"I’ve seen a couple of write-ups that are wrong including both Wikipedia and the Wookieepedia. — Rebellion Employee

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Prologue - Haze and the FRDEngine

In early 2006[1], Free Radical was working on Haze along with Ubisoft. The game was planned to release for Xbox 360, PC and PS3. The company, being accustomed to using its own technology, decided to do away with their original C-based engine (used to power TimeSplitters and Second Sight), and replace it with a C++-powered one[2]. As a result, the developers were tasked with working on both the game and the engine. This meant experimentation would have been kept to a minimum, as no time would be available.

2006 - One Battlefront, Total Control

After the success of Pandemic's Battlefront II, LucasArts started looking for a developer to create a sequel on the next-generation systems. Thus, the idea of Battlefront III was born in 2006. LucasArts approached multiple developers[3], with one of them being Free Radical Design in March 2006[4].

Free Radical pitched to LucasArts the 'the most complete and authentic Star Wars experience ever'. Players would be able to play as Jedi, fly from ground to space, destroy a capital ship, then escape while watching its destruction – all in one session, where other players would also participate. It would have been a casual, fun experience, that would ensure a high amount of sales and satisfaction in both casual and hardcore crowds[5]. LucasArts, seeing that this game had massive potential, signed the game in June 2006[6].

It should be noted that Haze and Battlefront III were the first of the company's work-for-hire projects. With this came the milestone process – something entirely new to the company. For example, with TimeSplitters, the developers were paid each month without any approvals having to take place, allowing for more creative liberties[7]. Now, the publishers would be involved with the day-to-day running of things and the decisions that were made regarding the game's development.

In August 2006, the game was announced as a 'Secret LucasArts Project'[8], a title it was meant to keep until E3 2007[9].

2007 - Development Prosperity

Development continued smoothly into 2007, with Wii and PC versions being signed in February[10]and May[11], respectively. Because Battlefront on the Wii was a brand new idea, it was also coming with an exclusive Jedi Arena mode (1v1 lightsaber battles), as well as exclusive challenges taking advantage of the Wii's motion controls. However, due to the Wii's limited capabilities, it would only do 12v12, compared to the 50v50 planned[12].

In June 2007, Ubisoft and Sony agreed on making Haze a PS3 exclusive in exchange for increased marketing - without Free Radical even knowing of this until it was too late. Internally, this deal was catastrophic for the game, as the engine was at its worst on the PS3. In order to ensure that Haze was of playable quality, the company was forced to use resources meant for Battlefront III onto Haze(It should be noted that Free Radical was paid £345,000.00 per X360/PS3 milestone, £138,710.00 per Wii milestone and £49,711 per PC milestone. The concepted budget was from 16-18 million dollars.).

The game did not appear at July's E3 2007 because of quality concerns[21] - a covermount demo was supposed to be part of the showcase[22]. A trailer created for the event, by Ignition Creative, went unused.

In October 2007, LucasArts (seeing the success of Battlefront II on the PSP) approached Rebellion Developments for the development of Battlefront III PS2 and PSP versions[23]. Prior to this deal, LucasArts talked with Free Radical regarding cross-stats between systems, an idea that would not come to be [24][25]. Sometime around this timeframe, n-Space was hired for the creation of Battlefront III on the DS[26]. The DS version was a top-down shooter[27], presumably to increase sales. These versions were to be based on the 'NXG' (next-generation) versions, with references such as assets, images and videos to aid the development[28].

In this timeframe, LucasArts made a deal with Free Radical regarding the development of sequels to Battlefront III (the plan was to have yearly installments[29]). In December 2007, Free Radical agreed to the creation of Battlefront IV (for an October 2009 release[30]), V (for an October 2010 release[31]) and VI (for an October 2011 release[32])[33]. After this, all downloadable content meant for Battlefront III[34] was scrapped and was to feature in Battlefront IV[35]. The contract for Battlefront IV called for an increase in staff numbers, making Free Radical expand – this time to a studio of 235 members[36].

2008 - Beginning of the End

2008 was the beginning of the end for both the company and Battlefront III. In January 2008, Free Radical contacted LucasArts regarding the postponing of the release date. After some discussion, the release date was moved from October 2008, to April 2009[37]. On LucasArts' end, this would mean that the budget would have to be increased by several million, something the publisher did not want[38] In February 2008, Jim Ward stepped down as president of LucasArts[39], getting replaced by Darrell Rodriguez two months later[40] (a man that was 'not fucking around'[41]).

