How Respawn went bigger and bolder with Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
One of the Star Wars franchise's big breakout hits in recent years was Respawn Entertainment's Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Blending AAA action-adventure combat and exploration with the sprawling scope and tone of an old-school Star Wars story, Fallen Order brought a certain experience that wasn't too common for games set in "a galaxy far, far away." For its developers, Fallen Order was a significant departure from their pedigree on first-person shooters like Titanfall and Apex Legends, but it would end up being a massive success.
The upcoming sequel, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, leans further into that sense of adventure for player character Cal Kestis and his growth as a Jedi Knight. It also embraces a darker story that pushes the narrative into more dramatic territory, even pulling upon lore from the larger Star Wars universe that hasn't seen much light in video games.
During a limited early look at Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Respawn Entertainment's Cinematic Director Dori Arazi and Narrative Technical Director Joanna Robb talked with Game Developer about the choices the team made in making a much bigger sequel—one designed to give players much more choice in how they guide Kestis through his next adventure.
As seen with The Empire Strikes Back or The Last Jedi, Star Wars sequels traditionally venture to the more dramatic, dark territory for their plot and characters—and the story of Survivor certainly follows suit. Set five years after the end of Fallen Order, Cal Kestis has parted ways with his close-knit crew on The Mantis, and is now one of the Galactic Empire's most wanted. As he explores the galaxy during a most uncivilized age, he'll work with fellow rebels to weaken the Empire's growing influence and learn
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