The Return of LucasArts?

Back in the early 1980s, when George Lucas founded Lucasfilm Games, his intention was to cultivate a development studio that would be at the forefront of innovation and creativity in the games industry. The result was that LucasArts, as it was eventually renamed, put out many of the most memorable and significant PC games of the 80s and early to mid 90s, without an undue reliance on steady streams of games based on lucrative franchises such as Star Wars. Since approximately the late 90s, however, LucasArts hasn't been quite the same. With the release of new Star Wars films and the departure of some key artists and designers followed by a glut of Star Wars tie-ins, it has gained a reputation for being, essentially, "the Star Wars game company." A New York Times profile on current LucasArts president Jim Ward suggests that the company is trying to reshape its image. George Lucas and Ward want to see LucasArts become one of the top five publishers worldwide; in the last year, it has moved up from rank 13 in sales to rank 8.

And perhaps most important, Mr. Lucas has no plans to make any more "Star Wars" movies. That means LucasArts will have to work that much harder to come up with ideas of its own. "We are not the 'Star Wars' game company," said Micheline Chau, president of Lucasfilm. "And Jim knows what he has to do."

While the games division makes up about 25 percent of overall revenue for Lucasfilm, Ms. Chau said, it accounts for only 10 percent of the company's operating profit. This is why one of Mr. Ward's main goals is to create original franchises.