Star Wars Battlefront 3 Rumor Puts Bungie and DICE in the Frame

A new Star Wars Battlefront 3 may be back on the table, at least if a growing round of industry rumors proves accurate. Lucasfilm is said to be looking for a development partner to take on a follow-up to 2017's Star Wars Battlefront II, with EA DICE and Bungie reportedly among the studios being discussed.

Nothing has been announced by Lucasfilm, Disney, EA, Sony, DICE, or Bungie, so this is far from confirmation that a project exists, much less that it has a developer, a release window, or a set of platforms. Still, the prospect has quickly captured attention because Battlefront remains one of the most recognizable multiplayer brands in Star Wars games. It also comes at a moment when both the Star Wars game business and the studios named in the rumor are at potentially consequential points.

For fans, the simple appeal is obvious: it has been nearly a decade since the last Battlefront game launched. But choosing who should make a third entry is less straightforward. DICE has direct experience, while Bungie has a long history of defining large-scale science-fiction shooters. Either could make a convincing case on paper. The practical realities behind each option, however, would be very different.

The rumor points to a search for a partner

The latest discussion traces back to the return of the Quartermann gossip column in a new digital issue connected to an Electronic Gaming Monthly retrospective project. The item suggested that Lucasfilm had been actively seeking a studio to build a new Battlefront game and that two large developers were circling the opportunity.

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Game industry commentator Jeff Grubb subsequently discussed the report on the October 19 edition of Game Mess Morning. In the version of the rumor now circulating, EA DICE is characterized as the most expected candidate, while Bungie, known for Halo, Destiny, and Marathon, is named as the more surprising possibility. Others have also indicated they have heard talk that Disney wants another Battlefront, though that does not establish which developer, if any, has signed on.

That distinction matters. A rights holder investigating partners is not the same thing as a greenlit game in full production. Major licensed projects can spend a long time in pitches, negotiations, prototypes, and planning. They can also change studios or fail to materialize. Until an official announcement arrives, every detail about a possible Battlefront 3 should be treated as uncertain.

Why DICE is the natural fit

DICE returning would be the easiest story for players to understand. The studio built the two modern Battlefront games published by EA: 2015's Star Wars Battlefront and 2017's Star Wars Battlefront II. Both delivered the high-fidelity audiovisual presentation, vehicle combat, large maps, and instantly recognizable Star Wars locations that many people expect from the name.

Battlefront II had a famously troubled introduction because of its loot box controversy, an episode that became a defining flashpoint in the wider debate over monetization in full-price games. Yet the game did not remain frozen in its launch-era reputation. Over time, it received substantial content additions and system changes, and a committed audience grew around it. For many fans, its eventual state demonstrated that there was still considerable demand for a broad, accessible Star Wars multiplayer sandbox.

A third game led by DICE would offer continuity in design knowledge as well as a clear understanding of the franchise's core pillars: infantry combat, hero characters, starfighters, ground vehicles, cinematic maps, and multiplayer modes that let players inhabit conflicts from across the Star Wars timeline. There would still be no guarantee that a new installment would repeat the exact structure or scope of its predecessors, but DICE has already shown it understands the fantasy Battlefront is meant to fulfill.

There is also a business argument for returning to the established specialist. Building a massive competitive shooter is already difficult. Building one around a globally valuable licensed universe adds approvals, expectations, technical demands, and a very public comparison with past games. Starting again with a studio that has no Battlefront history could bring fresh ideas, but it also introduces more uncertainty.

What Bungie could bring to Battlefront

At first glance, Bungie is not an unreasonable candidate. The studio's work has shaped modern console and PC shooters for decades. Halo established a standard for readable arenas, satisfying weapons, and player movement, while Destiny developed those strengths into a long-running online action game with raids, cooperative activities, competitive modes, evolving worlds, and an enormous amount of lore.

A Bungie-made Battlefront could potentially emphasize the feel of individual weapons, fluid first-person shooting, social play, and the kind of repeatable progression loops associated with Destiny. The studio also knows how to create science-fiction spaces that feel monumental and mysterious, making it easy to imagine a polished interpretation of the Star Wars galaxy in its hands.

But Battlefront is not merely another science-fiction shooter. Its special value is the chance to participate in huge, recognizable Star Wars clashes without requiring players to absorb the systems, buildcraft, and long-term commitments of a live-service role-playing game. A new developer would need to preserve that immediate, pick-up-and-play appeal while finding a sustainable approach to post-launch support. Bungie's strengths could help, but its design instincts would need to serve the Battlefront identity rather than transform it into Destiny with blasters and stormtroopers.

The possibility also arrives while Bungie is between major phases of its own work. Marathon has been a central focus for the company, while Destiny 2 has been in a quieter period outside of the return of older material. Taking on a Star Wars project could give Bungie a highly recognizable commercial opportunity, particularly under Sony ownership, which has already worked with Disney on Marvel games through Insomniac.

A major opportunity could also be a distraction

There is a compelling counterargument to the Bungie scenario: the studio's talent may be more valuable on an original universe. Bungie already owns two of gaming's most notable science-fiction legacies in Halo and Destiny, and Marathon has the potential to add another distinct setting to that history. A new internally created property could provide the company with greater long-term control and room to develop its own ideas rather than operating inside an established licensed framework.

That said, original projects require time, money, conviction, and stability. Bungie has faced significant pressure and change since Sony acquired it, and a licensed project with immediate name recognition could appear less risky than years of experimentation on something entirely new. A successful Battlefront could be viewed as a needed win, one capable of generating broad attention and revenue faster than a fresh intellectual property with no built-in audience.

Whether that would actually be easier is another question. Star Wars brings a vast audience, but it also brings towering expectations. Battlefront fans want the scale of classic battles, deep rosters of heroes and villains, eras spanning the franchise, reliable servers, regular content, and fair monetization. The lessons of Battlefront II's launch would loom over every decision. A recognizable brand may reduce the challenge of attracting attention, but it does not reduce the challenge of earning trust.

Star Wars games have momentum again

The timing of the rumor is notable. Star Wars games are again a busy part of the release landscape, with Galactic Racer and Zero Company helping put the franchise back into seasonal conversation. The property is broad enough to support racing, strategy, single-player adventures, action games, and multiplayer shooters, but Battlefront occupies a particular place because it promises the all-in-one battlefield fantasy.

That fantasy has only become more attractive as players have continued to revisit Battlefront II years after its final major updates. The series has room for a comeback, especially if a new game can avoid repeating old mistakes and can arrive with a clear identity beyond simply being a prettier version of what came before.

The challenge is that AAA development is slow. Even if a studio were selected soon, a project of this size would likely require years before it was ready for a formal reveal, let alone launch. The eventual game could be destined for a much later console generation than the one in which the rumor first emerged.

For now, the important detail is the possibility

The most concrete takeaway is not that Bungie will make Star Wars Battlefront 3, nor that DICE has definitely reclaimed the series. It is that the prospect of another Battlefront appears to be receiving serious attention. For a franchise that has spent so long without a new entry, that alone is enough to revive debate over what the next game should be.

DICE remains the logical choice if Lucasfilm wants a continuation that builds on the modern series' established formula and hard-won experience. Bungie would be the higher-variance choice: a studio with unmatched shooter credentials and the potential to bring a different perspective, but also one whose own future projects and internal priorities make the fit more complicated.

Either way, fans should keep expectations measured until the companies involved speak publicly. A Battlefront return would be welcome, but the developer, design direction, business model, platforms, and timing all remain unanswered. The galaxy is large, and a new battle may still be a long way off.