Newly Discovered Star Wars Battlefront 3 Wii Build Sheds Light on Free Radical's Cancelled Project

A rarely seen piece of gaming history has recently come to light as a nearly complete build of Star Wars Battlefront 3 for the Nintendo Wii has been discovered and shared online.

Developed by Free Radical, the team behind the acclaimed TimeSplitters series, this unreleased Wii version represents the final days of a project many believed to be lost to time. The existence of this build was confirmed after footage was shared on YouTube by modder iamshaymin, who also posts as LonelyDragonModding.

The video showcases a build of the game dated just over a week before Star Wars Battlefront 3 was officially cancelled by publisher LucasArts.

According to community archivists at Free Radical Archive, this is potentially the last known Wii version before development ceased in late 2008. The footage itself recreates the November 2008 trailer produced internally by Free Radical, providing an authentic glimpse into what could have been the final vision for the game on Nintendo’s motion-controlled platform.

The detailed look offers not only new content, but also features that had never before been seen by the public.

For fans and preservationists, this marks the most substantial discovery related to Battlefront 3’s development yet. Modder iamshaymin, who is actively working on the Battlefront III Legacy mod—a conversion project for Battlefront 2—hopes to integrate the recovered assets from this unearthed build into future fan-made efforts, keeping the spirit of the cancelled title alive for today's audiences. The story behind Star Wars Battlefront 3 is notable within the gaming industry.

Free Radical took over development from Pandemic Studios in 2006, with work proceeding until 2008.

Reports from former staff indicated that the game was nearly 99% complete before the abrupt cancellation, a fact made more poignant by the game footage now available. After the cancellation, Free Radical faced bankruptcy in late 2008 and was later acquired by German developer Crytek.

The studio saw a revival in 2021 under Deep Silver, a division of Plaion and part of the Embracer Group, only to be ultimately shuttered again in late 2023.

Despite these ups and downs, the studio’s legacy continues to influence gaming culture, and discoveries like this ensure their unfinished projects remain in the public eye. The recovery of the Star Wars Battlefront 3 Wii build is an important moment for game preservationists and Star Wars fans alike, offering a window into what could have been a landmark release for the Nintendo Wii.

The footage and assets not only enrich our understanding of the game's development but also keep the legacy of Free Radical and Star Wars Battlefront 3 alive.

Star Wars Nintendo Wii Star Wars Battlefront 3 Free Radical Nintendo Wii