While dozens of games were announced during The Game Awards 2021, there was only one showstopping reveal: Star Wars Eclipse.
This new game set in the beloved Star Wars universe comes from developer Quantic Dream, the studio behind the likes of Heavy Rain and Detroit: Become Human. Online rumors had swirled that the French developer was working on a Star Wars game over the past few months, and those online whispers have proven to be correct.
The game was announced with a stunning cinematic trailer that showcases its High Republic setting. The High Republic period, not to be confused with The Old Republic, is set hundreds of years before The Skywalker Saga, during the golden age of the Jedi Order. It has been explored in novels, graphic comics and audio dramas, but Eclipse will be the first video game set within this era of the Star Wars timeline.
While there’s no gameplay in the trailer, there is still plenty to dissect. Perhaps the biggest moment of the trailer is actually buried in the middle, when we see a little green figure staring out the window of what looks like the Jedi Council chambers.
We also see a pair of Jedi duelling on a bridge, and an alien race performing some form of ritual that appears to birth a sinister-looking figure — odds would suggest this is our first look at the game’s primary antagonist.
Considering the quality of this reveal trailer, it’s hardly surprising that Star Wars fans are already desperate for fresh details. However, without even a confirmed launch window at this stage, fans may have to be patient for more info, as Star Wars Eclipse could be several years from release.
Star Wars Eclipse release date speculation
As noted above, there’s as yet no release date information for Star Wars Eclipse. It has, however, been confirmed that the game is “currently in the early stages of development” over on the Star Wars website. This would indicate that we’re at least a couple of years away from actually getting our hands on the already hotly anticipated title. We’d be surprised if it launches before 2023, based on what’s been teased so far.
Star Wars Eclipse gameplay
Quantic Dream is known for creating interactive, narrative-driven adventure games that are light on traditional gameplay, but the developer may be branching out for Eclipse. The developer notes that “Star Wars Eclipse will be an intricately branching action-adventure game,” which suggests it might shake off the “playable movie” tag that previous Quantic Dream efforts have been (harshly) labeled with.
However, the studio won’t be completely switching things up. In classic Quantic Dream fashion, it appears that player choice will be a key component of Star Wars Eclipse. There will be several playable characters and “your choices will be at the heart of the experience, as every decision can have a dramatic impact on the course of the story.” It definitely sounds like Eclipse will be a game you’ll want to complete multiple times in order to see all the different permutations.
Star Wars Eclipse potential platforms
Curiously, we have no indication at this stage of which platforms Star Wars Eclipse will be available on. It’s almost a certainty that the game will come to PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X, but it seems less likely that it’ll hit PS4 and Xbox One. Considering its release date is likely years away, those last-gen consoles will probably have been phased out by the time it sees the light of day.