Star Wars Battlefront to Lead into The Force Awakens with Battle of Jakku

The first shot of yesterday‘s new Star Wars: The Force Awakens teaser opens with an awe-inspiring tracking shot of an Imperial Star Destroyer that crashed into the desert planet of Jakku. How did something like that happen? This December, DICE and Lucasfilm are going to show you first hand with “Battle of Jakku,” a special addition to Star Wars Battlefront that serves as a direct prequel to The Force Awakens!

Fans who pre-order Star Wars Battlefront will be among the first players to experience the Battle of Jakku, which, according to the official description, marks “the pivotal moment when the New Republic confronted key Imperial holdouts on a remote desert planet on the Outer Rim. Taking place in the aftermath of the Rebel victory in the Battle of Endor, players will experience the events that created the massive, battle-scarred landscape of Jakku.

Of course, “Battle of Jakku” won’t be the only part of the expanded Star Wars universe focusing on the events between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens. It was previously revealed that a new trilogy of novels will begin in September with Chuck Wendig’s “Star Wars Aftermath” picking up right after the destruction of the second Death Star.

Players who pre-order Star Wars Battlefront (set for release on November 17) can fight the battle one week early starting on December 1, 2015. All other players will get access to this free content on December 8, 2015. Then, The Force Awakens follows later that month, opening on the big screen December 18.