There’s something about Star Wars that just grabs people. When the franchise comes roaring back, everything else seems to follow. In 2015, that gravitational pull felt stronger than it had in years. A whole new trilogy was on the horizon, Disney was talking big about fresh directions, and fans were cautiously optimistic that the old magic might actually return. Video games were meant to be a huge part of that comeback story, but things didn’t quite go according to plan.
A New Era Begins With Sky-High Expectations and Immediate Problems
When Disney kicked off the Star Wars relaunch in 2015, the hype was absolutely everywhere. You couldn’t escape the trailers, the fan theories were flying, and EA’s ten-year exclusive deal to make Star Wars games seemed like either a genius move or a disaster waiting to happen. The jury was still out, but the first big announcement felt like a slam dunk: a modern take on Star Wars Battlefront.
If you wanted to understand why people were so pumped, you just had to look at what audiences wanted from entertainment back then. Gamers craved experiences that felt instantly rewarding and full of character, the same way TV viewers wanted shows that didn’t waste time getting started.
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Battlefront was supposed to capture that same contagious energy, as well, which is exactly why its failures stung so badly. That initial letdown basically set the stage for everything EA would struggle with for years.
Gorgeous on the Surface, Empty Underneath
Look, DICE absolutely crushed it when it came to visuals. They scanned actual movie props, obsessed over every detail, and pushed the Frostbite engine to create worlds that still look incredible today. Hearing that iconic blaster sound or seeing a pristine stormtrooper helmet catching the light in just the right way? Pure Star Wars bliss.
But once that first rush wore off, the cracks started showing fast. The game only covered the original trilogy, which meant none of the prequel era’s wild planets and nothing from the new films dropping that same year. The map selection was pretty thin to begin with, and some of those maps didn’t even work with certain game modes. It felt incomplete right out of the gate.
Where’s the Beef? A Game That Felt Half-Finished
The second you got past how pretty everything looked, the whole thing felt weirdly shallow. Movement was basic, vehicles handled like toys, and the special abilities felt watered down compared to what fans remembered. It played more like an arcade shooter than something you’d want to invest serious hours into. And the complete absence of a single-player campaign? That was a dealbreaker for a lot of people, especially at full price with an expensive season pass tacked on.
It was kind of like unwrapping this gorgeous present only to find the box was mostly empty. All style, not enough substance.
The Harsh Lesson: When Hype Crashes Into Reality
A lot of fans learned that lesson the hard way. Tons of people got swept up in the excitement around The Force Awakens and preordered the deluxe edition before they’d seen a single second of actual gameplay. When they finally booted it up, the truth hit pretty quickly; there just wasn’t enough meat on the bone.
Some folks came back after The Force Awakens or Rogue One dropped, hoping the updates and seasonal content would fix things. But every time they checked in or looked at the latest news about the game, it was the same story: the game looked and sounded amazing, but there wasn’t much reason to stick around.
EA’s Big Bet Backfires
Battlefront’s problems weren’t happening in isolation. EA’s exclusive deal with Disney raised eyebrows from day one. Sure, handing an entire franchise to one publisher sounds efficient on paper, but it kills variety. Disney ran into the same trap with their plan to pump out a new Star Wars movie every year. Ambitious plans mean nothing if you can’t actually deliver.
That was the core issue. Star Wars needed different creative perspectives, not one studio trying to do everything at once.
Redemption Arc: Battlefront II Actually Shows Up
To DICE’s credit, they genuinely tried to make things right. Battlefront II was bigger, better, and way more complete. It spanned all three trilogies, packed in more game modes, included an actual story campaign, and featured a much deeper selection of heroes and villains. On paper, it was everything the first game should’ve been from the start.
But the launch got absolutely torpedoed by one of the worst progression systems in modern gaming history, tied directly to loot boxes. Unless you wanted to grind for an absurd amount of time or drop real money, you were basically locked out of meaningful progress. The backlash was so intense that actual lawmakers got involved, and even Disney had to step in. It became one of the biggest gaming controversies of 2017 and forced the industry to rethink how microtransactions worked.
Once they gutted that system and rebuilt it properly, though? The game hiding underneath was legitimately fantastic.
When Star Wars Games Finally Found Their Footing
The tail end of EA’s exclusivity deal produced some genuinely surprising wins. Respawn’s Jedi: Fallen Order brought back the kind of single-player, story-focused experience fans had been begging for. Star Wars Squadrons delivered a focused, intense space combat game that scratched an itch people forgot they had.
These games worked because the studios played to their strengths instead of trying to create some one-size-fits-all blockbuster. They felt unique, purposeful, and made by people who actually had something specific they wanted to say.
Letting More Studios Play in the Sandbox
By the time EA’s exclusive deal wrapped up in 2023, it was pretty obvious that Star Wars games thrived when more developers could take their shot. With the gates open again, the franchise could finally explore genres and stories that would’ve been impossible under a single publisher’s control.
Creative diversity makes the Star Wars universe feel expansive and alive. It also makes the games feel more connected to the collaborative, anything-goes spirit that’s always kept the franchise relevant.
Conclusion
Modern Star Wars gaming kicked off with a pretty embarrassing stumble. DICE’s first Battlefront looked absolutely gorgeous, but didn’t have much going on underneath. But slowly, painfully slowly, things turned around. By the end of EA’s run, fans had a solid lineup of games that felt way more confident and willing to embrace what actually makes Star Wars special.
The journey from disaster to redemption wasn’t pretty, but it proved something crucial. Star Wars games work best when they’re bold, full of personality, and shaped by multiple creative voices with different ideas. If the industry keeps moving in that direction, we probably haven’t even seen the best Star Wars games yet.