We live in a time where Star Wars is on both the big screen and the small screen, with many different parts of the universe to enjoy. We've been given content for fans of the prequels, the original trilogy, the sequels and the Clone Wars in new stories such as Rebels, The Bad Batch and The Mandalorian.
We've seen a lot of Star Wars games in the past, from the likes of the story driven Knights of the Old Republic through the flight games of Rogue Squadron to the current generation of multiplayer shooters like Battlefront.
As a massive Star Wars fan and as someone that has been playing them since I was a kid in the arcade with the 1983 Atari cabinet, it's given me ideas as to what Disney could also introduce to PC players going forward.
A first step into an open world
Imagine an open world adventure set in the early years of the Galactic Empire and after the execution of Order 66 by Emperor Palpatine. As a Clone Trooper you're part of a squad deployed back to Coruscant, and you're starting to become aware that you aren't like the rest of your team. On arrival you are thrown into the ceremonies of a new Empire policing the streets, while realising that you are arresting the very people you were sworn to protect.
As you become more disillusioned you sneak out of these jobs, wanting to understand the answers to why you are different but also to find allies and a way to escape Coruscant. You're given missions to earn credits so you can hitch a ride to escape the planet, or you join a crew on smuggling runs - usually you're presented with a path to choose in order to find the answers you need.
Ultimately being a clone in this new world you need to to both hide out of sight and find others that will help you understand your new place.
It's a mix of Republic Commando, Star Wars: Galaxies and Fallen Order, but you're in a sprawling world that some Star Wars games had previously failed to achieve.
Now this is podracing, again
Introduced in 1999, Star Wars: Racer is still a fan favorite. It was fast and fun and whilst it did see a re-release in 2020 for modern consoles, I want to see a complete overhaul with next generation features. Imagine podracing across Tatooine in 4K HDR, with local and online multiplayer, alongside a story mode taking you across multiple planets.
The next obvious step would be VR, as I feel that podracing would be the best fit for an immersive experience in this universe. Vader Immortal gave us a taste at how good this could get, but racing with the Oculus Quest controllers as podracer handlebars, while looking around the track and your rivals, could take the immersion to strange new places.
If it could also take inspiration from Formula 1 and GRID racing games, with qualifying races and more. Set across planets this time, not familiar locations like Tatooine but a visit to planets such as Lothal, Naboo, Takodana and Geonosis. Let's forget some of the canon and have fun with podracing in 4K and in VR.
Local co-op puzzle platformer
Local co-op games have seen a resurgence in recent years, especially with games such as Overcooked! 2 and Portal 2, which is where Star Wars comes in.
Imagine a local co-op game that's set in the times of the High Republic and would follow two young Padawan Jedi on a mission to retrieve an important artefact.
You can switch between the two characters to progress through the levels, or you could have a friend or family member to be your partner. Using different force powers and a mix of narrative storytelling to traverse through the galaxy can shine a light on how the genre could be defined even more by Star Wars.
This would give us a chance to see some characters in a new era all long with a new game format we haven't seen in Star Wars.
Squad based action
Combined with playing Gears of War and watching The Bad Batch, it could be time to see a spiritual sequel of Republic Commando. Star Wars: Republic Commando, released in 2005 could give us the closest look so far at what this game could be like, while having modern day graphics and this new team would make for a fun ride.
Coming off the back of the first season of Bad Batch, a squad based shooter set in the Clone Wars for modern systems could be a great angle to work from, especially when combined with VR and online capabilities.
There could even be narrative-choices so you could go on different paths that could all converge into multiple endings for example, perhaps ending with Order 66 or the Battle of Endor.
From rescues, being called into failing battles and being sent on intelligence missions it could make for an interesting story and a way to discover more about the background of this group.
Rogue Squadron standing by?
Introduced in 1998, Rogue Squadron is a fast paced arcade style flight game based on the comic books of the same name that's still remembered with fondness today. Back when EA introduced Star Wars: Squadrons we might get this but alas we didn't.
As good as that game was you are locked into first person and it feels more of a sequel to the X-Wing and Tie Fighter series. The closest we have gotten is in the 2005 Star Wars Battlefront release within the Fighter Squadron game type.
With the release of a Rogue Squadron film in 2023 I'd love to see a game shortly after. It's easy to think back to the original trilogy as the classic setting for a Rogue Squadron game but personally I'd like to see something new.
I grew up with those films and as much as I love them seeing some new characters, a new era and ships would make both the story and places more interesting. Seeing a new set of pilots on their journey in a different era of Star Wars would make for some great discussion points and hopefully leave behind some of the baggage of building off an established history.
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