Electronic Arts said it has a new Star Wars game lined up for the fall. Shares of the game publisher on Monday closed at its highest levels in nearly two years.
EA on Monday announced Star Wars Squadrons, a first-person spaceship combat game set after Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. It will launch Oct. 2, and is available on PC, Xbox One and Playstation 4. Friends who buy it on different platforms can still play together—a feature that’s become far more popular since Epic Games’ Fortnite introduced it. Squadrons will also offer virtual reality support for head set owners using a PlayStation 4 or PC.
EA stock (ticker: EA) popped 3.7% to $126.52 on Monday—its highest close since it hit $128.52 on Aug. 29, 2018. It’s now up 17.7% in 2020. The S&P 500 index was up 0.8% on Monday. A number of analysts suggested the company could be a strong suitor for AT&T’s Warner Bros. gaming division. Both companies declined to comment.
EA reached an exclusive licensing deal for Star Wars games with Walt Disney (DIS) in 2013. Squadrons will be $39.99. Interestingly, EA said its multi-player mode will offer cosmetic and gameplay customization options that “are earned solely through gameplay.” The company’s prior multi-player Star Wars game, Battlefront 2 in 2017, was initially criticized for a heavy focus on selling loot crates that gave players a random chance at coveted items.
Facing fan backlash, EA rolled back such mechanics. Then, it continued releasing free gameplay updates through the end of 2019. The continued support greatly improved the game and helped win back fans. EA’s Jedi: Fallen Order single-player game launched in November, and was a holiday season hit. It outsold the company’s initial expectations.
The company will also show off upcoming games at its EA Play Live event on Thursday at 7 p.m. Eastern time.
Write to Connor Smith at connor.smith@barrons.com
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June 16, 2020 at 05:14AM
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Electronic Arts Has a New ‘Star Wars’ Game Coming. Its Stock Hit a Nearly 2-Year High. - Barron's
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