Star Wars is the second highest-grossing movie franchise of all time. The much-loved series has earned over $9.307 billion in dollars since hitting the big screens in 1977. Yet, for all of the series’ film success, Star Wars has thus far failed to break into the eSports world.
Over the years, the franchise has been the inspiration behind a whole host of different video games, including Battlefront II, Force Arena, and, most recently, Squadrons. Each of the above titles varies in genre, but that hasn’t altered the series’ competitive gaming fortunes. Nowadays, the eSports industry is more lucrative than ever before, and the emergence of ancillary industries and League of Legends’ success reflects that. So, let’s look at why Star Wars hasn’t succeeded in the industry and consider what it can learn from other titles.
Developers Attempted to Replicate League of Legends’ Success
In 2017, it appeared that Netmarble Monster Inc had developed a title that would spearhead Star Wars’ eSports success. Star Wars: Force Arena was released in 2017, and it was a real-time player-versus-player battle arena mobile game. Because of its strategic approach, the smartphone title sought to follow in the footsteps of one of the most successful eSports titles, League of Legends. However, Force Arena was shut in December 2018.
Although Force Arena failed to replicate Riot Games’ success in the competitive battle arena world, the idea was admirable. Since 2009, League of Legends has taken the gaming world by storm. Competitively, LoL has amassed a prize pool total of over $82 million, which puts it behind only Fortnite, Counter-Strike Global Offensive, and Dota 2, respectively. Not only that, but the title’s eSports franchises now have a value of $50 million, according to Forbes.com. One of the reasons why the 12-year-old title triumphed where Force Arena failed is because of the title’s annual World Championships. Between 2014 and 2018, the tournament’s prize pot grew each year. As per Esports Earnings, the highest recorded total to date is $6.45 million, which came back in 2018.
Over time, the Riot Games development has grown increasingly popular. This newfound appeal has seen many top-rated betting sites embrace the strategic battle arena game and provide odds on much-loved competitions, including the World Championships. Across many of the recommended platforms at SBO.net, the providers in question offer eSports betting. At 888sport, for example, prospective bettors can wager on numerous events, including the Legends Pro League and Pacific Championship Series. Moreover, at LV Bet, users can explore other LoL markets, such as the Championship Series Spring.
The Franchise is Making Gradual Steps
There was a widespread belief following Star Wars: Squadrons’ release in October 2020 that the first-person multiplayer space game would take the eSports world by storm. However, the title has thus far fallen short of expectations. Available on PlayStation 4, PC, and Xbox One, the game has inspired limited eSports events. Esports Earnings reports that Squadrons’ only competitive gaming competition to date was Operation Ace Open in December 2020. The prize pool sat at $800, significantly less than the totals on offer in the League of Legends World Championships.
Despite breaking into the eSports world, albeit on a small scale, it appears unlikely that Squadrons will match League of Legends’ competitive success. In our review of the title at FanthaTracks.com, we highlighted that the game doesn’t live up to the lineage of previous Star Wars games. With unnatural controls and a lack of replayability, longevity in the competitive gaming sector appears unlikely. As such, the title will struggle to make an impression on eSports platforms.
The closest that Star Wars has come to eSports success is through an indirect link to Fortnite. In December 2019, a crossover promotion for Star Wars: The Rise of the Skywalker started on the Epic Games title. In 2020 the third-person shooter was the most popular game with eSports tournaments. On reflection, this shows that Star Wars has a long way to go before it can challenge League of Legends and Fortnite in the strategy or shooter genre.
What Does the Future Hold for the Series?
At the time of writing, Ubisoft are developing a new open-world Star Wars game, as per The Guardian. The role-playing game presents the franchise with another opportunity to break into the eSports industry, but RPGs have notoriously struggled to master the market. As such, the upcoming game could make up for the disappointment of Squadrons, but it’s unlikely that it will achieve eSports success.
Because of that, the series may have to go back to the drawing board and reassess their approach. Of course, developers shouldn’t give up, although expectations may be too high if the franchise’s fans think Star Wars can replicate its movie success in the eSports sector.