Gameplay of canned Star Wars Battlefront 3 shows impressive ground-to-space tech
It's true, all of it.
Free Radical Design's cancelled Star Wars Battlefront 3 has been shown off again in newly-leaked footage. It's our best look yet at what might have been.
The TimeSplitters and Second Sight studio had been developing the game for two years when LucasArts pulled the project back in 2006, a decision which caused the studio's fall into administration.
Free Radical's impressive ground-to-space technology is shown off in detail, as the player is seen taking off and flying around huge areas set on Hoth and Coruscant, then off into space to battle TIE Fighters and Star Destroyers.
Earlier glimpses have showed a pre-alpha version of the game. This build is far closer to a finished experience, although some frame-rate issues are still present.
The game's story was to begin with a prologue set on Tatooine, Luke Skywalker's dusty backgarden, before moving on to Coruscant, Cato Nemoidia, Dantooine, Desolation Station, Yavin IV, Hoth and Endor.
Later levels were set to feature Cloud City, Dathomir (from the Clone Wars cartoon), Mustafar, and Wookie homeworld Kashyyyk. Some maps were designed to allow at least 32 players.
An ex-Free Radical employee stated after the game's cancellation that the studio's ground-to-space was "dying with us", and that the next Battlefront title (then in development at UK studio Rebellion) was being rebuilt from the ground up, with the ground-to-space transition replaced by a cut-scene.
Eurogamer previously spoke to Free Radical Design's co-founder about what drove many of the team that made GoldenEye out of games entirely, and which publishers had a hand in the studio's untimely demise.
This year, DICE will finally deliver a new Star Wars Battlefront , albeit one where aerial combat is limited in scope. Vehicles can be called into action but not climbed into, and travel space is entirely off-limits.
