Thursday, May 31, 2012

Star Wars 1313 Revealed at E3: Third Person Action Adventure Bounty Hunter Game Set In Coruscant's Underworld


The video game arm of LucasFilm, LucasArts debuted it's next video game franchise at the The Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3).

Level 1313?  I guess I know where the bad real estate is on Coruscant now.  Apparently we are getting a bounty hunter game.  From the family friendly company, we are getting a "mature themed" game, I wonder if that means lots of half-naked Twi'leks?

This is certainly an interesting pre-cursor to the Live-Action Series which is largely set in the same environment.  Any one want to bet this is set in the Dark Times or Rise of the Empire era?

In many ways this reminds me of Shadows of the Empire and the way it tested the waters for the Prequels. My belief is that this new game franchise is to create buzz and test the appeal of a more mature set of Star Wars stories set between Episodes III and IV.

I believe 1313 will be used to introduce characters and settings that we will be further developed in the Live Action Series if they can ever get that project into production.

The real test is whether fans will flock to a Star Wars game where the Force is not a real factor.

If 1313 performs well, I think we will see the Live Action Series. If 1313 is a flop, I bet we see the show tabled indefinitely.

Another thing to keep in mind is that 1313 and it's motion capture technique could be testing a more cinematic style of animation that could be used on a television series down the road.

No doubt the visuals will be incredible, but will the story and game play be up to snuff?

We have more questions than answers at this point. Stay tuned as we learn more.

From LucasArts Press Release:

LucasArts Drops Gamers into the Criminal Underworld with New Mature Themed Videogame Franchise, Star Wars 1313™
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif - May 31, 2012 - LucasArts, a Lucasfilm Ltd. company, announced today a new internally developed videogame franchise, Star Wars 1313™. The game will make its formal debut at the 2012 Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles June 5-7. As players take control of a lethal bounty hunter in a never-before-seen dark and mature world, Star Wars 1313 introduces an integrated development approach by bringing together great artists across the Lucasfilm organization, including LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic, Lucasfilm Animation Ltd. and Skywalker Sound. A third person cinematic action adventure game, Star Wars 1313 will bring to life the Coruscant underworld, the most dangerous place in the Star Wars™ galaxy. 
Named for Level 1313, a ruthless criminal underground deep below the surface of the planet of Coruscant, the game puts players in control of a deadly bounty hunter as he uses an arsenal of exotic weaponry to hunt down his marks and uncover the truth surrounding a criminal conspiracy. Star Wars 1313 emphasizes epic set pieces and fast-paced combat with a hero who uses human skills and gadgets, rather than supernatural Force powers, to make his way through this dangerous world. 
"We're excited to share one of the projects LucasArts has been hard at work developing," said Paul Meegan, President, LucasArts. "Star Wars 1313 dives into a part of the Star Wars mythos that we've always known existed, but never had a chance to visit. We are committed to bringing the best gameplay experience and visual fidelity to life and I truly believe the work we are showcasing at E3 will speak for itself." 
More details about Star Wars 1313 will surface in the coming months. Visit 
www.StarWars1313.com for the latest updates. 
About LucasArts
Founded in 1982 by filmmaker George Lucas, LucasArts is a leading publisher and developer of interactive entertainment software worldwide for video game console systems, computers and the Internet. With development facilities in San Francisco and Singapore, LucasArts leverages the global skills, technology and resources of the  Lucasfilm family of companies -- including visual effects leader Industrial Light & Magic, Lucasfilm Animation and Skywalker Sound -- in addition to strategic partnerships with best-in-class external partners, to further the boundaries of game development.
LucasArts, the LucasArts logo, STAR WARS and related properties are trademarks in the United States and/or in other countries of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. © 2012 Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd. or Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved.


LINK: STAR WARS 1313 FACEBOOK PAGE

SOURCES: LucasArts

3 comments:

  1. If it's for Wii U,I don't care if it don't launch with zelda or mario. Gimme this game!

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  2. How did Shadows test for the Prequels? Interested to hear more about that.

    I think it's more akin to Gendy's Clone Wars testing for Filoni's Clone Wars. For whatever reason, Lucas can't seem to accept that some Star Wars can be all for adults. He always tries to hide behind the "Star Wars is for kids" garbage. That always irritated me. I'm hoping that this can show Lucas that adult Star Wars can be popular, and more importantly, profitable. Of course they have to do a good job with it.

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  3. This is indeed a fantastic resource. Thank you for making this publicly available.

    ReplyDelete