Instagram users have started seeing sponsored posts for Gamescom 2021 briefly featuring existing footage of LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga. If you’re unfamiliar with Gamescom it’s a trade exhibition for video games and is considered the worlds largest gaming event. Gamescom kicks things off with Opening Night Live hosted by Geoff Keighley and typically features world premieres for upcoming games, updates on existing games and much more. Gamescom is due to begin on August 25th and will run until the 27th
At Gamescom 2020, TT Games unveiled the latest trailer for LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga and confirmed the game had been delayed into Spring 2021. So there is a history between the game and the upcoming event.
It’s quite possible that the game is featured in promotional material for the event due to it having a presence last year. Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest also featured games in promotional material that weren’t at their opening event. Warner Bros and TT Games currently aren’t listed as partners of Gamescom either.
It appears COVID-19 has had a massive impact on The Skywalker Saga. Originally the game was announced in 2019 at the Xbox E3 Showcase for a 2020 release. In May of last year, The Star Wars Show revealed the release date as October 20th, 2020, but the video was quickly taken down and re-uploaded without a specific date. At Gamescom 2020, it was announced The Skywalker Saga had been delayed out of 2020 and would release in Spring 2021. In April 2021, TT Games announced that the game had once again been delayed, but did not give a release window.
In January and February 2021, I had heard that the game was getting delayed from its Spring window with hopes of the game being released later in the year in time for the holidays. Both myself and journalist Jeff Grubb heard that the studio were having issues with QA around the Spring, but it was assumed as COVID-19 restrictions in England (where TT Games are based) eased, it would make that process easier. Currently in England all restrictions have been lifted. Weeks ago I was told that the studio were taking things week-to-week and that they wouldn’t jeopardise the health and well being of their staff in an attempt to rush the game out which is absolutely the right thing to be doing even if some selfish fanboys disagree.
If The Skywalker Saga doesn’t make an appearance at Gamescom, then a 2021 release is made highly unlikely. Personally a Spring 2022 release seems more like a more reasonable assumption and fans shouldn’t have high expectations for this year. We’ve seen many high profile games set for a 2021 release get delayed into next year including Hogwarts Legacy, Gotham Knights, God of War: Ragnarok and most recently Horizon: Forbidden West, which just a couple of months ago was on track for a Holiday 2021 release. Even Microsoft haven’t specified a release date for their biggest game of the year, Halo: Infinite which is currently only listed as Holiday 2021.
Be sure to continue checking out BespinBulletin.com as well as my socials (@BespinBulletin) for updates on The Skywalker Saga and other news from a galaxy far, far away!