News this week delivered a blow to enthusiasts anticipating Quantic Dream’s Star Wars game, Eclipse. A report from Insider Gaming, citing a source, indicated that Star Wars: Eclipse is still “years off from completion.” This revelation comes despite the game being initially announced almost four and a half years ago, in December 2021. The protracted development cycle has been compounded by internal struggles common within the games industry, including the departure of lead writer Adam Williams in 2024. While game development, especially for high-budget titles with significant expectations like any Star Wars game, can be a lengthy and arduous process, Eclipse’s timeline suggests an exceptionally long period in production.

The initial announcement of a Quantic Dream Star Wars game was met with intense skepticism, largely due to the studio’s controversial past and a documented history of workplace toxicity. This was further amplified by the knee-jerk criticism from Star Wars’ vocal anti-fans. Many observers felt that a collaboration between Quantic Dream and the Star Wars franchise was a questionable idea from the outset, leading to the sentiment that it might ultimately be beneficial for all parties if Eclipse were never to see release.

At one point, Quantic Dream might have appeared to be a suitable candidate for developing a game based on a major film series. However, that opportune time would have been approximately 16 years ago. The French studio, renowned for its narrative-driven games that often prioritize story over action, and its founder/creative director David Cage, achieved the pinnacle of their critical acclaim with the 2010 murder mystery, Heavy Rain. Released for the PlayStation 3, the game garnered widespread praise from critics for its compelling acting and intricate storytelling, and it continues to retain a dedicated fanbase today.

While the studio’s subsequent two titles did not replicate the reception of Heavy Rain, it was not a lack of game quality that most significantly tarnished Quantic Dream’s reputation. Instead, it was the alleged toxic behavior of Cage and CEO Guillaume de Fondaumière, as exposed in 2018 reports by French newspapers Le Monde and Mediapart, alongside the gaming magazine Canard PC. These outlets accused the two leaders of fostering a culture of racism and sexism within Quantic Dream, in addition to violating various French labor laws.

The legal repercussions that followed were complex. Quantic Dream initiated libel suits against Le Monde and Mediapart. Concurrently, multiple former employees sued the studio for various violations. While Cage and de Fondaumière personally won a libel suit against Le Monde, primarily because the newspaper declined to reveal its source, they lost a similar suit against Mediapart. Furthermore, corporate libel suits initiated by Quantic Dream as the plaintiff ultimately resulted in judgments favoring the newspapers. Despite these controversies and legal battles, both David Cage and Guillaume de Fondaumière remain at the helm of the studio.