Disney closes LucasArts and cancels both upcoming Star Wars video games

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

Disney has decided against pursuing two upcoming STAR WARS related video games, STAR WARS: FIRST ASSAULT and STAR WARS 1313, and also laid off all employees of LucasArts, closing the almost 30 year old company.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Disney will develop any future STAR WARS video games via a licensing model which means they don’t need to internally develop the games themselves. There are pros and cons to this. On the pro side, Disney can focus on the new films starting with STAR WARS: EPISODE VII and farm out the huge universe to exciting developers with new takes on the galaxy far, far away. On the con side, Disney has not had the greatest track record with video games.

We have had quite a few great video games from LucasArts, including Grim Fandango, Escape from Monkey Island, Knights of the Old Republic, Battlefront, and many more. It is a shame that we will be losing these upcoming games, especially STAR WARS 1313, which was looking pretty damn cool. But, I expect that Disney will try to do everything they can to make the games surrounding STAR WARS: EPISODE VII to be as profitable as possible. Here’s hoping that they make them good games as well.

STAR WARS: EPISODE VII is scheduled for release as early as 2015, so don’t expect to see much game-wise before then.