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Why Andor’s Timeline Makes Star Wars Battlefront 3 a Lost Cause

BBG News

While Andor ranks high in the realm of Star Wars content, its chronological position poses a challenge for inspiring the anticipated Battlefront 3. The spy thriller series excels across various aspects, even reaching great heights during its impressive second season. However, it achieves success despite having minimal large-scale action, which is crucial for the Battlefront games. Considering that Pandemic Studios and DICE’s four main Battlefront releases have largely covered the Skywalker Saga, a potential third game following 2017’s Battlefront 2 might diverge from the setting that makes Andor captivating.

Following the success of Star Wars Day and the renewed enthusiasm for the franchise brought about by season two of Andor, there’s been a revival in interest for Battlefront 2. This has sparked dreams among fans about a potential Battlefront 3, one of gaming’s long-awaited titles. Unfortunately, plans for a third installment to the original duology were scrapped around 2008, and DICE’s third Battlefront project was turned down by EA, allegedly due to high licensing costs. If Battlefront 3 ever does come out, it might not live up to the excitement generated by Andor.

Battlefront 3 Wouldn’t Fit Into Andor’s Timeline

There Isn’t Enough Open Conflict

It’s reasonable for fans to desire more Star Wars content similar to Andor, but keep in mind that it belongs to a particular timeline within the franchise that might not support a game like Battlefront. Andor starts at 5 BBY (Before the Battle of Yavin) and concludes in 1 BBY, passing the narrative baton to Rogue One. The events of the original Star Wars, now known as A New Hope, occur during 0 BBY/ABY.

Currently, significant battles were scarce across the galaxy, as the Rebel Alliance was still building its main fighting force. Most notable fights often featured smaller resistance groups being suppressed by the Empire. Saw Gerrera’s Partisans were actively carrying out various operations, but these tended to be sabotage missions aimed at swiftly disrupting Imperial logistics.

In essence, Battlefront 3 might possibly compile some smaller battles, but it would be a significant departure from its traditional focus and could potentially overstep established galaxy lore. Historically, Battlefront has primarily concentrated on the grand-scale conflicts such as the Clone Wars and the Galactic Civil War, each with multiple battlefronts (a clever play on words). DICE’s Battlefront 2 introduced battlefields from the First Order-Resistance War post-launch, but these additions were minor representations of events spread across the entire Skywalker Saga.

The Battlefront series exudes a majestic feel that doesn’t seem compatible with the events occurring during Cassian Andor’s era. This game series brilliantly portrays the vastness of the Star Wars universe, allowing players to assemble in large numbers and engage in conflicts across numerous star systems. Since anything derived from Andor wouldn’t be able to replicate Battlefront’s iconic Galactic Conquest mode, given that there weren’t widespread enough conflicts happening between 5 BBY (Before the Battle of Yavin) and 1 BBY (Before the Destruction of the Death Star).

Battlefront 3 Would Probably Take Place During Disney’s Sequel Trilogy

Disney Loves Its New Era

Although there wasn’t much excitement towards episodes 7, 8, and 9, it seems clear that the conflict between the First Order and the Resistance, or the First Order-Resistance War, is a likely setting for any potential Battlefront 3. If this game incorporates elements from the entire Skywalker Saga like its predecessors did, then this major conflict might still be a significant part of it. DICE’s Battlefront 2 was released approximately a month before The Last Jedi, but its story unfolds during the Galactic Civil War, concluding with the Battle of Jakku.

In its original form, Battlefront 2 focuses on the 501st Legion, fighting through the last stages of the Clone Wars and transforming into Vader’s Fist during the Empire’s rise. Both Battlefront games, released in 2004 and 2015, offer a more independent set of single-player missions. Moving forward, it seems that following a Resistance fighter or a First Order soldier would be the logical choice for the series, which is probably Disney’s preferred direction.

In Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney World, the sequel trilogy, the Resistance, and the First Order are prominently featured, suggesting that this period is where the franchise is heading. While Star Wars has been filling in gaps between the original and prequel trilogies, Battlefront hasn’t emphasized the sequel trilogy much. If a potential Battlefront 3 aims to offer something fresh and immersive, it might unfortunately need to concentrate on the First Order-Resistance conflict.

Rather than exploring less probable scenarios such as a Star Wars: Battlefront game set during the High Republic or Old Republic era, it seems more plausible that Disney would focus on producing content related to upcoming Star Wars films. For instance, The Mandalorian and Grogu, which unfold after Return of the Jedi, and Star Wars: Starfighter, scheduled for release about five years following The Rise of Skywalker, are not set in the periods preceding Andor.

Battlefront 3 Is A Pipe Dream Anyway

EA’s Interest Probably Hasn’t Changed

Fans might be re-engaging with Battlefront 2 due to the recent release of Andor and Star Wars Day, but the renewed enthusiasm isn’t expected to persuade Electronic Arts (EA) to approve a third installment. With licensing fees likely remaining steep, EA has already scrapped another Star Wars-themed first-person shooter (FPS) last year, featuring a Mandalorian character. This decision was accompanied by layoffs, which were followed by more throughout the company earlier this year. Respawn Entertainment bore the brunt of these cuts, joining the job losses that affected BioWare a few months prior.

Instead of focusing on large-scale projects like Battlefront 2, which turned out to be a public relations fiasco for EA, the publisher appears to be concentrating on successful ventures and smaller projects under the Star Wars brand, such as Respawn’s upcoming third Jedi game and the newly announced Zero Company from Bit Reactor. It is also worth noting that DICE, who would likely be responsible for developing Battlefront 3, currently has a full workload creating the next installment of the Battlefield series, a franchise that might not see another release if it continues to disappoint.

The concept of a Battlefront 3 game certainly sounds appealing, yet I’m unsure if the actual experience would be satisfying. It seems likely that it would focus primarily on the First Order-Resistance War, which is a repetitive retelling of the Galactic Civil War, an issue that often detracts from every sequel film apart from The Last Jedi. However, this is not the main point I want to discuss. With the success of Andor, we’ve been reminded that Star Wars can be truly exceptional, but due to its particular position in the timeline, it may not serve to spark anticipation for a Battlefront 3.

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2025-05-22 09:24

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