Just five months after Disney bought the Star Wars name and the companies that formerly owned it, the corporation has driven an axe into the property’s game development division by shutting down the LucasArts studio and canceling both Star Wars 1313 and Star Wars: First Assault.
The move is a result of LucasArts shifting from a developing to licensing focus, meaning that any future Star Wars titles will be developed by third parties. While 1313 and First Assault are now canceled, there is a chance that the games could be picked up and finished by other developers if LucasArts is willing to license them out.
“After evaluating our position in the games market, we’ve decided to shift LucasArts from an internal development to a licensing model, minimizing the company’s risk while achieving a broader portfolio of quality Star Wars games,” reads an official statement from the studio. “As a result of this change, we’ve had layoffs across the organization. We are incredibly appreciative and proud of the talented teams who have been developing our new titles.”
While there were several layoffs as a result of the restructuring, LucasArts is currently unable to confirm the amount. According a report from Kotaku, the number is close 150 total employees that are now without a job.
The acquisition of the studio was part of the famous $40.5 billion deal for Lucasfilm, Ltd. in October 2012. LucasArts’ most notable titles included The Secret of Monkey Island, Grim Fandango, and several Star Wars games.
[Polygon]
