An Xbox 360 tech beta of Star Wars: First Assault apparently leaks online
The folks over at the Dark Side of Gaming recently came across what appears to be an Xbox 360 tech beta of the cancelled Star Wars: First Assault game.
However, the download limit for the file has already been exceeded. Additionally, actually using the tech beta would require a dev kit or modded Xbox 360. As such—for most people at least—it’s not really possible to download the file or even use it. Edit: As a note, I have not downloaded this file and so cannot personally verify the authenticity of it.
So for the rest of us, what does this leak mean? Well, I’m doubtful we’ll see a widely playable version of this build, especially after the attempted Galaxy in Turmoil game was shut down last year. Galaxy in Turmoil was a project centered around reviving the cancelled Battlefront III based on a leaked protoype build of the game.
However, it might mean we’ll see more of the game via videos and such. First Assault was a first-person multiplayer shooter developed by LucasArts until its cancellation in 2012. According to Kotaku, the game was “ground zero” for a possible Battlefront III. Note that First Assaut and the possible Battlefront III are different from Free Radical’s Battlefront III, which was cancelled in or before 2009.
We do have video of almost twenty minutes of a First Assault tech beta on a Tatooine map, which I’ve embedded below:
There’s also this thirty-second trailer showing off Bespin, Tatooine and other locations:
The game was originally found via an Xbox Live Arcade listing and was meant to release in summer or spring 2013, but never saw the light of day. From what I can tell, it seemed to be inspired by the Call of Duty series. It also maxed out at 16-player matches and was planned to be infantry only (i.e. no Jedi or Sith).
GamesRadar reported in 2015 that First Assault included wave-based respawns, “novel” guns like concussion rifles, as well as other unique items such as cloaking devices and holographic decoys. LucasArts planned for a vehicular-centric follow-up codenamed “Wingman” to release in the summer of 2014. Assuming both games were a success, a full-on Battlefront III would have released towards the end of 2015.
Disney’s purchase of Lucasfilm and shut-down of LucasArts put a stop to this plan. However, EA and DICE eventually did create a Battlefront game that released in 2015.
Personally, I’m not too torn up that First Assault didn’t get made. I’m happy with the direction EA and DICE went with Battlefront and I’ve spent hundreds of hours playing the first game (although it definitely lacked in a number of areas). Battlefront II also looks very promising and I’m excited to see where it goes.
Would you have wanted First Assault to have been released? Let us know in the comments below, or ping SWOG on Facebook or Twitter.
