Disney, EA strike deal on 'Star Wars' video games

Brett Molina, USA TODAY | USATODAY

Never underestimate the power of the Force.

Disney has announced a multi-year deal with Electronic Arts that grants the video game publisher rights to develop and publish video games based on the classic science-fiction franchise Star Wars. Financial terms were not disclosed.

EA would have rights to develop Star Wars titles for a "core gaming audience" across all interactive platforms, says a joint statement from both companies. Disney would retain the right to create certain games for mobile, social, tablet and online.

"Every developer dreams of creating games for the Star Wars universe," says Frank Gibeau, president of EA Labels, in a statement.

Gibeau says studios DICE (Battlefield), Visceral Games (Dead Space) and BioWare (Mass Effect) will all develop Star Wars titles. BioWare already has experience with the Star Wars universe through massively multiplayer online titles such as Knights of the Old Republic and The Old Republic.

"The new experiences we create may borrow from films, but the games will be entirely original with all new stories and gameplay," says Gibeau.

The announcement comes one month after Disney shut down longtime studio LucasArts in favor of a licensing model involving Star Wars and other properties.

Several projects, including the action title Star Wars 1313, had been halted, according to a LucasFilm representative.

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