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A cancelled Star Wars action role-playing game has surfaced, offering a glimpse at a project that combined lightsaber combat, blaster battles, multiplayer and a relationship-focused NPC system.

Called Star Wars: Magellan, the previously unknown game was being developed by Echtra Games, the studio behind Torchlight III. Development ended when owner Zynga closed Echtra Games in June 2025, bringing work on both Magellan and Torchlight to an end.

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What was Star Wars: Magellan?

Details emerged after an anonymous Echtra employee included development material in a portfolio. The footage and production assets identify two playable protagonists: a Jedi Twi’lek described in gameplay material as “The Hunted Jedi”, and a Mandalorian warrior called “The Exile”. Internal game files also used the names Cleric and Triggerman.

The Vision, in monochromatic colors, in WandaVision.

The available footage points to a third-person action RPG with multiplayer support. Players appeared to be able to take control of either the Jedi or the Mandalorian while battling Stormtroopers, droids and creatures.

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A relationship system beyond combat

Combat was only part of the proposed experience. The project was also reported to include an “NPC Bond system”, suggesting that players could form relationships with characters encountered during the story.

The limited material does not establish whether those bonds would have involved romance, friendship or another form of allegiance. It does, however, suggest that player relationships could influence the narrative. That combination of character-driven decisions and an action-focused combat system gives Magellan a distinctly BioWare-style flavour.

star wars magellan

star wars magellan gameplay

How Zynga shaped the project

Some of Magellan’s visual design appears to reflect Zynga’s influence. The Twi’lek and Stormtrooper designs resemble the style used in Star Wars: Hunters, Zynga’s multiplayer Star Wars title, which has since shut down.

The games did not appear to share the same core approach, though. The footage of Magellan shows lightsaber abilities and shooting mechanics that look fundamentally different from Hunters. Those differences suggest the cancelled project was not intended to be a mobile or free-to-play game in the same mould.

star wars magellan npc

Another lost Star Wars game

Star Wars has long supported a wide range of games, from Respawn’s Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order to BioWare’s Star Wars: The Old Republic. Yet the franchise’s most intriguing concepts are not always the ones that reach players. Magellan joins the growing list of cancelled projects, including EA and Respawn’s reported Mandalorian game.

For Australian arcade enthusiasts interested in the wider history of games and interactive entertainment, RETROCADE’s arcade news and editorial coverage offers more stories from the industry. Those planning a dedicated gaming setup can also browse the arcade machine buying guide or explore arcade machines.

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What Star Wars fans can still look forward to

The cancellation is disappointing because the surviving material presents a game with room for both cooperative action and meaningful character interactions. However, two other Star Wars games were listed as scheduled for release in 2026: Star Wars: Zero Company, due on 27 August, and Star Wars: Galactic Racer, due on 6 October.

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For a closer look at the recovered development footage and animation material, read the Magellan report. The footage cannot bring the project back, but it preserves a snapshot of a promising Star Wars ARPG that never reached launch.


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