Star Wars Eclipse could provide a different Star Wars game than we're used to.
Star Wars games have been rarer of late, but the Star Wars Jedi franchise has been successful for EA. Set after the fall of the Republic, its survival elements and lore-building have been a hit over the two games so far in the series.
But Star Wars Eclipse promises all-new characters and environments set in Star Wars' High Republic Era. This is a rarely explored part of the Star Wars galaxy when it comes to games, TV shows and movies, though the comics and novels have delved into its depths. So getting a deeper exploration in an interactive format is a major development for Star Wars fans.
It also marks the first Star Wars game from Quantic Dream. The Detroit: Become Human developer dropped the game's debut cinematic trailer during The Game Awards 2021, and it was stunning.
While this cinematic trailer doesn't reveal any gameplay, it does paint the picture of an ominous force about to shatter a peaceful galaxy. The story details are scarce, but we do get a few hints, including the appearance of Yoda.
Read on for all the latest info about Star Wars Eclipse, including what we expect to see from the gameplay and story.
Star Wars Eclipse: Release date speculation
Unfortunately, we have no solid information about Star Wars Eclipse's release date. No new information has come from Quantic Dream or Lucasfilm Games since the initial trailer dropped. All that we know at this stage is that the game is “currently in the early stages of development,” according to an article on the Star Wars website.
This would indicate that we’re at least a couple of years away from actually getting to play the game. Rumors surrounding the game also suggest the game's development has taken a slow start.
Reputable leaker Tom Henderson of Insider Gaming claimed in December 2021 that Star Wars Eclipse is "believed to be around 3-4 years away minimum." Developer Quantic Dream is currently struggling to hire staff, possibly due to the involvement of the studio's controversial head David Cage. The company is also reportedly having issues with its existing development tools not being well-suited to Eclipse.
In October 2022, sources leaked to Colin Moriarty that Eclipse is not "even really in production yet." He disclosed this information during an episode of his Sacred Symbols podcast, which is paywalled by was transcribed by VGC.
Henderson later confirmed this leak independently in an Insider Gaming article. Henderson further states that one source believes the game will not come until 2026 at the earliest, so we have a while to go before we can finally play Eclipse.
The good news is that, as of this writing, there does still appear to be movement on the development of Eclipse. Quantic Dream did a television interview with the French news channel BFM TV in June 2023 and it gives a behind-the-scenes look at Eclipse in development. While it doesn't give us anything new to go off of, it's good to see that work is being done on the game.
Since that BFM TV interview, there's been some further buzz about the release date. Henderson says that sources indicate a target release window of 2026. Unfortunately, the article says it could still be delayed further, so this reporting is far from a guarantee. A recent interview with IGN described the development of Eclipse as "simmering."
Star Wars Eclipse: Gameplay
Quantic Dream tends to create interactive, narrative-driven adventure games that are light on traditional gameplay. However, the developer may branch out for Eclipse. The developer notes that Star Wars Eclipse will be an action-adventure game with multiple characters, each with its own branching possibilities. This suggests it might shake off the “playable movie” tag from previous Quantic Dream games.
The studio might not completely switch things up, though. In classic Quantic Dream fashion, it appears that player choice will be a key component of Star Wars Eclipse. There will be several playable characters and your choices will matter, with every decision having the potential for a dramatic impact on the course of the player's story experience. Rather than fixating on one character that you build up over time, you may need to control the fate of many pieces on the proverbial board.
Despite this claim of multiple playable characters, there's been some — mildly — conflicting information regarding how many players you could play as. In a leak to Sacred Symbols podcast host, which was later determined to be a controlled leak from developer Quantic Dream to gauge interest, Eclipse will have a lead character named Sarah. Sarah is a member of the Zaraan, a new human-like race new to the Star Wars universe. While it is not confirmed that she will be the sole protagonist of Eclipse, this leak leads us to believe that she will be the main protagonist.
