It seems like fans will be able to take a trip to the galaxy far far away sooner than expected, with the news that a brand new Star Wars game titled Star Wars Hunters will soon be releasing. The announcement caught many by surprise, but there's already growing hype around the video game experience.
Not a huge amount is known about the game thus far, but thanks to the trailer that was released, alongside some official comments from the Star Wars website, it's starting to become easier to piece together exactly what this project is. The future of this Nintendo Switch game is certainly an exciting one.
It Is A Switch Console Exclusive
There's been plenty of peculiar decisions over the years with regard to Star Wars games, but Lucasfilm has certainly made a bold choice in the announcement of Star Wars Hunters. As of right now, the game is actually a Nintendo Switch console exclusive.
This might rub a few fans the wrong way, considering not everyone will have purchased the increasingly popular Switch. However, this does break from a tradition which has seen the more recent Star Wars games release on Xbox and PlayStation, avoiding the Switch completely.
It Will Be Available On Mobile Platforms
There is some hope though for those who do not have access to the revolutionary Nintendo console. The game will also be available in both the Android Store and on iOS. That means players will be able to experience this game on mobile devices.
The decision is an interesting one, as it is rare to see a console game also released on mobile. The good news here though is that the game has been confirmed as free-to-play, meaning that players won't be set back financially if they want to experience the iconic battles this project may offer.
Developed By Zynga And Lucasfilm Games
It was also recently announced that Lucasfilm had once again opened up a gaming division which they have aptly titled Lucasfilm Games. The news means that a brand new era of Star Wars gaming is about to begin, and Star Wars Hunters will be one of the earliest projects from the brand.
Lucasfilm Games have partnered with Zynga to help publish this game. The developer is known for being well experienced in the mobile industry and should be able to bring a different approach to the property, compared to EA who have also tried and mostly failed in creating a mobile experience in the past for Star Wars.
New Characters
One of the surprising elements of this game is that the Star Wars website confirmed that there would be brand new, original characters featured in Hunters. Mobile games often rely on pre-existing heroes and villains, so this is definitely a change in position.
This is an exciting development in the story and one that may nod towards Lucasfilm's much larger plans for the franchise moving forward. After all, they have not been shy in introducing lots of new characters in recent years; the High Republic initiative is a testament to that.
Bounty Hunters, Rebels And Imperials
There will be very specific factions as part of this game though, and they have already been teased. Players will likely be able to take on an original character from one of these backgrounds, with the gameplay mechanics being impacted by the choice.
Usually, it's common to see the Sith and Jedi on this list and while one features in the trailer, the confirmed factions are actually the Rebels, the Imperials, and Bounty Hunters (likely resulting in the choice of name). This is a classic combination that Star Wars gamers will be familiar with.
Place In The Timeline Set
While these factions already suggest a space in the timeline for the game, it's actually been confirmed that much like with Star Wars: Squadrons, which was influenced by the films and brought in original material, the game is set after the fall of the Empire.
This period of the timeline is one that Lucasfilm seems more focused on exploring in recent years. Indeed, there are plenty of comics and novels set during this era, and the successful Disney+ show The Mandalorian takes advantage of the gap in the narrative here.
Arena Combat Game
The gameplay itself is said to be based around arena combat games. These are quite popular on mobile devices and give publishers an excuse to create huge character rosters alongside simplified coliseum-like locations. These locations will all be inspired by real Star Wars hotspots.
With the many factions that are being brought into play here, it's probable that the warriors who have fought during the Galactic Civil War must now face each other once again for glory and victory. It's an interesting premise and one that lends itself to this kind of platform.
Canon Story
One of the rules that Lucasfilm has continued to follow and is a core component of their gaming division is that all the stories that they now tell on any platform are part of the larger canon of this extended universe. That's incredibly important to fans.
That means that everything that happens throughout this game can be considered to be in the same continuity as all the films, TV shows, and other video games. That may result in an on screen adaptation of Hunters down the line, or at the very least its original characters appearing elsewhere.
Entirely Original
It may be looking to other arena games for inspiration and of course, the game will learn a series of lessons from Star Wars gaming past, but everything about this project is completely unique and original for the galaxy far far away.
It has been common in recent years to dust off an old property and give it a fresh coat of paint. Battlefront is obviously a recycled title and Squadrons is largely based on the original Star Wars piloting games. Hunters on the other hand, is starting from scratch.
No Confirmed Release Date
The good news for players is that Hunters is currently scheduled to release in 2021. The bad news is that no specific date has been announced yet.
It's difficult to know how far into development the project really is and whether fans should be looking to the oncoming months or perhaps much further down the line. It may go into a testing stage in the near future which could provide further answers (and it's currently not on track to join the long list of Star Wars games that have been canceled over the years).