A canceled Star Wars game from over a decade ago has become playable for the first time, offering fans a rare chance to experience a lost project from LucasArts.
Star Wars: First Assault, a multiplayer first-person shooter originally developed for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, was shelved in the wake of major changes at Lucasfilm following Disney's 2012 acquisition of the Star Wars franchise. As reported by Time Extension, dedicated preservation efforts have now brought a refined version of the game's closed technical beta online, allowing players to engage in matches after 13 years of unavailability.
The cancellation of Star Wars: First Assault occurred in early 2013, shortly after Disney's purchase of Lucasfilm and the subsequent decision to shut down LucasArts as an internal developer. This move halted several in-progress projects, including two major titles that were already well underway and fully funded. Star Wars: First Assault was positioned as a downloadable multiplayer experience, drawing clear inspiration from popular shooters of the era while placing players in team-based battles as various Stormtrooper factions across iconic Star Wars locations. It supported up to 16 players and featured fast-paced, objective-driven gameplay reminiscent of the Battlefront series but with a more focused, arena-style approach.
A public beta had been planned for late 2012, but the project never reached that stage. Around a decade ago, leaked footage from the beta surfaced online—roughly 20 minutes showing limited gameplay on a single level, running via Xbox Live without full features like bots or additional players—giving a glimpse of its potential. The game resembled titles such as Call of Duty set in the Star Wars universe, complete with Tatooine environments and Stormtrooper combat.
Preservation enthusiasts have since taken the surviving closed technical beta materials and refined them extensively, porting and enhancing the build using Unreal Engine to create a functional, multiplayer-capable version. This effort has transformed what was once an incomplete prototype into something playable online, marking a significant achievement in game preservation. A 76-minute gameplay clip has circulated, demonstrating the revived title in action and highlighting how far the community has come in resurrecting it.
More details about Star Wars: First Assault are available on its dedicated Discord server, where the community coordinates and discusses the project. A preliminary test took place on March 6, 2026, to verify that all elements were operating correctly. An hour prior to the test, the server opened access so participants could download the game files. Following this, the focus shifted to evaluating 8v8 multiplayer sessions and implementing necessary adjustments to optimize performance and stability. The Tech Beta Multiplayer file is approximately 395 MB in size, making it quick to obtain over a standard broadband connection—often completing in under a minute. The Discord community remains active, providing a hub for conversations about the game as well as opportunities to join live matches and contribute to ongoing improvements.
This development underscores the enduring interest in Star Wars gaming history and the power of fan-driven initiatives to revive projects that might otherwise remain lost forever. With the game now accessible, it serves as both a nostalgic artifact and a testament to what could have been during a transitional period for the franchise's interactive entertainment.
