Entertainment

Everything we know about Star Wars Eclipse

Space.com December 18, 2023 5 min read

Everything we know about Star Wars Eclipse_6580b42dc6933.jpeg

Everything we know about Star Wars Eclipse (Image Credit: Space.com)

On the horizon is Star Wars Eclipse, Quantic Dream’s ambitious take on an action-adventure Star Wars game with branching narratives. This is thanks to Lucasfilm Games extending the development of new Star Wars video games to publishers and studios beyond EA. So, after the excellent Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and as we are also preparing for a romp through the galaxy’s colorful criminal underworld in Ubisoft Massive’s Star Wars Outlaws, we’re being treated to yet another rich space adventure.

Currently, Outlaws and Eclipse aren’t the only big-budget Star Wars games in development, as Disney aims to release at least one major title (alongside smaller projects) every year moving forward. At EA, Respawn Entertainment is staying in the galactic business with a sequel to Jedi: Survivor, a yet-to-be-revealed first-person shooter, and a strategy game co-developed with the XCOM and Civilization veterans at Bit Reactor. We can also look forward to Skydance Media’s mysterious “cinematic adventure” project, Saber Interactive’s Knights of the Old Republic remake, and other titles yet to be revealed.

If you’re after a selection of space games to play until Star Wars Eclipse is ready to go, our rankings of the finest Alien, Marvel, DC, Warhammer 40K, and, of course, Star Wars games will keep you busy. Want some more general picks? We recommend taking a look at the best space exploration and space horror titles available right now.

On to the main event: read on to find out everything we know about Star Wars Eclipse so far.

Star Wars Eclipse Release date

A gray human-looking alien is facing away from the camera towards a large drum. With both arms raised high, they have a thick drumstick in each hand. They have no shirt, but several bands/bracelets up both arms, a belt, and dark fabric trousers. — (Image credit: Quantic Dream)

Star Wars Eclipse doesn’t have a release date or even a provisional release window yet. In fact, we might not learn more details about it for a while, at least not officially. Word on the street is that early development had barely started when the game was announced and that award-winning French developer Quantic Dream had struggled to recruit devs for its ambitious project because of past workplace misconduct allegations.

Lisa Pendse, VP of Marketing for Quantic Dream, recently confirmed the game was “simmering” and far from dead. Unless we learn otherwise, the game is being made across two teams: one in Paris, France, and another in Montreal, Canada. Moreover, with NetEase’s backing, it’s been reported that the studio is actually making progress now. That said, Star Wars Eclipse is still years away from being released.

Star Wars Eclipse Platforms

An alien creature on all fours with a slightly long neck and longer front limbs is standing on a pebbled shore by a lake. In the distance there is a mountain with three distinct tall spikes. The sky is darkening, and you can see both the setting sun and a crescent moon. — (Image credit: Quantic Dream)

Platforms haven’t been confirmed yet, but since Quantic Dream is working with the Star Wars IP, we should assume that Disney and Lucasfilm want the first-ever AAA game set in the High Republic era of the Star Wars timeline to drop on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X as a standard multiplatform release.

We must question a Series S release at this point, as Microsoft’s little, entry-level machine for this generation is already showing its limitations. With Star Wars Eclipse aiming for a late-gen arrival and really ambitious overall design, it’s hard to imagine that the Series S will be supported.

Star Wars Eclipse Trailers

Yoda, a small, green, humanoid alien with large, pointed ears is staring out of the window of the Jedi council chamber (circular room with several comfy red and gray chairs around the outside) onto the massive, sprawling city below. There are many tall skyscrapers in the distance and hundreds of smaller spaceships flying through the air. — (Image credit: Quantic Dream)

Star Wars Eclipse has only shown one trailer so far. The trailer is CG instead of in-game footage, but it’s a beautiful and stunning look at the High Republic era regardless. If anything, it can give us a taste of what to expect from the settings, factions, and characters involved in the story. The cinematic reveal trailer was unveiled on December 10, 2021, and you can watch it below:

Star Wars Eclipse Plot & Setting

On either side of the image there is a close up of a person wielding a lightsaber, pointing downwards. In the distance there is a large, charging army coming towards them. There is a swirl of snow in the air, and everyone is wearing warm clothing. — (Image credit: Quantic Dream)

As of yet, the plot of Star Wars Eclipse hasn’t been publicly described. However, the reveal trailer alongside the details shared on the game’s official website and chats with the Quantic Dream team have teased what we can expect from this multiple-character odyssey.

As a “branching narrative” game, players will be able to control several characters and shape their intertwined stories. The Jedi Knights, who were at their peak during the age of the High Republic, will seemingly play a huge role in the story. It also appears as if there will be a strong focus on the politics affecting both the Core Worlds and the Outer Rim.

More specifically, the Nihil – an organization of anarchistic marauders – might still be around giving the Jedi some trouble, and it looks like the Trade Federation (first seen in The Phantom Menace) might be a big part of the larger story as well. There are also other forces at play, including the mysterious aliens seen throughout the entire trailer, who seem to be welcoming the return of a villain we haven’t seen before in Star Wars canon.

With the Sith out of the (public) picture during the days of the High Republic, there’s a general sense of peace and prosperity across the galaxy… but that doesn’t mean there aren’t dark powers plotting against the Republic and its guardians, as well as taking over less fortunate worlds in the Outer Rim and profiting from the weak. With the comics, books, and TV shows slowly fleshing out this centuries-long period, there’s also plenty of space for video games to leave their mark on the epic Star Wars canon.

Star Wars Eclipse Genre & Gameplay

A giant C-shaped spaceship with a large globe in the middle. Four smaller spaceships are flying towards it. In the background you can see the darkness of space and lots of stars. — (Image credit: Quantic Dream)

Star Wars Eclipse has been described as an action-adventure game first and foremost, but the devs at Quantic Dream hope to infuse it with the flexible narrative systems they’re known for (Heavy Rain, Detroit: Become Human). Of course, there’s a big difference between making strictly cinematic, choice-based games and open-world adventures. So, that’s one of the main hurdles to overcome, especially if the studio maintains the idea of using its own tech to develop this behemoth.

At one point there was even talk of a potential online component, something even more distant from Quantic Dream’s past work. However, all the official material seems to focus on selling it as a single-player experience that adapts to distinct playstyles and decision-making. In fact, the company’s VP of Marketing also shared that the game’s being designed as a game-over-less experience: “There’s no game over. Anyone can die, anything can happen, and the story sort of continues.” It’ll be interesting to see how (and if) the studio can merge its signature narrative design with an action-adventure title with such a massive scope.