Android multiplayer shooter Star Wars: Rivals is now open for pre-registrations on the Google Play Store, with Disney allowing Star Wars fans and aficionados of multiplayer gaming experiences to express their interest in the game ahead of its upcoming release. The online shooter will provide players with the opportunity to wreak intergalactic havoc in the role of some of their favorite characters from the famous sci-fi universe such as Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, Darth Vader, and Boba Fett. A number of names from the third movie trilogy and the first Rogue One spin-off are also featured in Star Wars: Rivals, with Finn, Jyn, Krennic, and Captain Phasma being among them.
In essence, the newly unveiled game appears to be a mobile take on the formula of the Star Wars Battlefront series but without the optional first-person perspective, tasking players with fighting for one of the two sides of the neverending sci-fi war and participate in conflicts across a wide variety of memorable locations. As such, player-versus-player mechanics are at the core of the gameplay experience offered by Star Wars: Rivals, though Disney has yet to reveal how many people will be able to partake in the game’s battles simultaneously. The actual developer of the game has also yet to be disclosed; despite the fact that Disney is the one publishing Star Wars: Rivals, the company’s previously employed practices in the gaming industry suggest a third-party studio was commissioned to create the game.
Collecting heroes will also be an integral part of the experience which is where the game’s monetization strategy comes into play, with the official description of Star Wars: Rivals describing a free-to-play title with optional in-app purchases that either come in the form of loot boxes or digital currency meant to be used for buying loot boxes. The microtransactions will be offered at between $4.99 and $99.99, with Disney also suggesting the title may occasionaly display advertisements. Players will be able to swap heroes during battles and participate in both Arenas — which sound like standard PvP deathmatches — and Arena Leagues, in addition to having the option of enlisting in guilds and earning faction bonuses. A wide variety of weapons and faction abilities will also be part of the package, though the Play Store listing isn’t clear in regards to whether the game offers character customization. Star Wars: Rivals still doesn’t have a firm release date attached to it but is widely expected to become available for download on Android smartphones and tablets no later than early spring.
