Star Wars Battlefront 3 Reportedly in Works at DICE and Respawn

Fans of the long-dormant Battlefront series may have a reason to be hopeful. Variety, citing what it describes as multiple sources, reports that EA's DICE and Respawn Entertainment are working together on Star Wars Battlefront 3. EA has not confirmed the project, but the news landed in the middle of a sweeping restructuring that includes layoffs and the shutdown of BioWare.

EA's internal memo about the reshuffle does not name a Star Wars game, but it does point to a collaboration between Respawn and DICE on a title meant to build out the company's "shooter portfolio that unlocks growth." The publisher said lessons from the launch and live service of Battlefield 6 would feed into that goal. The same memo said Apex Legends will get new gameplay modes and other new experiences, so the shooter side of EA's plans is clearly getting attention. Whether the unnamed project is the Star Wars game is still an inference from the timing and the reporting.

The timing also lines up with an earlier rumor that Lucasfilm Games was looking for an outside development partner for a new Battlefront. DICE and Sony-owned Bungie were reportedly among the studios under consideration. If Variety's sources are right, DICE landed the job, and Respawn, which co-developed the recent Star Wars Zero Company, is involved as well.

DICE has a long history with the franchise. It made the 2015 Battlefront and the 2017 Battlefront II. The second game drew heavy criticism over its loot boxes, a controversy that dominated gaming conversation at the time, but it still built a large and lasting player base. Interest in the game rose again in the past year, and many fans have been pointing to it as proof that the series still has an audience ready for a third entry.

The wider Star Wars games lineup is also in a healthy spot. Zero Company and the racing title Star Wars: Galactic Racer have both earned strong critical reviews this year. Until EA or Lucasfilm makes an official announcement, though, Battlefront 3 should be treated as a credible report rather than a confirmed game.