The last couple of years have been significant for Disney’s plans for the Star Wars franchise within the gaming space. Lucasfilm Games was set up to ensure the continued prosperity of this particular division, and titles like Star Wars Outlaws, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, and Star Wars: Hunters, all went to market to either critical or commercial acclaim. While there were some missteps across that journey, overall the stock of Star Wars games is up, and it seemed as if the House of Mouse was keen to continue that momentum into the future. However, the current state of Star Wars video games is up in the air, and while Disney’s other properties, like Marvel, have a clear road map in place which spells out exactly what titles will be released over the coming years, the galaxy far, far away has no such strategy.

There really is a lot of confusion surrounding what’s next for Lucasfilm within this space, and fans are hoping to hear a few more announcements in the coming months, to get an idea of what they can look forward to. 2025 seems like a lost year for Star Wars, and there are likely to be no new titles entering the market. There’s still a chance of re-releases like the recent run of Nintendo Switch throwback titles, but original storytelling will be largely absent. However, in all of this chaos and uncertainty, fans have completely forgotten about one game that has actually been announced. That game is Star Wars Eclipse, and it may soon be a crucial release for the brand.

Star Wars Eclipse Was Announced Back in 2021

An Early Trailer Debuted the Concept

 

Fans need to cast their minds back to 2021, when the first news of Star Wars Eclipse was released before Star Wars Outlaws even got a full gameplay breakdown. A trailer launched showcasing some cinematic imagery that teased what was to come. Audiences could see that the narrative featured the Jedi and Sith-like Dark Side users, fighting against an unknown threat from the outer galaxy. There was a sense of mystery surrounding the enemy as if Star Wars would be building up its lore in unique new ways, thanks to these narrative developments. Audiences saw two unlikely warriors standing side-by-side and wanted to know more.

It was noted that Quantic Dream was developing the project, a studio that has courted severe controversy in recent times. Beyond: Two Souls, and Detroit: Become Human are just two notable games from the developers that indicate what Star Wars Eclipse might look like. It isn’t entirely clear what game engine is being used here, but with Lucasfilm Games on the publishing side of things, there will continue to be narrative continuity between Star Wars Eclipse and any other projects released down the line. What is known is that production is continuing.

There were rumors that Star Wars Eclipse may have been canceled, as there was so little room given to updating audiences on the next steps. However, as late as 2023, there were reports that the title was in active development, and there has been nothing since to say the contrary. This is clearly an ambitious game that requires a great deal of resources. With that in mind, 2026 is the most likely release date for the title, at the very earliest. Since the game started development in 2021, Lucasfilm will be keen to get it launched on current-gen consoles, rather than waiting for the next generation.

The title promises all-new characters, moments and planets, with the franchise’s world-building about to expand once more. That could also account for the delay in the production, as the Lucasfilm Story Team has to approve every addition being made to the universe. The game is also said to have branching narratives, where the player’s choices make a genuine difference to gameplay. Such an ambitious concept can be complex to execute, which may also lead to further issues with the development, and perhaps an unfortunate desire to crunch from executives.

The Title Heavily Features the High Republic

The Acolyte’s Performance May Have an Impact

 

Another aspect of this title that players might have forgotten is that Star Wars Eclipse is actually set within the High Republic era. Fans of the wider Star Wars universe will be very familiar with this narrative initiative after Lucasfilm’s publishing division began the quest to craft a new area of the timeline across their comics, novels and audio dramas. Set just before the prequel era, but after the Old Republic, fans flocked to the new characters and arcs and were blown away by the high-quality storytelling that they got to witness up close.

The High Republic era has already made its way to video games, with a VR experience and a major influence on the story of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, which featured characters from this period. These elements were well-received by the public, with the two eras, of the High Republic and the age of the Empire, clashing together in a dramatic display of Star Wars at its best. Clearly, the High Republic works well in the gaming sphere, and Star Wars Eclipse can learn a lot from the performance of that particular title.

However, there is another factor to take into account. The High Republic recently made its debut on the small screen, with the Disney+ streaming series The Acolyte, introducing mainstream audiences to this era. While many Star Wars fans saw what the show was trying to achieve, it didn’t quite bring enough flare or quality to get the ratings that Disney desired. It was consequently canceled after a single season, and while the beats set up will likely be concluded in Star Wars’ expanded material, it is still a huge blow for the High Republic concept.

That reaction to the material and the era could have a knock-on effect on what Lucasfilm Games is trying to do elsewhere. Quantic Dream may have doubts that the High Republic is as profitable as they may have thought, and with Star Wars Eclipse so heavily reliant on this initiative, there’s no telling how it may impact the development process. It’s too late to drop the High Republic elements, but with so little news around the game, it wouldn’t be out of the question to see it quietly canceled before it has the chance to be completed, to avoid losses down the line.

Star Wars’ Future in Gaming is Currently Uncertain

All Future Titles Have Unannounced Release Plans

 

So, with Star Wars Eclipse up in the air, it’s no surprise that audiences had completely forgotten about it. But there are wider discussions to be had about Star Wars video gaming as a whole. Fans know that a sequel to Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is on its way, as that particular franchise has gone from strength to strength. Meanwhile, Respawn Entertainment is also being trusted with a strategy title, showcasing that success can lead to more opportunities for a studio to utilize the intellectual property in the ways they want.

Elsewhere, Amy Hennig’s Skydance New Media will be developing a narrative-driven title that could certainly rival whatever Quantic Dream is cooking up. And then there’s the Knights of the Old Republic Remake to take into consideration, which could already cause confusion with the High Republic among mainstream audiences. All this to say, Star Wars Eclipse certainly isn’t Lucasfilm Games’ only iron in the fire, but it should have been the most likely to get the next release, and yet somehow has fewer updates than all of these other experiences.

Upcoming Star Wars Game
Studio

Star Wars Knights Of The Old Republic Remake
Aspyr

Star Wars: Eclipse
Quantic Dream

Star Wars Strategy Game
Respawn

Star Wars Jedi 3
Respawn

Untitled Game Directed by Amy Hennig
Skydance New Media

Overall, the future is in doubt for Star Wars Eclipse and the status of Star Wars gaming as a whole. Lucasfilm Games needs a major project to hang its hat on in the coming years, and with the failures that have now been attached to adaptations of the High Republic, Quantic Dreams may feel it is taking an entirely wrong step. But, there is so much potential here, and there is still a huge section of the fan base that wants to see new stories set within this area of the galaxy. The trailer really did highlight the best of the concept and took fans back to the cinematic showcases of Star Wars: The Old Republic, leading to a great sense of nostalgia.

Lucasfilm Games has to remind fans that Star Wars Eclipse is coming out and commit to it. A quality story will nullify the impact The Acolyte may have on the project, and there is a need more than ever to demonstrate that there are other games to look forward to. This constant stop-start production strategy that Lucasfilm has been known for in its cinematic slate cannot carry over to its video game projects.