Episode III to open new console chapter in 2005

Today, LucasArts announced that the Star Wars Trilogy DVD box set will include a demo of the Xbox version of Star Wars: Battlefront--news that was first revealed several weeks ago. The game will also be available for the PlayStation 2 and PC.

However, buried in today's announcement was news of the latest addition to the ever-growing Star Wars game franchise. Another extra on the Star Wars Trilogy DVD box set will be "Star Wars: Episode III--Making the Game Preview." This featurette will show "how game developers at LucasArts worked behind the scenes and on the set to create the most authentic Jedi experience ever."

Other than the fact that it will be released in spring 2005 for the Xbox and PS2, LucasArts gave few details about the Star Wars: Episode III game. However, it will almost certainly tie in with the Episode III film, which arrives in theaters May 19, 2005.

The last of the three Star Wars prequels will chronicle how Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) transforms the benevolent Galactic Republic into the sinister Galactic Empire seen in the original Star Wars. Helping Palpatine's nefarious efforts will be a slew of clone- and stormtroopers and Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christiansen), who finally succumbs to the dark side of the Force to become Darth Vader.