If popular Star Wars media is anything to go off of, it seems like two prevailing protagonist archetypes are most prominent: they are either a lightsaber-wielding Jedi or a blaster-wielding scoundrel. This dictates that the protagonist is either delicately balancing a constant internal struggle as they decide whether they want to be on the light or dark side of the Force, or is not in tune with the Force and simply content to steal or smuggle for a handful of credits. Because both of these angles are now accounted for in games, Respawn’s Star Wars FPS might have a tough road ahead of it.
Star Wars Outlaws was recently revealed and its lead lands neatly in the archetype of a scoundrel with the typical deception and street smarts that fans know from characters such as Lando Calrissian, Jyn Erso, or Cad Bane. Meanwhile, Respawn’s Star Wars Jedi franchise seemingly has the market cornered on having a Jedi protagonist. No details have been shared thus far about what Respawn’s Star Wars FPS could entail, but it might find itself in the unenviable position of needing to find a unique archetype for its own protagonist.
Star Wars’ Popular Character Archetypes Have Already Been Tapped
The problem Respawn has now is crafting a story with a protagonist that can still feel unique amid the other Star Wars stories being told right now, including Respawn’s own Star Wars Jedi franchise and Star Wars Outlaws. Knowing that Respawn’s new Star Wars IP will be an FPS game essentially confirms that it will feature a blaster-toting protagonist rather than a lightsaber-wielding one, but even that archetype is quickly being saturated in Star Wars media.
Andor essentially revitalized the Star Wars franchise in its dire need for originality and quality control, and because it featured an unremarkable smuggler protagonist with a blaster pistol it would not be surprising to see that archetype fill future Star Wars stories for a while. Ubisoft’s open-world Star Wars game has obviously been in development for a while and may not have been wholly influenced by Andor, but Star Wars Outlaws is already running with the cunning scoundrel angle and determines how popular that role is now.
Likewise, having an adorable or humorous critter and/or droid companion also looks to become a staple formula for the franchise that has yet to be broken. Respawn has proven how well-equipped it is to tell stories in the Star Wars universe and by that merit its FPS will almost assuredly be engaging and thrilling, but it will need to be intelligent about what kind of protagonist it features if it wants to be unique again in a franchise that is always willing to revert to familiar iconography.
Star Wars Outlaws looks to deliver a well-crafted scoundrel experience emulating what days in the life of Han Solo or a desperate mercenary might look like. If Respawn’s Star Wars FPS is going a route with a blaster-wielding protagonist it will seemingly need to side-step the same scoundrel approach if it wants to be authentic, but that doesn’t give it much room to hone in on an exciting protagonist otherwise.
Because so few archetypal characters have led Star Wars installments now, it would be surprising if a new one suddenly appeared as a protagonist, but that would certainly make for a unique spin on Star Wars’ formula. Of course, there is always the opportunity for Respawn to shed more light on the Imperial side of the galaxy and represent someone from the Galactic Empire as its protagonist, for example, though a rich story would need to accompany them and make potentially fighting the Rebel Alliance satisfying within the confines of Star Wars’ strict canon.
Respawn’s Star Wars FPS is in development.