One of the best aspects of Star Wars is how expansive the universe has become after 50 years; there’s, of course, the Original Trilogy era, defined by the widespread interplanetary conflict between the Galactic Empire and the Rebel Alliance. There’s also the Prequel Era, which radically expanded the lore of Star Wars and set the stage for everything that happened in the original series (despite the contentious initial reaction to the films themselves). And then, courtesy of the extended universe, there are also other time periods fans have been made privy of, including the Old Republic era, which saw the first Dark Jedi split off from the Jedi Order to create the Sith.
Back in 2020, however, the Star Wars universe expanded again with the creation and introduction of the High Republic, an era set 500 to 100 years before the Skywalker Saga and several hundred years after the fall of the Old Republic. Initially debuting as a multimedia project confined to the franchise’s books and comics, the High Republic era officially made the jump to live-action with 2024’s short-lived The Acolyte. And now, 6 years after Disney unveiled the new era, the High Republic will be the setting of a project in another medium – and it’s one that will allow players to experience the period in a wholly immersive way.
A New Gaming Experience For Star Wars
Announced back in 2021, the upcoming game Star Wars Eclipse just got an extended trailer at this weekend’s D23 expo. Developed by Quantic Dream (the studio founded by David Chase and the creators of Heavy Rain and Detroit: Become Human), Eclipse has been described as a narrative-heavy action-adventure game with an ensemble of multiple playable characters, as well as multiple branching story paths that can change the outcome of the game’s narrative. Although story details are light (and the recent trailer extension doesn’t provide a whole lot beyond the exotic locales and lightsaber battles inherent to the franchise), we do know that the game takes place in an uncharted section of Star Wars’ famous Outer Rim.
The High Republic Is Still Uncharted Territory
Despite being around for half a decade now, the High Republic era still has so much untapped potential – it’s a time period where the Jedi Order and the Galactic Republic were at the height of their power and venturing into the uncharted territories of the Outer Rim, and there was relatively widespread peace throughout the galaxy. Various books and comics have delved into the lore of the historical period, and The Acolyte showed us what the decline of the era looked like, but Star Wars Eclipse will be the first time fans of the franchise get to experience the High Republic in a hands-on context, controlling multiple characters and shaping a story in the timeline with their own decisions. While other periods like the unrest in the galaxy caused by the Rebellion and the conflict between the CIS and the Republic have been well-documented, the High Republic is filled with mystery and intrigue, and Eclipse would be the first chance in gaming to see what a version of the Jedi Order looked like in all its glory and influence.
Star Wars Eclipse Release Window
Even though the game was announced back in December of 2021, Eclipse still does not have a confirmed release date, and the fact that our new “trailer” is just an extended version of that first look teaser means the team at Quantic is clearly not ready to show the game off just yet. As undoubtedly frustrating as it is, that’s not necessarily cause for alarm: Star Wars is a massive sandbox, in terms of the scope of the world but also the expectations of fans, and the sprawling make-your-own-adventure experience being promised already sounds challenging enough. It makes sense that something so daunting, something that has already been teased as being different from the developer’s previous games, would take a little extra time to fine-tune.
This is a franchise that has existed within video games for quite some time. Still, it’s not every day players get the opportunity to inhabit an open world and explore the series in such a direct way. Hopefully, it’s an opportunity Quantic Dream has taken full advantage of by giving Star Wars fans a world that feels lived-in and exhilarating whenever Eclipse finally drops.
