LucasArts announces Star Wars RPG

[07.25.00] » Planned for release in 2002, Baldur's Gate developer BioWare will craft an RPG set 4000 years prior to Star Wars: Episode 1.

   LucasArts and BioWare today jointly announced plans to create a single-player Star Wars RPG to be released in 2002 on a multitude of gaming platforms. The title will be set around 4,000 years prior to Star Wars: Episode 1, giving the duo the freedom to create an original storyline in an era largely unscripted by the films. According to LucasArts, "the ancient era is dominated by an epic struggle between the Jedi and the evil Sith."

   Canadian developer BioWare is best known for its work behind the PC smash hit Baldur's Gate. The company will be developing a brand new 3D engine for the new Star Wars title instead of reusing its much-flouted Infinity Engine. And while the game is currently planned to be single-player only, BioWare is leaving open the possibility of future multiplayer functionality, according to GameSpot.

   "BioWare has consistently delivered compelling games with rich and deeply engaging stories," said LucasArts president Simon Jeffery. "Together, we aim to create a milestone role playing game set within a unique and largely unexplored area of the Star Wars universe."

   "The opportunity to create a richly detailed new chapter in the Star Wars universe is incredibly exciting for us," added Dr. Greg Zeschuk, joint CEO of BioWare.

   While no promised "next-generation console" was explicitly specified in LucasArts' announcement, GameSpot quotes BioWare as saying that, in addition to the PC, the RPG will "likely be developed for the Dreamcast, the PlayStation 2, and the Mac" since the company is already familiar with development on those platforms.