There were plans for an E3 2008 presentation, meant to feature a trailer and a web documentary, but this did not happen (for unknown reasons – possibly quality concerns again). Soon after, content cuts started coming - Conquest was renamed to Assault, Assault was cut, 50v50 matches were downscaled to 25v25and by October, Galactic Conquest was cut

The poor release of Haze in May 2008[47] angered LucasArts, who was told by Free Radical would be a game with a 85+ review score despite of its delays[48]. The publisher, now led by Rodriguez, was concerned about whether investing further was worth it, seeing the quality of Haze. The result was LucasArts not passing milestones for several months[49]. However, the company had a chance to redeem itself - reaching the Alpha stage (August 2008). A LucasArts alpha is an almost content-complete game (this is something Free Radical achieved[50], and the basis for Steve Ellis' 99% complete claim[51]), without bugs. However, this was not to be, as it didn't meet LucasArts' criteria of bug-free[52].

It should be noted that sometime during May-October 2008, Battlefront IV was cancelled.

Free Radical would continue working on their game, working at reaching the Alpha criteria, but LucasArts had already lost full interest[53]. Seeing how Rebellion's engine was multi-platform[54], LucasArts discussed with Rebellion the possibility of them creating a Battlefront III[55], using what they currently made as a base. Various pitches were made by Rebellion on systems such as the Xbox 360 and the Wii[56], but it would turn out that the time available was insufficient[57].

Image of one of the pitches; Kashyyyk on the Xbox 360 Possible release date of Rebellion's version.

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The loss of Battlefront III crippled Free Radical, who was already suffering from Haze's failure. The developers attempted to pitch TimeSplitters 4 to various developers, to no avail. Companies lost faith in the developers after Haze and did not know how to market TimeSplitters[58]. Unable to find a project, and with funds running out[59], the company went into administration on December 18[60]. People came to work that day, only to be redirected to a Novotel[61]. It was there where over 100 people lost their jobs[62], with a skeleton crew of 40 remaining. The company was picked up by ReSolve after the administration[63], who were to take care of the company until someone acquired it.

Many companies attempted to purchase the studio, including Rebellion[64], but the company was eventually bought by Crytek[65].

2009 - Beyond Free Radical

In January 2009, Mobile Squadrons was announced[66], a title believed to have been the mobile version of Battlefront III[67]. It released in April 2009[68]; however, the files of the game are lost, its developers do not remember it[69] and only a few images of it exist.

The publisher, having lost the main versions of Battlefront III, decided that they would release the PSP (which was completed in April 2009[70]) and DS versions rebranded as Elite Squadron[71]. The PS2 version was cancelled for marketing reasons[72] (mainly because of Renegade Squadron not releasing for PS2[73]). The PS2 version, being what the PSP version was downscaled from[74], was nearly identical to what Elite Squadron released as, with the exception of higher quality graphics and co-op splitscreen[75].

With this change, the game was delayed to November 2009, so it could appear at E3 2009. Its appearance included what Battlefront III's would - a trailer and a web documenatry[76]. The game released in November 2009 to mediocre reviews[77][78].

2010 - Reviving Battlefront III

The idea for an actual Battlefront III lived on inside LucasArts, but the catastrophic impact the Free Radical version had on the company, meant that the project would be unable to have the same ambitions as it planned to[79]. LucasArts ended up teaming with Slant Six to create a downloadable, online-only Battlefront game for Xbox 360 and PS3[80][81]. The project was meant to release by the end of 2010, but once that turned out to not be possible, LucasArts immediately cancelled the project[82]. Concept art and assets of this iteration of Battlefront III (named Battlefront Online) would be found in Resident Evil: Operation Racoon City[83], something that ultimately destroyed the company[84].

It is believed that some assets from Battlefront Online were used in The Force Unleashed's Hoth DLC – the reason being that analysis of BFO's and TFU's Hoth Luke models reveals that the Battlefront Online one has higher quality textures[85].

2013 - The End of an Era

Version Two

Epilogue

LucasArts decided to take matters into its own hands after failing to get a Battlefront out in almost a decade. And, from this, arrived the 'three-step approach'. Development began on First Assault (in 2013), a Call of Duty-esque projectthat would serve as the basis for infantry mechanics. Then, in 2014, would have come Version Two, which was based on code from 'Project Wingman' – a scrapped X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter-like game. Version Two would have acted as the basis for the vehicle mechanics. And, in 2015, would have come Version Three, a full-on Battlefront III that would have come with all previous mechanics, including starfighters and a campaign (which would feature base building and interactive battlefields). But, this was not to be, as First Assault was cancelled after the Disney buyoutand, subsequently, so was Version Two.LucasArts confirmed the existence of Free Radical's Battlefront III 10 years after they had originally planned to.

Additionally, Free Radical's B1 Battle Droid model was used in the Jedi Challenges mobile augmented reality game[93][94].