By Xavier Rivera· ·1 min read
Star Wars Eclipse Progress Stalls, Cancellation Looms
Quantic Dream's Star Wars Eclipse is partially complete but progressing slowly, with NetEase poised to cancel if the studio's next multiplayer game underperforms. This uncertainty highlights the gaming industry's shift toward live-service viability over risky single-player epics.
Source:GameSpot
Quantic Dream has completed a substantial portion of Star Wars Eclipse, its ambitious open-world RPG unveiled in 2021, but the remaining work advances at a glacial pace. Sources speaking to Insider Gaming reveal the studio's struggle to push forward, casting serious doubt on the project's survival.
NetEase, Quantic Dream's Chinese parent company since 2022, holds the purse strings. The publisher may scrap Eclipse if the studio's next release—a free-to-play multiplayer title—fails to deliver strong results. This conditional lifeline underscores NetEase's pragmatic approach amid a gaming industry rife with costly delays.
Quantic Dream built its reputation on narrative-driven hits like Heavy Rain, Beyond: Two Souls, and Detroit: Become Human. Eclipse marks its first Star Wars collaboration with Lucasfilm Games, promising branching stories across multiple eras. Yet three years post-announcement, with no gameplay footage or release window, fan impatience mounts.
The stakes extend beyond one studio. Lucasfilm Games juggles a packed Star Wars slate, including Respawn's canceled FPS and ongoing projects from Ubisoft and EA. A Quantic Dream flop would echo past cancellations like Battlefront III, eroding trust in high-profile licensing deals.
NetEase's decision hinges on metrics from the upcoming multiplayer game, expected soon. Eclipse's fate signals broader trends: publishers increasingly tie single-player bets to live-service successes amid rising development costs, now averaging $200 million for AAA titles.
NetEase, Quantic Dream's Chinese parent company since 2022, holds the purse strings. The publisher may scrap Eclipse if the studio's next release—a free-to-play multiplayer title—fails to deliver strong results. This conditional lifeline underscores NetEase's pragmatic approach amid a gaming industry rife with costly delays.
Quantic Dream built its reputation on narrative-driven hits like Heavy Rain, Beyond: Two Souls, and Detroit: Become Human. Eclipse marks its first Star Wars collaboration with Lucasfilm Games, promising branching stories across multiple eras. Yet three years post-announcement, with no gameplay footage or release window, fan impatience mounts.
The stakes extend beyond one studio. Lucasfilm Games juggles a packed Star Wars slate, including Respawn's canceled FPS and ongoing projects from Ubisoft and EA. A Quantic Dream flop would echo past cancellations like Battlefront III, eroding trust in high-profile licensing deals.
NetEase's decision hinges on metrics from the upcoming multiplayer game, expected soon. Eclipse's fate signals broader trends: publishers increasingly tie single-player bets to live-service successes amid rising development costs, now averaging $200 million for AAA titles.
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