The cinematic announcement trailer for Star Wars Eclipse was one of the biggest reveals from The Game Awards 2021, but some viewers paying close attention might have noticed some spaceships from the prequel films present in the trailer. More specifically, the Star Wars Eclipse trailer has a few shots involving Trade Federation capital ships, the large circular ones with a spherical bridge in the center, as well as a crashed Naboo N-1 starfighter. The game is confirmed to take place in the High Republic era, so many might be curious as to why Clone Wars era vessels are seemingly involved.
The High Republic era is the timeframe directly preceding that of the prequel films - The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith - in which the Galactic Republic is at its strongest. The High Republic era lasted from approximately 300 BBY (Before the Battle of Yavin, the climactic space battle from A New Hope) to 82 BBY. Coinciding with a prosperous Republic is a prominent Jedi Order (complete with unique lightsabers in Star Wars Eclipse), which extends its influence throughout the galaxy. During this time, the Republic makes a concerted effort to have its citizens colonize star systems on the Outer Rim, an initiative important to understanding why Trade Federation ships are in the Eclipse trailer.
The creation of the Trade Federation actually predates the High Republic era by about 50 years. It was established in the Outer Rim as a means to consolidate corporate power against rampant space pirate attacks. Though the Republic was extending its reach into the Outer Rim, it couldn't effectively police the region, so the wealthy elite had to take matters into their own hands in order to protect their assets. As the population of the Outer Rim - which can be glimpsed in released Star Wars Eclipse screenshots - grew, so did the power and influence of the Trade Federation, in part thanks to Free Trade Zones established by the Republic, which allowed the Federation to avoid taxation. Legislation passed to bring taxes to these areas of space played a large part in the Trade Federation joining the Confederacy of Independent Systems during the Clone Wars.
Why Federation Ships From The Prequels Might Be In Eclipse
The most famous appearance of these circular Trade Federation ships comes from The Phantom Menace, where one is used as the droid control ship in orbit around Naboo, which is later destroyed by a young Anakin Skywalker. These ships had been in use for decades, however, and were officially known as Lucrehulk-class LH-3210 cargo freighters. Some of the Trade Federation's freighter fleet had been converted to battleships in order to combat the pirates terrorizing the Outer Rim's shipping lanes. The trailer for the supposedly Last of Us-inspired Star Wars Eclipse seems to imply a more sinister villain than pirates, even though there are very few details to go off of.
The Star Wars Eclipse website does note that the game takes place in the Outer Rim, so the Trade Federation's involvement at least tracks for the game's setting. The High Republic era is rather new and fairly uncharted territory in the Disney-led Star Wars canon, and could potentially introduce entirely new factions and conflicts. With the few details available, it's tough to determine where exactly Eclipse falls on the Star Wars timeline within the High Republic era, so the Trade Federation could be anything from a fledgling alliance to an influential conglomerate. Regardless, it's fascinating to know that the Trade Federation will play a part in Star Wars Eclipse, and will likely receive plenty of new lore.
Source: Star Wars Eclipse