during this time, though this might be an issue for players weary of too many Star Wars games that put players in the role of a Force-powered peacekeeper. On the other hand, a title set in the pre-Prequel timeline could flip the script and instead give players control of a powerful Sith Lord like Darth Maul - even possibly exploring the Dark Side-empowered Nightbrother’s life before becoming Darth Sidious’ first apprentice.
Even outside the Jedi/Sith conflict that served as the undercurrent of the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, there are plenty of great aspects of the pre-Phantom Menace era that could make for fun video games - such as a reboot of the brilliant Star Wars: Racer series that put players in the cockpit of a podracer, or even a mystery game dealing with the dark conspiracy that led to the Clone Wars. In any case, the Star Wars galaxy is wide enough for video games set in all of its different eras, and the current crop of Star Wars titles is proof that the potential is there for some truly memorable experiences outside the familiar territory of the classic films.
