The author reviews the nearly twenty-year history of Star Wars: Battlefront III, which was initiated and cancelled multiple times, arguing that the so-called series "curse" was essentially the result of corporate decisions, internal politics, licensing restrictions, and aggressive deadlines repeatedly overwhelming the project's development potential.
After releasing Star Wars: Battlefront II in 2005, Pandemic Studios began work on a sequel. Designer Dan Nanni recalled that negotiations ultimately broke down during the console generation transition, and the team was unable to meet the one-year development deadline set by LucasArts.
LucasArts subsequently partnered with Free Radical Design to develop another version. This iteration allowed players to board ships from planetary surfaces and seamlessly transition into space combat. Materials leaked years later showcased the project's scale, with some developers claiming it reached 75% to 95% completion before ultimately being cancelled. The article suggests that management changes, missed milestones, and a lack of internal support collectively led to this version's cancellation.
During the EA era, a spin-off project codenamed "Project Viking," which featured open-world elements, also entered development. However, the team failed to meet its target for fall 2020, and the project was terminated in early 2019.
The author also mentions recent reports that EA and DICE are planning to produce Star Wars: Battlefront III, linking this to BioWare's closure and the cancellation of another project. However, these remain merely rumors and cannot yet be considered officially confirmed.