Via wsj.com:
When it comes to “Star Wars Battlefront,” Electronic Arts Inc.EA -6.12% is stuck in the past.
On an earnings call with analysts Thursday, executives said EA has no plans to include Rey, Finn or any other characters from Walt Disney Co.DIS +1.42%’s “Stars Wars: The Force Awakens” movie in coming expansion packs.
It’s not that executives don’t want Rey running on the floor of the forest moon of Endor. But “Battlefront” is based on the science-fiction franchise’s original trilogy released between 1977 and 1983. “The Force Awakens” is set about 30 years after “Return of the Jedi.”
“You can’t make a game in ’Star Wars’ that violates the canon of ‘Star Wars,’ ” EA finance chief Blake Jorgensen said. “Meaning, you can’t take something from the future and bring it back into the past unless it’s a reference.”
Put away any notion of a Han Solo vs. Jar Jar Binks deathmatch, either. The “canon” rules count for the prequel trilogy, too. (This stuff is taken seriously. You’ve heard of Wikipedia. How about Wookieepedia?)
The question came up as Wall Street analysts were mining for details on how EA might again exploit the release of a blockbuster movie to fuel profits in the games. “Battlefront” is slated to get four paid expansion packs before the end of the year. A new movie, “Rogue One,” is expected to be released in December.
It is possible, though, newer characters will show up in a “Battlefront” sequel, Mr. Jorgensen said. EA hasn’t disclosed any details about when a new game might come out.
“We’re trying to stay tightly connected to the ‘Star Wars’ beat for future movies, and we will obviously in future Star Wars games be able to tap the new characters and vehicles and so forth,” Mr. Jorgensen said.
For now, EA isn’t concerned about the lack of modern “Star Wars” characters in “Battlefront.” EA said it sold more than 13 million copies of “Battlefront” before the end of the year, well ahead of its earlier projection that it would sell that many units by the end of March.