I’ve Been Waiting 22 Years for the Fourth Game in This Star Wars Series

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For decades, Star Wars has inspired many excellent video games, but one of the most beloved hasn’t been updated in over two decades. A key reason Star Wars resonates with so many people is its incredibly rich universe, letting fans connect with different aspects of the galaxy. Game creators have really run with this, developing everything from role-playing games and action shooters to adventure titles, creative digital playgrounds, racing games, and even fighting games.

Throughout the history of Star Wars video games, flight simulators have been a consistent favorite, starting with the original arcade game and classics like X-Wing and TIE Fighter. But the pinnacle of Star Wars aerial combat arguably came with the Rogue Squadron series, which launched on the Nintendo 64 and PC in 1998. This series delivered three critically acclaimed games within five years, but hasn’t seen a new installment since. After waiting over two decades, the time feels right for a fourth Rogue Squadron game.

Rogue Squadron Was A Pitch Perfect Star Wars Series

The Star Wars: Rogue Squadron series is still considered one of the best arcade-style flight combat games ever made, and fans—including me—have been hoping for a new installment for over twenty years. The game received excellent reviews and even won an award. Released alongside the re-releases of the original Star Wars films and just before The Phantom Menace hit theaters, Rogue Squadron was a huge success, exceeding sales expectations.

Instead of simply retelling the movies, the game Rogue Squadron offered a fresh story set between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back. It followed Luke Skywalker and Wedge Antilles as they formed and led Rogue Squadron, fighting the Empire across the galaxy. Drawing inspiration from Rebel Alliance comics, the game made Wedge Antilles a popular character, even though he had a smaller part in the original films. Rogue Squadron was also praised for its responsive controls and thrilling gameplay, which encouraged players to take risks and think fast.

The game’s graphics were impressive for the Nintendo 64, largely due to the Memory Expansion Pack. Star Wars enthusiasts especially loved the wide variety of ships to fly. Players weren’t limited to the famous X-wing; they could also pilot ships like the sturdy Y-wing, the agile A-wing, or the snowspeeder. Even more ships, including the Millennium Falcon, TIE interceptor, Naboo Starfighter, and a surprisingly fun 1969 Buick Electra 225, could be unlocked by completing challenges and entering special codes.

The popularity of the first Rogue Squadron game allowed for a continued collaboration with Nintendo, resulting in Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader. Taking advantage of the new console’s improved capabilities, the sequel was even more well-received than the original, earning excellent reviews and becoming the second best-selling GameCube launch title. Developers Factor 5 and LucasArts Games then aimed even higher with Star Wars Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike in 2003, creating a larger-scale game that let players complete missions both in their ships and on foot, using vehicles like speeder bikes and AT-AT walkers. Though the on-foot sections had somewhat awkward controls, Rebel Strike was still a commercial and critical success for the studio.

Why Rogue Squadron Never Got A Fourth Game

Several Star Wars flight games came before Rogue Squadron, and many more have been released since. Rogue Squadron even inspired a similar game, Star Wars: Episode I: Battle for Naboo, which also came out for the N64. Despite positive reviews and good sales, the Rogue Squadron series stopped after Rebel Strike, and it wasn’t due to a lack of effort.

When Factor 5’s deal with Nintendo ended, they started working on a potential re-release of their Rogue Squadron trilogy for the Xbox. Unfortunately, LucasArts changed management in 2003 and canceled the project. The team then began developing Rogue Squadron: X-Wing vs TIE Fighter for the Xbox 360 – a multiplayer game that shares similarities with the Star Wars: Squadrons game released in 2020. However, LucasArts canceled this game too. Sony then hired Factor 5 to create a PlayStation 3 title, but decided against bringing back Rogue Squadron. Instead, they developed the fantasy action game Lair, which received a much less enthusiastic reaction from both critics and players.

Factor 5 most recently tried to revive the Rogue Squadron series by updating the Xbox trilogy for the Nintendo Wii, and they actually finished the work. Unfortunately, the 2008 financial crisis forced the cancellation of the game, and the studio eventually closed. Since then, the closest fans have gotten to a new Rogue Squadron experience was a re-release of Star Wars: Rogue Squadron 3D on Windows. This is especially disappointing considering how beloved Rogue Squadron is within the Star Wars universe. Its impact was significant enough that Walt Disney Studios planned a movie adaptation with Patty Jenkins as director. While announced in 2020 with a target release of 2023, the film hasn’t been made, though reports in 2024 suggest it’s still in development after Jenkins signed a new contract.

Rogue Squadron Deserves Another Game

The Rogue Squadron series was very successful for Factor 5, but it unfortunately ended with Rebel Strike. It’s a pity, because the series had a lot of potential for great stories, especially now. Games like Star Wars: Squadrons show just how beautiful Star Wars flight games can look on today’s consoles, and the expanded Star Wars universe since Disney bought Lucasfilm offers many exciting possibilities for new stories.

A future game could tell a much larger story, drawing from all eras of the Star Wars universe – including characters, spaceships, and conflicts from the prequel and sequel movies, as well as TV series like The Clone Wars, Rebels, The Mandalorian, and The Acolyte. If developers wanted to include more action on the ground, they could take inspiration from games like Star Wars Battlefront II, which successfully blended exciting aerial combat with engaging ground battles. New technology like virtual reality could also create a truly immersive experience, putting players right in the cockpit and deeper into the Star Wars galaxy.

By focusing on the everyday pilots fighting against the Empire, a new game could capture the gritty, rebellious feel of shows like Andor and the film Rogue One, adding moral nuance to a franchise often seen as straightforward. With a Rogue Squadron movie still potentially in development, a new game – or even a re-release of the older games – could build excitement for both the game and the upcoming Ryan Gosling film, Star Wars: Starfighter.

Beyond the impressive visuals and story, the Rogue Squadron games were simply a blast to play – that’s what really drew fans in. They were easy to learn, incredibly engaging, and hard to stop playing. These games still stand out as some of the best Star Wars video game adaptations, and it’s a great time to revisit them.

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2025-11-02 21:14