Video gamers feel force of new ‘Star Wars Battlefront’

Anaheim: "Star Wars" fans were given a sneak preview of the latest instalment in the "Battlefront" video game series in the US Friday, as sci-fi fever builds over the revived franchise.

Fans of the science-fiction epic, eagerly awaiting the seventh movie in the franchise in December, will be able to play at being a Jedi on the small-screen when the game launches on November 17.

The video game preview on Friday came a day after the release of the second trailer for the new "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" film which delighted fans around the world.

A trailer for the new game, the third in the "Star Wars Battlefront" series, gave a tantalizing two-minute glimpse of in-game video at the Star Wars Celebration convention in Anaheim, California.

Several famous scenes from the original trilogy of "Star Wars" films were recreated in the trailer with high-end graphics, including a battle on the forest moon of Endor featured in 1983´s "Return of the Jedi."

The trailer also depicted a high-speed dogfight through the canyons of a desert planet as well as a conflict in a polar wilderness which appeared to be the planet Hoth, featured in "The Empire Strikes Back."

Villainous dark lord Darth Vader also made an appearance in the trailer.

The new game, developed by Swedish company Dice, a subsidiary of Electronic Arts, will be made available on the PS4 and Xbox gaming consoles as well as on personal computers.

The first "Battlefront" game was released in 2004 followed by a second shortly after.
Fans buying the new game in November will also receive a sneak peak of the seventh film in the franchise, "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" due for release on December 18.

On December 8, gamers will be able to download a playable scene featured in the new film, "The Battle of Jakku." (AFP)