Ubisoft’s debut Star Wars game could be closer than anticipated, with a projected release date in early 2024, according to a report by Kotaku. This news emerges as the French video game publisher aims for a significant win following a period characterized by delays and troubled projects.
On May 16, Ubisoft announced its largest operating loss in history. Despite this, the company assured investors of an upcoming roster of significant releases within the fiscal year running through March 2024. This slate includes Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, the long-awaited Skull and Bones, and “another large game.” Insider sources suggest that this additional title is Ubisoft’s open-world Star Wars game, currently known internally as “Project Helix.”
Revealed in early 2021, Project Helix is being developed with Massive Entertainment, best known for The Division series. Creative director Julian Gerighty stated that the Star Wars game would significantly deviate from their previous works, promising a “totally different” experience.
Despite some development challenges, there are high hopes internally for Project Helix, particularly given its potential for interplanetary space travel. However, while Ubisoft targets a release within the current fiscal year, insiders warn that this goal may be overly ambitious, predicting a slip to the subsequent fiscal year, running from April 2024 through March 2025.
Ubisoft has grappled with filling significant gaps in its release pipeline due to delays and canceled games. Its primary releases last year were Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope and Just Dance 2023, a limited output for a company with nearly 20,000 employees. Several of its key projects, such as Skull and Bones and Avatar, have seen their releases postponed indefinitely or pushed back.
Despite recent struggles, Ubisoft plans to reveal more about its upcoming release schedule during its summer showcase on June 12. The company is also working on mobile and free-to-play spin-offs for Rainbow Six Siege, The Division, and several new Assassin’s Creed games. Amid extensive cost-cutting measures, Ubisoft plans to shift an additional 800 developers to work on the stealth action series.
