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Is Visceral Dropping More Hints About Its Upcoming Star Wars Game?
Update: A few weeks ago, Nolan North talked openly about what he knew of Visceral's upcoming Star Wars project, saying "...if you’re a big fan of Amy Hennig and her styles of stories, the big thing about her is she’s gone to EA and is going to reboot a brand-new Star Wars franchise in the style of Uncharted." That comment lines up with the images that employees from Visceral have been sharing on social media since the game's development began. Replace Nathan Drake. Add Han Solo. Again, this is all speculation, and no one has confirmed North's comments yet.
Visceral's Scott Warner hasn't slowed on social media, either. He's giving fans a good look at the decorations in Visceral's office. Most of the images point to Han Solo. Here are the latest photos:
The Falcon looms over production of the game.
Employees can now wipe their feet on Han.
Warner tweeted this image with the message "This is where the fun begins."
This shot was used for a job posting.
A new stuffed toy in the office.
A bounty hunter lurks near a window.
Warner posted this image of Han Solo from LucasArts' Mercenaries with the message "Chewie, we're home..."
Original Story: We've known Visceral Games has been working on a Star Wars game since 2013, and more recently that former Naughty Dog alumna Amy Hennig is co-writing this secret project with Todd Stashwick, an actor who can currently be seen in Syfy's 12 Monkeys; he's also the co-creator of the comic book, Devil Inside. We also know that Scott Warner is directing the project. Warner's past credits include work on Battlefield Hardline, Halo 4, and Mercenaries 1 and 2.
What game they are building is anybody's guess. While speaking with Fortune in early 2014, Electronic Arts' CEO Andrew Wilson compared his company's approach to the Star Wars property with Warner Bros.' work on the Batman Arkham series. "What Warner Bros. did with Batman was take the core roots of that IP and manifest that inside the walls of Gotham City and delivered an interactive experience that had real ties to what you would see in the films and what you had read in the comics, while having its own life because it could provide such deep and more immersive storylines,” he told Fortune. “When we look at the Star Wars properties that’s how we’re looking at it. We’re not trying to build a game that replicates the storyline of any particular film.”
From that subtle tease we can guess that Visceral is working on a new story, but we don't know when it will take place within the Star Wars timeline. Over the last year, Stashwick, Hennig, Warner, and voice actor Nolan North, have tweeted a number of images and comments that all share similar themes: the mains being Han Solo, the Millennium Falcon, and a Star Wars version of a pirate flag. The pirate flag in particular is getting great mileage in Visceral's office.
Take all of this with a Costco-sized barrel of salt. It could mean nothing in the end, but it is cool to see the team's excitement for the project, and Visceral's studio transform into a creative lab for a new Star Wars experience. Here are the images I found interesting:
The first image Stashwick shared when signing on to work on Visceral's Star Wars project.
Another image Stashwick shared a month later of famed smuggler/pirate.
An image of Hennig hanging out with Emily Rose, North, and Stashwick in front of the pirate flag.
Warner shows off Visceral's office. Note: The flag and the Millennium Falcon.
North having a little fun on Twitter.
A new addition to Visceral's office.
Warner teasing the flag.
Hennig's Twitter image is of the Falcon. Her May 4 tweet: "We'll be your scoundrels. Pchoo pchoo!"
Stashwick's May 4 photo. Note the "I'll be your scoundrel" shirt, Han Solo, and the flag.
Our Take
We don't want to speculate too much on what these images could mean, but there's an obvious common theme running throughout these teases and shots of the studio. Earlier in the year, Star Wars fan sites like Star Wars 7 News ran unconfirmed rumors that Visceral was working on a Han Solo game. While we didn't feel there was enough evidence to run the rumor at the time, these images line up with earlier claims. I think I speak for all Star Wars fans when I say how exciting it would be to step into the boots of our favorite smuggler.
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