Update: A Disney spokesperson has reached out to inform Gamasutra that the below job postings do not indicate a revival of the Lucasfilm Games brand, but apparently are for a segment of an existing business that coincidentally shares the name of the LucasArts precursor.
The representative sought to make clear that Disney is continuing its licensed games strategy with partners like EA and Zynga.
Our original story follows below:
Entertainment powerhouse Disney looks to be reviving Lucasfilm Games, the precursor to legendary game studio LucasArts, in some capacity.
As spotted by PCGamesN, a number of new job listings for various roles at Lucasfilm Games have appeared on the Disney website in recent weeks, including positions for producers, art directors, and marketing coordinators.
Disney shut down all internal development at LucasArts — which operated under the Lucasfilm Games banner back in the ’90s — in April 2013, canceling a number of titles, including two Star Wars games, and laying off a reported 150 employees.
The job listings, however, reveal new Lucasfilm hires will be once again be working on “interactive products” across all digital platforms, including mobile, home consoles, PC and Mac, and augmented and virtual reality devices.
They also add that Lucasfilm Games staff will be charged with handling notable franchises like Star Wars. Curiously, the art director posting specifically mentions multiple licensed video games, and will require potential hires to work with external and internal teams to “build the next great set of Star Wars and Lucasfilm heritage products.”
Although it’s hard to draw any concrete conclusions from the job postings, it’s an interesting development given Disney’s recent assertions that its future lies in licensing, rather than publishing or development.
It’s news that might also pique the interest of fans dissatisfied with the company’s handling of certain licenses, with Disney’s relationship with Star Wars Battlefront publisher EA having come under scrutiny in recent months.
Head on over to the Disney jobs website to check out the Lucasfilm Games listings for yourself.