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Star Wars Battlefront III surfaces

Former designer at bankrupt Free Radical posts, pulls renders from long-rumored third installment in LucasArts' series; status of project unclear.

As a sad footnote to a year strewn with the corpses of shuttered studios, Free Radical let go most of its 180-plus employees on December 17. Best known for the TimeSplitters series, the Nottingham, England-based shop had bet heavily on the success of its oft-delayed PlayStation 3 shooter, Haze. Unfortunately, the Ubisoft title was a critical and commercial disappointment, selling just over 128,000 units in the US.

Free Radical's closure raised doubts about the status of Star Wars Battlefront III, which many presumed to be the mystery LucasArts collaboration it unveiled in 2006. While the game remains officially unannounced, this week saw evidence surface that the Second Sight studio was hard at work on Battlefront III when its time ran out.

The proof came in the form of several character renders posted on the personal site of 3D Artist Richard J. Smith, whose resume lists him as still working at Free Radical. Though the shots have since been pulled, German fan site Swbf3.de managed to snag 10 of them, which are all dated 2007 and bear a Star Wars Battlefront III logo.

Familiar characters featured in Jenkins' portfolio include Han Solo, Senator Palpatine, the red Imperial Guards that protect Palpatine after he becomes Galactic Emperor, and one of the rebel soldiers that revolt shortly thereafter. The artist's site still displays several characters from TimeSplitters 4 (pictured), announced just over 1 year ago for the Wii, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360.

With Free Radical's closure, the status of Star Wars Battlefront III is unclear. Unconfirmed reports have it being taken over by Rebellion Software, maker of Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron for the PSP. Prior Battlefront console games were developed by Pandemic Studios, now part of troubled megapublisher Electronic Arts. Via its BioWare studio, EA is currently partnering with LucasArts on the massively multiplayer project Star Wars: The Old Republic.

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Ultra_Taco 117 pts

man this sucks..... C'mon, Battlefront 3 or Republic Commando 2! :)

tpstyles 6 pts

I've been waiting for about 6 years for this game to be announced but it never has been... I haven't heard No news about a battlefront 3 coming out. I hope they haven't cancelled it altogether! This was my favorite game on ps2 and i thought they would of made a battlefront 3 by now on the next gen consoles but oh no. I hope it does come soon.

MrMonopoly22 5 pts

Well, let's just hope...a New Hope.....

DAMSOG 45 pts

@gatorsfan101 You had better not be yanking chains fella!! I think the whole of the star wars/gaming community has been waiting for Battlefront 3 for this next generation of consoles....I still have my original xbox versions but boy are they looking sad......please Mr Lucas I will pick up cigarette butts around skywalker ranch for a month if you release this....that's a promise.

Bumblebee0228 5 pts

Battlefront 3? I never heard about this..................which probably means it's a retired project. :(

holtrocks 83 pts

Either Battlefront 3 or Republic Commando 2 stop with these crappy Star Wars games get back to what has worked and we all loved

DarkBox360 7 pts

I have been waiting for six friggin years for this game and we still have nothing, no trailers, no good news, and a few shoddy leaked trailers that were obviously for all of those useless PSP spinoffs. Another question. Where the hell is Republic Commando 2???????

gatorsfan101 5 pts

hey guys my contact at LA told me when its comeing out. i will tell you all this it release date is almost here.

Skynet_rules 5 pts

@Aronstk Pandemic went bankrupt 2 (I think) years ago... So, sadly, a new Battlefront or Destroy All Humans! seems unlikely.

Aronstk 5 pts

According to wikipedia Pandemic Studios have taken over the project, the creators of battlefront 1 and 2, so thats one good news, But don't get your hopes up.

Agent_StarFire 17 pts

Ill hand you 60$ right now if you promise me a battlefront 3.

Sgthombre 107 pts

Got 1 and 2 today, wish there would be a 3.

TheMercMaster 5 pts

Ya know, I wonder if Lucasarts is making handheled BF games to get people to like BF again... Hm... Possibility, eh?

gravrdr 5 pts

and I was just about to preorder. Hope the people that got let go are ok.

Ne_rome 5 pts

C'mon LucasArts, Please give us Star Wars Battlefront 3! Battlefront 2 was amazing compared to everything else on ps2. How about you make us something amazing compared to everything on ps3?

mariostar0001 5 pts

It won't be released I bet, or we'd hear of someone working on it.

Noahthereviewer 5 pts

Hopefully Battlefront 3 will enventually be released.

CalibratedChaos 5 pts

Star Wars Battlefront 2 was the best Star Wars game I have played. Now take that formula give it some polish, good graphics and 360/PS3 power. I would give you my money for that game!