Still, Quantic Dream founder David Cage says to expect something new, not simply a Star Wars-themed reskin of Detroit: Become Human. In an interview with IGN, Cage said that Detroit: Become Human was all about predicting the tech of the next 10 to 20 years and showing how that impacts society and was more about anticipation than science fiction. Star Wars is a different beast in Cage's mind, and his plan is to tackle the two subjects differently.
One thing to expect? Your characters may be able to die — permanently. Vice President of Marketing Lisa Pendse said "There's no game over. Anyone can die, anything can happen and the story sort of continues so that those signatures are still there. But what we've been doing is even more ramping up our expertise in the gameplay arena." They also reiterated that branching narratives and multiple playable characters will be core to the Staw Wars Eclipse experience.
Star Wars Eclipse: Platform speculation
Currently, we have no information about which platforms will get Star Wars Eclipse. Most likely, it will come out on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, but it seems less likely to launch on PS4 and Xbox One. At this point, we may even see a new console generation announced by the time we hear more about Star Wars Eclipse's platforms.
Star Wars Eclipse: Trailer
The Star Wars Eclipse cinematic trailer from The Game Awards 2021 sets the game in the High Republic Era. The High Republic period, not to be confused with The Old Republic, is set hundreds of years before The Skywalker Saga, and was the golden age of the Republic and the Jedi Order. Novels, comics and even audiobooks have already explored this era, but Eclipse will be the first video game set within this part of the Star Wars timeline.
While there’s no gameplay in the trailer, there is still plenty to dissect. Perhaps the biggest moment of the trailer is actually buried in the middle when we see a little green figure staring out the window of what looks like the Jedi Council chambers. A closer inspection of visual assets provided by Quantic Dream shows this is in fact Yoda standing in the Council room, so we can expect at least one familiar face.
We also get Jedi dueling on a bridge, alien races in seedy Outer Rim cities and an alien race performing some form of ritual that appears to birth a sinister-looking figure. Odds would suggest that this is our first look at the game’s primary antagonist.
Star Wars Eclipse: Story
Quantic Dream has promised that Star Wars Eclipse will feature all-new characters and environments in this High Republic Era game. Eclipse will take place in the Outer Rim: a somewhat-lawless region of the galaxy where the Jedi and the Republic often struggle to assert control.
The High Republic has been the focus of several Star Wars comic series, which have established some canon already. While Eclipse could expound on these established storylines, Quantic Dream's talk of all-new characters and never-before-seen species suggests this will be an entirely new story.
The cinematic trailer may show us some of these unfamiliar species. We have yet to know the origins of the game's potential antagonist, and the Anomid make an appearance as well. This species appears in the trailer wearing red robes with their faces fully covered. They debuted in the film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and have only made a handful of brief appearances since.
Additional story details leaked out in what is described as a "controlled leak" from developer Quantic Dream. Sacred Symbols podcast host Colin Moriarty revealed that the lead protagonist for Eclipse (codenamed Project S) is Sarah, a 30-year-old female Zaraan. The Zaraan are described in VGC's transcription of the episode as a human-like race new to Star Wars that holds a military and political empire in the galaxy. The Zaraan form a violent, criminal empire where marriages can determine how governing units operate. Sarah is described as a true believer in this aggressive ideology, whereas her partner Xendo is much milder in temperament. At least part of Eclipse is expected to resolve around their relationship.
Another group we could see — though Quantic Dream has given no indication this group will appear — is the Nihil. For readers of recent Star Wars novels and comics set in the High Republic era, this name will be familiar, and they're even given a brief mention in Star Wars: Jedi Survivor. These violent pirates were a scourge on the Jedi in the High Republic era, particularly in the Outer Rim. Depending on when in this era that Star Wars Eclipse takes place, the Nihil could play a role.
Despite all these new characters and environments, we do get some familiar sights in the cinematic trailer. There are plenty of Jedi to be found, including the aforementioned Yoda. Species integral to the Star Wars galaxy, such as the Mon Calamari and the Duros, make appearances in the trailer. Since Eclipse is tipped to feature a cast of multiple playable characters, we may ultimately play as some of these familiar — and less familiar — faces.
