Why was Star Wars: Battlefront 3 Cancelled?

By Landon Robinson | 05 May 2012 | 19 Comments

Though it’s been rumored off and on for a number of years, we know now that Star Wars: Battlefront 3 was in actual development by Free Radical Design, but was unfortunately canned by executives from LucasArts who had begun cutting costs late into development, according to David Doak, studio co-founder.

Via an in-depth interview on Eurogamer [via Polygon], Doak and other co-founder Steve Ellis contributed their sides of the story regarding the ups and downs of the studio, and the depressing state of their last, unannounced project: Star Wars: Battlefront 3.

“It was going well,” says Doak.

“They wanted to massively upgrade the scope, and consequently we were being required to be very ambitious technology-wise — when you see those leaked videos of it you can see it looks spectacular.”

While the game was coming along as planned, that desire for a technically impressive, maximum ambition project came coupled with a very, very large budget. Fine for the first part of the project, the problems began when LucasArts appointed a new president in Darrell Rodriguez.

The publisher’s to-do list shifted priorities at that point, focusing on cost-cutting — and Free Radical’s game budget was one of the highest targets on that list.

Layoffs and payroll freezes occurred at Free Radical, and the studio(and the game) ultimately went into closure status, but was semi-rescued by a purchase from Crytek soon after.

“My role at Free Radical meant that I was simultaneously involved in these unpleasant ‘high level’ discussions with psychopaths who wanted to destroy us, and then the next day sitting with our dev staff at their desks trying to boost people’s morale.

It was the most depressing and pointless thing that I have ever been involved in.”

Very few ex or current employees of Free Radical have come out to speak their mind on the treatment of the situation, but one anonymous employee did cut together this crude, joke filled, LucasArts bashing video:

[via EuroGamer]

19 Comments

Posted by adam on 06 May 12 at 9:03am

lol, but seriously fuck lucas arts
Posted by Chuckleman on 06 May 12 at 5:37pm

Well shit, there goes all my hopes from my childhood. I guess the Battlefront 2 mods can make up for this though.
Posted by dorkgeniuz21 on 07 May 12 at 10:23am

I still have faith…Itl be back soon enough…
Posted by Jimmy C on 07 May 12 at 12:32pm

And this is why I am safe in calling myself a Trekkie. I’m sorry, Star Wars, but you’ve been too abused, so that I can’t even recognize you anymore.
Posted by Scorch1138 on 07 May 12 at 12:34pm

I WILL TELL GABEN TO BUY OUT THE BATTLEFRONT FRANCHISE AND MAKE IT HAPPEN
- Posted by weedgayben on 23 June 12 at 6:47am
  
  But GABEN cant count to 3 :( .
Posted by Bull3t. on 07 May 12 at 1:25pm

NOOO, I still play BF II. Make it happen!! ):
Posted by Alex on 07 May 12 at 1:29pm

@scorch1138. Valve can’t count to 3…..
Posted by thelaughiingman on 07 May 12 at 2:30pm

If there was ever a game that needed a Kickstarter…
Posted by Drake Kehoe on 07 May 12 at 3:53pm

CURSE YOU GEORGE LUCAS!!!
Posted by Mathew on 07 May 12 at 4:25pm

Saw the video, read the the news, suddenly, I wanna help in the cause to end the whole LucasArts franchise so we can get our game of BattleFront 3 Star Wars. Who needs them if they are gonna be selfish about it? Really, come on now, we needed this game since we saw the trailer and now we won’t. The console ones were great but the handhelds were kinda bad. Otherwise, I wanted this game because of how unique it was and how I loved the previous ones as well. So what was the purpose of ending it? Simple, the video said it plainly outright and seemed rather accurate as from obvious today that the Star Wars games and shows are dying because they are so abused. Why you ask? Because they want that extra bit of cash for another dumb idea to put out in hopes for more money for more stupid stuff. Any questions now?
Posted by MedicOnDuty on 07 May 12 at 5:25pm

Only played Battlefront and Battlefront 2 at friends houses, and although I was admittedly terrible about at it it was still a fun game. I guess I’ll never get the chance to experience it on the PC or new consoles. Imagine online multiplayer with Battlefront. Oh… the dreams that never come true. :’(
Posted by Mugenite on 08 May 12 at 4:35am

I’m done crying over star wars games. The only two game I want to play before I die is a full fledged KOTOR 3 from a dev other than Bioware. And no, the MMO is trash.

A guy can dream, right?
- Posted by MrCarras on 01 October 12 at 5:28pm
  
  Play the light side jedi knight storyline. Thats ur fucking kotor 3
Posted by Redline on 10 May 12 at 5:45am

It’s a big shame. The publisher who we loved turned into a monster and killed a great developer. Now star wars is losing fans. You can watch this in SWTOR.
Bringing a shit family party game called Kinect but no Battlefront 3!?!…. It was almost finished and LucasArts cancelled the game Oo?
That cost them more money than they have saved through that stupid decision. Battlefront 3 would have been so sucessful …. but no ….
This psychopathical manager!
Posted by Charlie on 04 July 12 at 9:19am

Is that a Kickstarter I hear?
Just 2 problems:
I heard it does not contain any carrots.
And Lucas still holds the rights to anything Star Wars.
I can dream right?
Posted by samuel blumfelder on 04 July 12 at 2:47pm

damn that sucks if this happens what about force unleashed 3 i mean i cant belive this crap lucas read all these comments if you do dont cancel dont be like that we need these games
Posted by Hook on 05 July 12 at 11:57am

Crytek, could take the Battlefront 3 so far and launch it with a name Battlefront II : StarBattles. I would buy it. Especially if it was made with “all-is-possible” Crytek 3 Engine.
Posted by Xemnes on 03 November 12 at 9:34am

I can’t believe after all that preparation and near completion they kicked the best game since unleashed, but they come out with these crapy and depressing kenect and move games. I’m 200% sure the money spent would have come back by 20 times people love Star Wars and the battlefront series was the best ever, with this recent decision Lucasfilms you have lost a multitude of fans that will be more reluctant to give you the time of day. To the new management if you were some sadistic part of spilbergs plot to end George Lucas and his great franchise then you truly suck at life and I still hope to see you replaced by a more competent person with enough sense to see exact how bad a decision you’ve made and clean up after you.