Screenshot: EA / Kotaku
The next Star Wars game from Respawn Entertainment is almost here. A new trailer showed off the enhanced gameplay of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and finally made the previously leaked Steam release date of March 17, 2023 official. Plus Cal has a beard!
The action platformer was first revealed in May and takes place five years after the events of Fallen Order. A previous trailer showed former Jedi-turned-Imperial fugitive Cal Kestis observing a mysterious figure inside a healing tank, as well as some other cryptic scenes. The new one delves into the platforming, combat and new characters of the sequel. Cal isn’t just a Padawan anymore, and the game leans into that.
Here’s the trailer:
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order came out in 2019 and was a bright spot in Electronic Arts’ history with the Star Wars license. Respawn’s take on a galaxy far, far away mixes new story beats with a style that harkens back to the original trilogy. Some elements, such as the Inquisitor Headquarters level, were incorporated directly into the Star Wars Cinematic Universe via the Obi-Wan streaming series.
Beyond the lightsabers and big AT-AT pieces, the game was great for its subtle mix of Souls-lite elements and Metroidvania exploration. Fallen Order borrowed elements from a bunch of other successful genres and made them their own. Fans are hoping that Jedi: Survivor can do the same.
It will also come out in the same year that EA’s 10-year exclusivity deal with Disney for the Star Wars license ends. Now other major publishers and studios are taking their turn with the classic sci-fi franchise. Ubisoft’s Massive (the studio behind The Division) is making an open-world Star Wars game, and Quantic Dream recently revealed Star Wars Eclipse, a High Republic-era version of the series Those games, however, are probably still several years away.
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EA is also working on more Star Wars games beyond Jedi: Survivor. Earlier this year it announced that Respawn was working on a shooter directed by a former Medal of Honor director and partnering with an outside studio on a strategy game potentially in the mold of XCOM.