by RootSec
The Star Wars franchise has an almost infinite well of characters to draw on. While the recently concluded Skywalker Saga focused primarily on Anakin Skywalker, as well as his friends and relatives, other pieces of Star Wars media have grown in popularity. Recently Disney laid out an impressive road map for the future of Star Wars shows and movies that shift focus away from the Skywalkers. While it is great to see the franchise expand its horizons there is still ample opportunity for Star Wars to tell more of its stories through video games.
The focus of these games could vary widely with characters that are synonymous to the Star Wars Canon like Luke Skywalker down to brand new cast members, like those introduced in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. With endless opportunities and plenty of gaps to fill in in the galaxy’s story, it would be nice to see more and more Star Wars characters get the video game treatment. Many of these games could help to clarify how certain characters spent their time while others could introduce new aspects to an event that fans are already familiar with.
Before the Sith became the secretive culture they are they had a vast community of Dark side users. This all came to a collapse and left only one survivor of the Sith, Darth Bane. Darth Bane’s character set up the rule of two and started the Sith on their most recent path. Darth Bane’s story has a lot left open to it and could be a treat for Star Wars fans.
While it might be unlikely for Disney to deliver a Sith-oriented game it should not be brushed aside. While the Sith do use some of the Dark side’s most aggressive and stunning powers their ruthlessness is somewhat quelled by the rule of two. With only two Sith present at any given time, it is likely that Darth Bane’s story, while important, would result in more subtle gameplay than a hack and slash free for all. The focus on Darth Bane’s story could start him with the fall of the Sith but should primarily focus on how he builds up after the institution of the rule of two.
Darth Bane has a lot of potential in the Star Wars Canon because of his role as a Sith and has already made an appearance in The Clone Wars animated TV show. While Darth Bane’s role is not nearly as prominent as it was in the Expanded Universe, the relegation of his previous media into Star Wars Legends means that his story can be properly fit into the canon. With a preliminary design from his appearance in The Clone Wars a game based around Darth Bane could provide an intimidating figure that is not directly tied to Darth Vader or Emperor Palpatine.
More well-known characters like Luke Skywalker could also benefit from video games that explore the time that they are unaccounted for between movies. Luke goes through a whole period of discovery and adventure after the destruction of the second Death Star. He trains his sister Leia and ultimately decides to venture out into the galaxy in an effort to learn more about the Jedi and rebuild the Jedi Order. The unfortunate thing for fans is that much of this time is unaccounted for in the different media.
While Luke’s discoveries are discussed some, they could benefit from a direct fan interaction. The use of his time on the hunt for Jedi artifacts and lost temples could fit well into a game like Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order’s. While there are rumors of a Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order 2 it would be great to see Luke’s time alone portrayed in a dedicated title. What temples does the young Jedi explore? What dangers does he face and how does he handle his time on planets like Moraband? Luke’s time before he starts to train his Padawans is still full of questions that many fans would love to see answered.
Star Wars’ non-Jedi and Sith characters deserve some love as well. The video games provide an incredibly open space for fans to experience the stories of outlaws and bounty hunters alike. Back in 2002 Star Wars: Bounty Hunter was released and served as a tie-in to the prequel trilogy. While a true sequel to the game is out of the question the recent introduction of the character Din Djarin and the return of Boba Fett has renewed interest in bounty hunters and the Mandalorians.
While the Mandalorians have received ample attention in Star Wars movies, TV shows, comics, and games, individual bounty hunters are often used as not much more than antagonists. The ethics of bounties in Star Wars are questionable, to say the least, but there are bounty hunters who are not Mandalorians. With The Mandalorian TV show, fans were able to understand what the culture was like after the planet’s demise. Giving this kind of insight and effort to other characters only feels right.
The focus of bounty hunters and characters that are not Force-sensitive could also bring a breath of fresh air to the Star Wars franchise. This does not mean that Star Wars needs to release a Jar Jar Binks platforming game or Owen Lars farming sim, but unique experiences like Star Wars: Squadrons should be allowed to shine more often. Movies like Solo and Rogue One both fall into the Star Wars Story catalog and focus on characters that for the most part aren’t super adamant about the Force. These are the types of characters that could play well in an independent Star Wars video game.
The stories that Star Wars games often tell receive praise from both fans and critics alike. The expansion of characters that receive video game titles could benefit everyone involved while continuing the franchise’s relevance in all forms of media. So many characters, species, and planets can be presented in unique ways to fans. Every character in Star Wars brings something to the table that someone else does not. Whether they are a long-time fan favorite like Wedge Antilles or a new introduction like Cal Kestis and Merrin there is likely space for them to have their own game.
