Cal Kestis’ journey may be closer to its finale than most Star Wars fans expect. Fresh chatter in the gaming world suggests Star Wars Jedi 3 could launch in 2026, continuing Respawn Entertainment’s story-driven action series that began with Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and later expanded with Jedi Survivor.
The idea of a 2026 release gained traction after Tim Gettys, a well-known voice in the games industry and co-founder of Kinda Funny, discussed the project on a recent podcast. While stopping short of making a guarantee, he hinted the next entry has a real shot at arriving sooner rather than later, even suggesting it could potentially land within the year depending on how release plans shape up.
Respawn and publisher EA confirmed back in 2022 that a third Star Wars Jedi title was in development, but official updates have been scarce since then. With major Star Wars projects on the horizon and multiple Star Wars games expected to arrive in 2026, the timing fuels speculation that Jedi 3 might be positioned to join that crowded lineup. Many fans will be paying close attention to Star Wars Celebration in May, where a reveal, teaser, or at minimum a progress update could finally surface.
Still, there are legitimate reasons to question whether a 2026 Star Wars Jedi 3 release date is realistic. The series has seen big changes behind the scenes. Stig Asmussen, the director who helped shape both Fallen Order and Jedi Survivor, departed the studio in 2023. Respawn also experienced layoffs across 2024 and 2025, reportedly impacting teams connected to the trilogy and contributing to internal instability, lowered morale, and cancelled projects elsewhere in the company.
Even without studio turbulence, modern cinematic AAA games often take a long time to build, especially with the level of polish players now expect. A fast turnaround would be the exception, not the rule. On the other hand, the Star Wars Jedi games have historically moved faster than many similar blockbusters. Fallen Order arrived in 2019 after being shown publicly in 2018, suggesting a development cycle of around four years or less. Jedi Survivor also followed a relatively quick path, appearing prominently at a Star Wars Celebration event and launching roughly a year later in 2023.
That track record is why some fans believe a 2026 launch isn’t impossible—particularly if the third game reuses core systems, technology, and production pipelines from the previous releases. However, expecting a major announcement in May 2026 and a full release within the same calendar year may still be overly optimistic, especially given the internal changes at Respawn.
There’s also another factor: performance expectations. Both Fallen Order and Jedi Survivor faced technical issues at release, and Jedi Survivor in particular drew criticism for PC performance and stability problems that lingered for some players even after updates. While the game sold strongly and proved the franchise’s popularity, some fans may worry that pushing Jedi 3 out too quickly could risk another rocky launch.
For now, Star Wars Jedi 3 remains officially in the works but largely under wraps. If the Cal Kestis trilogy really is heading toward its final chapter, 2026 could be the year we finally learn what’s next—and whether Respawn can deliver a satisfying conclusion without repeating the technical troubles that clouded earlier releases.