Roger4kk 5 pts

come one we all whant battlefront 3 not battlefront to handheald consoles! Battlefront 3 whuld be great compainding space and land battle in one whuld be great as well (i dont have elite squadron but they say it was teribaly there) improve space and land all ower all return of battlefront! Please too pc or wii at last so i cane play it! (hopfully wii since computer games so fast change installasion that i probaly need to buy a new computer and my pc isent old!)

andrewass121 5 pts

come on mr. Lucas plz let this happen

shaqz541 5 pts

I don't care which system doesn't get Star Wars Battle Front 3 as LONG AS They follow up with Sony and create it for PS3 i need this game to come out. Please make it happen

Scotah90 5 pts

Comfirmed as still in development.. .. Please be on PC

bubbleblowiner 5 pts

i am soo exited as long as its on the wii ps3 and 360 (my only system is the 360 but my friends all have wiis) and its not a carbon copy of ps2 with pretty graphics i want originality

kenny3671 5 pts

you are awesome star wars battle front 1 2

Shanekeener 5 pts

This should come out for Wii Nintendo always never quits and who evere heard of free radical before i think nintendo shouw get the star wars battlefront franchise and make better games dont think i dont like 1 and 2 there where awesome but nintendo should get it they never fail at making them just hand it over too the nintendo or atleast just let them make the star wars battle front 3 with the help of free radical

Malscyllis 17 pts

*sigh* this just proves that bad things happen to good game developers. Fact: if whoever cancels this game completely, they are clearly retarded.

TDBxViRuS 5 pts

wiiwiiwii22: "i won't this game" don't make sense! learn the English language properly free radical was bought out game in progress exspected release: late 09-Q210

wiiwiiwii22 5 pts

i can't wait, i am the most fan of star wars battlefront in guatemala, i won't this game

Exodus642 5 pts

NOO!! You can't do this to us!! damn, I loved Battlefront 1 and 2. ARGH!! I was looking forward to getting this!!

Bambii12633 5 pts

i have been following bf3 for a year now and im starting to lose hope

CHEATSman115 6 pts

i want battlefront 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

con_matrix 5 pts

this is a sad day 4 gaming indeed :'( i was so lookin forward 2 it as well after lord of the rings conquest was such a disspointment

allotheabove123 5 pts

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. We need Timesplitters 4 and Star Wars Battlefront 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

crazyleftykid 5 pts

unfortunately, i think they canned ST: BF3. =( i think when free radical was bought out, crytek canned the game, so they would focus on timesplitters. personally from the little gameplay footage of STBF3, its a bad choice. it looked like free radical finally had they game down, with better graphics, and a different storyline from the other 2 battlefront games. its a shame really, it looked really good. =( check out the battlefront 3 footage on youtube.

Unheard-Volume 5 pts

They should definitely make a Star Wars: BF 3!!! The first two were awesome and this time around they could add some amazing online multiplayer!

hellgat3 5 pts

i hope they'll still make battlefront3.the "leaked footage" looks off the hook.i cant wait for it.

Ikarus14 5 pts

Free Radical didn't actually go bankrupt. It's currently in liquidation. So don't worry, they aren't going anywhere.

flamefingahz 5 pts

i think this series of game is the best of its kind easily. so much fun. wish i had a backward compatible ps3 so i could play it still. if we do get the 3rd one i hope they put work into the online too. that will kick ass

EQShaman 5 pts

drdh, did you even read this? we might not be getting this game. so sad.

drdh 5 pts

I think they should let you make your own battlefields. that would be kick ass!

drdh 5 pts

Better get a PS3 or XBOX 360 if Im going to get this game.

Killa-Playa23 5 pts

Could be a while before it comes out but I liked the first 2

thrasher510 5 pts

Even if Free Radical is gonna close PLEASE just get this last star wars game out. Ever since i got my ps2 in 2005 ive been hooked to the series!!! PLEASEEEE

Dragnguard77 5 pts

sum it up i hope it comes out for pc, xbox360, ps2 ,and ps3 yeah it would have everyone hooked if there was sky to planet ground sieges. I think almost all star wars fans would love to have this even i think halo fans.(because of the sky to land combat)

darkwarriorz71 5 pts

is there going to be blood at least a little

punkyxse 5 pts

it sucks their bankrupt this game could save them

mooker123 5 pts

Battlefront is awesome! it would be great if they made vaders apprentice from tfu a playable character it would also be cool if u could create ur own character for the hero mode (like in bf2 Mos eisley) and it would also be great if u could create and upgrade your own character like u could choose a gunner or jedi nad then u lvl up and can unlock gina and force powers, and also suits

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