Rumor: Star Wars: Battlefront III in Development at Spark Unlimited, Coming This Year
02/06/2012 Written by Sebastian Moss
It’s been over six years since the release of the critically acclaimed Star Wars: Battlefront II, but eager gamers still haven’t seen a third game in the series. Luckily, we’ve uncovered new information that points towards the current developer of the game, and when it will release.
Developer Spark Unlimited were previously rumored to be working on Battlefront III – but at the time there was virtually no evidence to back up the assertion. All people had to go on was the fact that the developer’s Twitter wouldn’t deny (or confirm) that it was their project, and the fact that their site said “We are in production on an unannounced high-profile, popular game sequel for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC release.”
Now, however, new info seems to back up the original rumor with a lot more evidence. A job listing states (emphasis added):
Spark is looking for a senior combat designer for a 3rd Person Action/Adventure sequel in a high-profile science fiction franchise currently greenlit for full production development for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC markets.
Of course, the Call of Duty: Finest Hour developer could be working on a different science fiction franchise – not that there are that many that aren’t already signed to a developer. But then there’s the LinkedIn profile for John Lawrie, who used to be Senior Software Engineer for Spark Unlimited, which lists under his work for the developer:
Unannounced third person sword fighting game (well known IP, Xbox 360, PS3)
And what is the most famous sci-fi sword? The lightsaber of course. And before you wonder, another developer’s LinkedIn confirms it is a shooter as well:
I have been working for three years in a AAA third person shooter using Unreal Engine and Kynapse AI middleware.
It’s pretty hard to think of any other high profile sci-fi franchises that have already been games, are third person, and involve shooting and swordplay – so this all suggests BFIII. But there have been some suggestions that Spark Unlimited is working on a Star Wars game that isn’t a sequel – something that seems unlikely when you look at a recent tweet from the developer (emphasis added):
Since we are working on a sequel for a well known sci-fi franchise, all aspects must remain secret.
With all these signs pointing towards Battlefront III, you probably want to know when you can get your hands on the game. According to the current Senior Engineer at Spark Unlimited’s LinkedIn:
• Currently – New unannounced project! (~2012 release)
This is all still a rumor, so bear in mind that nothing has been confirmed, but would you like to see Battlefield III on current-gen consoles later this year? Share your thoughts in the comments below, on our forums, or leave us a video reply on YouTube.
