Following an initial report by Game Informer, word has swept through the industry that the publisher of every major Star Wars game for the past 20 years, LucasArts, has been shut down by its new owner, Disney. The following statement was sent to Game Informer by a LucasArts representative:

"After evaluating our position in the games market, we've decided to shift LucasArts from an internal development to a licensing model, minimizing the company's risk while achieving a broader portfolio of quality Star Wars games. As a result of this change, we've had layoffs across the organization. We are incredibly appreciative and proud of the talented teams who have been developing our new titles."

The closure has presumably left games like Star Wars 1313 (one of the highlights of last year's E3) and their teased Xbox Live Arcade shooter, Star Wars: First Assault, effectively cancelled. Their last game was the negatively-received Kinect Star Wars, which they published. The developer had also come under fire for cancelling the highly anticipated Star Wars: Battlefront III.

As a fan, I am deeply saddened by this news. I poured many hours into Star Wars: Rebel Assault II and TIE Fighter; two games that defined my childhood. The staff at DualShockers wishes all the effected employees the best.