Star Wars Games Going Indie? Lucasfilm Embraces AA Studios

Ever wondered if the next great Star Wars game might come from a studio you've never heard of? That's exactly the direction Lucasfilm Games is heading. After two well-received indie takes on the galaxy far, far away this year—Star Wars Zero Company from Bit Reactors and Star Wars Galactic Racer from Fuse Games—the publisher is doubling down on smaller partners.

"It very much is part of the strategy," Lucasfilm Games VP Douglas Reilly told The Game Business Show. "Obviously, huge AAA games like Battlefront are always going to be an essential part of the strategy. But one of the great things about Star Wars is it has all kinds of other opportunities to tell stories in different genres." In other words, don't expect every Star Wars game to have a nine-figure budget.

Zero Company brings an aggressive turn-based tactics vibe (think XCOM with lightsabers), while Galactic Racer has been praised for its roguelite racing, slick presentation, and the delightful Biddy Blas. Both games earned thumbs up from critics and fans, and Lucasfilm noticed. "The goal has been to find the best partner to bring that experience to life inside the galaxy far, far away," Reilly added. "And it doesn't have to always be AAA; sometimes it can be AA, and it's really about the experience that we're delivering and the fantasy we're fulfilling."

So how does Lucasfilm pick these partners? Reilly says the company isn't hunting for a "top five publisher"—it's looking for teams that can deliver high-quality titles, even if they don't have a long track record. Fuse Games is a perfect example: founded by former Criterion developers who worked on Burnout, Need for Speed, and the two Star Wars: Battlefront games. Experience matters, even if the studio name is new.

And more surprises are on the way. Reilly teased that some future partners will "surprise" people when they're revealed. It's a strategy that's worked elsewhere—Konami revitalized Silent Hill by entrusting it to outside studios like Bloober Team, NeoBards Entertainment, and Screen Burn Interactive, resulting in a hot streak for the franchise.

That's not to say AAA Star Wars games are going anywhere. The Battlefront series remains hugely popular—despite the lootbox controversy—and had sold 33 million units combined as of 2019. But the door is now open for more experimental, mid-sized projects. One of the biggest upcoming titles is Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic, a single-player RPG from brand-new developer Arcanaut Studios, led by Casey Hudson (veteran of Knights of the Old Republic and Mass Effect). Like Zero Company and Galactic Racer, it's another bet on fresh talent.

For players, this means more variety: smaller, genre-bending Star Wars games alongside the big blockbusters. Whether it's tactics, racing, or an RPG, Lucasfilm seems committed to telling stories in every corner of the galaxy. What kind of Star Wars game would you like to see from a smaller studio? Let us know in the comments!