Star Wars Jedi 3: How EA’s Acquisition Spells Trouble For Respawn’s Upcoming Sequel

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Electronic Arts (EA) has been bought by new owners, and this might create problems for the eagerly awaited Star Wars Jedi 3. While not yet formally revealed, Respawn Entertainment is definitely developing a follow-up game. But things are shifting, because EA has been taken private and is undergoing major changes to its business.

On September 29th, Silver Lake Partners, the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund PIF, and Affinity Partners bought EA for $52.5 billion, creating the largest private equity buyout in history. Some well-known figures in the gaming industry believe this deal could signal trouble for the major video game company.

On Bluesky, Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier suggested that the acquisition of EA might not be good news for games such as Respawn’s Star Wars Jedi 3.

Schreier reports that Silver Lake will take on the responsibility of the Star Wars Jedi publisher’s debt-more than $20 billion-to finance the acquisition.

A comparable strategy was used when Toys “R” Us was bought by private equity firms in the mid-2000s. This involved shifting several billion dollars of the buyer’s debt onto the toy store. Essentially, even though Toys “R” Us was making a profit, it couldn’t manage the huge debt it was saddled with, ultimately leading to its bankruptcy.

As a film buff, I’m always looking at the bigger picture, and honestly, it’s a little early to say if EA will end up in the same situation as some other studios. But looking at how this purchase is being financed, it’s hard not to feel a little worried. It just feels a bit precarious, you know?

Additionally, Schreier mentioned in his post about the purchase that it will probably lead to “significant job cuts, increased efforts to generate revenue, and other substantial ways to reduce expenses”:

Many are understandably concentrating on the connection between Saudi Arabia and Jared Kushner, but the more significant and immediate consequence will be the new private Equity Alliance being responsible for $20 billion in debt.

This could mean mass layoffs, more aggressive monetisation, and other big cost-cutting measures.

In addition to buying the company, the investors are also responsible for EA’s existing debts, so it’s understandable they’ll want to address this situation quickly.

According to the Financial Times, the company’s efforts to lower expenses may involve significantly using AI to “lower how much things cost to make and boost EA’s earnings over the next few years.”

This might result in Star Wars Jedi 3 being cancelled altogether, or, if it is released, it could have been made with these challenging development conditions.

Simply put, the situation with Respawn’s next game has become much less clear recently. Plans for projects currently in development could be significantly altered. Even studios that appeared secure are now facing potential cuts.

Respawn and Star Wars Jedi 3 are facing a new and challenging situation. There are several worrying factors at play now that didn’t exist when they were making the first two Jedi games.

Star Wars Jedi 3 hasn’t been officially confirmed yet, but most people expect it to continue the story of Cal Kestis – the Jedi on the run played by Cameron Monaghan – as he travels throughout the galaxy during the Empire’s most powerful period. The previous game in Respawn’s Jedi series, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, came out in 2023 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC.

When Will Star Wars Jedi 3 Be Released? 

Naturally, the recent change in ownership at EA might cause some problems for Respawn and their plans for Star Wars Jedi 3; however, the game is likely far enough in development that it won’t be significantly affected.

In September 2023, Star Wars Jedi actor Cameron Monaghan hinted that development on the game was underway, stating they were “in the process of doing it right now:”

We’re currently developing the third game. It’s a large project, and we’ve had some initial discussions about it. We’re aiming to create something truly amazing for our players when it’s finished.

We can likely expect even more progress on the game now, two years on, and it seems to be preparing for a future launch.

It took Respawn around three and a half years to develop and release the first and second Jedi games. Assuming they follow a similar timeline for the third game, we can expect it to come out around late 2026 or early 2027-provided EA’s recent ownership change doesn’t cause significant delays.

As a fan, I’m hoping we’ll get to hear the game’s title within the next six months or so. That would give the developers about a year to really build up excitement and promote the game before it finally comes out. I’m really excited about this and can’t wait to learn more! It seems like a good timeline for building hype and ensuring a successful launch. You can find more information here, if you’re interested.

Right now, however, fans can see the main character, Cal Kestis, on Disney+ for the very first time in the newly released LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy: Pieces of the Past.

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2025-10-02 21:37