Lucasfilm Games Opens Star Wars to Smaller Studios

You do not need to be a top-five publisher to make a Star Wars game. That is the message from Lucasfilm Games executive Douglas Reilly. He says the company is now willing to hear pitches, meaning formal proposals for new games, from a much wider mix of studios.

Reilly told The Game Business that Lucasfilm Games has tried to be more flexible about who it will take pitches from, as reported by Eurogamer. Lucasfilm Games operates as a licensing business, which means it licences the Star Wars rights to other companies rather than publishing games itself. For each project, it aims to find a developer to make the game and a publishing partner to fund, release and distribute it.

The approach follows an earlier era when EA held exclusive rights to publish Star Wars games. That exclusivity has ended. Other publishers and studios can now put ideas forward for the franchise.

Two current projects show what that looks like in practice. Star Wars Zero Company is a squad tactics game in the style of XCOM, where players direct small teams in turn-based battles, and it is being made by an independent studio. Star Wars Galactic Racer is an arcade racer in the style of Burnout, built around speed and close overtakes, and it is also being made by an independent studio. Neither comes from one of the industry's largest publishers.

Reilly said a developer does not necessarily have to be a top-five publisher to make a great Star Wars game. He said Lucasfilm Games is exploring projects large and small with partners, from bigger releases to more focused ideas.

Looking ahead, the company said it will "continue to surprise folks" with future Star Wars projects, as reported by GamesRadar.

For fans, this means the next Star Wars game could come from an unfamiliar name. A small team with a clear idea now has a route in.