Star Wars has been getting a good quantity of remasters and re-releases currently, between the re-creations of Darkish Forces, Bounty Hunter, and the notorious assortment that includes the primary two Battlefront video games. Though a few of these titles have been higher than others, sport studios have at the least accomplished a superb job of preserving basic Star Wars video games on trendy platforms over the previous few years. It’s pretty simple to hit up certainly one of gaming’s on-line shops and discover a bevy of basic Star Wars video games accessible at an affordable worth to re-experience (or even perhaps expertise for the primary time).
Of all of the Star Wars video games to get remastered and re-released, although, one sport has continued to stay elusive, and that’s the Rogue Squadron collection. Underneath the radar, the Rogue Squadron titles had been extremely nicely obtained throughout their period not just for their enjoyable flight-based gameplay however for being main technical achievements on their previous platforms. But, regardless of their earlier recognition, the Rogue Squadron titles are usually not at present accessible on trendy platforms. It seems like that ought to be mounted, and the Rogue Squadron trilogy ought to get an opportunity to return on in the present day’s consoles.
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Why Hasn’t It Occurred But?
In fact, there might be a number of elements in the best way of Rogue Squadron being launched, however a number of of those elements may work in a re-release’s favor. Notably, the unique trilogy was beforehand solely launched on Nintendo consoles, with the primary title exhibiting up on the Nintendo 64 and its sequels being unique to the GameCube. They weren’t revealed by Nintendo, and it’s been a protracted sufficient time because the launch of those video games that licensing points might not even be near an issue for LucasArts (or writer Aspyr, who has dealt with the re-releases of quite a few Star Wars titles). Bringing these video games again implies that gamers who missed out on them again within the day can lastly play them on PlayStation and Xbox platforms.
Possession of the rights gained’t be an excessive amount of of an issue, both; certain, the franchise’s unique developer Issue 5 has closed down, however that actually didn’t harm the Battlefront video games of their path to their infamous re-release earlier this yr. Following Issue 5’s closure, the rights for Rogue Squadron bought absorbed again into LucasArts, and it appears they’ve free rein to do no matter they need with it. And despite the fact that Aspyr has largely been chargeable for remastering old-school Star Wars video games, they aren’t the one one who has, as Nightdive Studios did work on the Star Wars: Darkish Forces remaster that was launched earlier this yr. LucasArts has choices for a way they may deal with a remaster of Rogue Squadron, and maybe it might be time for them to provide these video games one other shot at mild.
With that mentioned, maybe the writer has been compelled into taking part in the ready sport. In any case, Disney introduced in 2020 {that a} Rogue Squadron movie was in growth, which on paper may’ve been the appropriate avenue for LucasArts to revive these basic video games. Sadly, the movie bought pushed off of Disney’s launch schedule, and whereas it looks as if it’s nonetheless being labored on, it might be some time earlier than we see it take type. LucasArts might have been holding off from bringing again the Rogue Squadron video games in hopes of releasing them to tie into the movie, solely to be compelled to vary plans when the movie returned to growth. Thus, if Rogue Squadron re-releases are really within the playing cards, it might be a very long time earlier than they see a correct launch.
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Let’s Do It, LucasArts!
However, the Rogue Squadron video games could be nice to have again, particularly since their emphasis on house battling and flight makes them distinctive from plenty of the shooters and action-adventure titles which have been re-released currently. Apart from 2020’s Star Wars: Squadrons – itself one thing of a “religious successor” to Rogue Squadron – it seems like we haven’t gotten as many Star Wars video games that focus as a lot on house fight. Plus, the quieter launch and lack of post-launch content material for Squadrons made it really feel like an unexciting (if nonetheless respectable) follow-up to Rogue Squadron. It’d be good to see the basic titles make a much-needed comeback.
It additionally feels like Aspyr has expressed curiosity in bringing these again. Requested on Twitter a couple of revitalization of the Rogue Squadron titles, Aspyr gave a reasonably harmless reply however nonetheless famous their love for bringing again old-school Star Wars video games. Basically, if there’s fan demand for a re-release, Aspyr will make it occur. Positive, it’s a reasonably normal response, nevertheless it’s good to at the least see that Aspyr is leaving the door open for a revival of those basic titles. It might not be something near a assure, nevertheless it’s at the least one thing to really feel a bit hopeful about.
It additionally looks as if Aspyr shouldn’t be the one one on board with bringing the trilogy again. Julian Eggebrecht, certainly one of Issue 5’s founders and the producer of the Rogue Squadron trilogy, replied to Aspyr’s tweet and pitched that the remaster ought to embody the content material from the canceled Wii remaster, Rogue Chief. For these out of the know, again in 2008, Issue 5 developed a remaster trilogy of the Rogue Squadron video games for the Wii, and despite the fact that it was absolutely accomplished, Issue 5’s monetary points led to the sport by no means seeing a launch. In truth, the group had been engaged on an identical re-release of the trilogy for the unique Xbox again in 2003, which made a re-release a longstanding purpose of Issue 5’s for a number of years earlier than their closure. Maybe a correct re-release on in the present day’s platforms might accomplish that purpose for them.
The truth that a correct remaster trilogy exists could be a superb place to start out for a Rogue Squadron re-release. Positive, its path again to trendy techniques comes all the way down to fan demand, however these are titles nicely worthy of being introduced again. Past being spectacular technical achievements for his or her time, they nonetheless maintain up extremely nicely and stay supremely enjoyable to play. Hopefully, bringing the trilogy again isn’t too big of a hurdle for LucasArts to leap by means of, and Rogue Squadron can obtain new life on trendy consoles.
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