Zynga's NaturalMotion studio partners with Disney for new Star Wars game

Zynga has partnered with Disney to publish at least two mobile Star Wars games: one existing, and one new. The publisher will assume responsibility for Star Wars: Commander, and its NaturalMotion Games studio will begin development on a new mobile game.

VentureBeat reports that Star Wars: Commander, a 2014 mobile tower defense title originally developed by Disney Interactive and published by Disney, will be handed off to Zynga. Though Disney has supported the game since its release, Zynga's takeover makes sense in light of Disney's move to licensing only and away from publishing.

Meanwhile, NaturalMotion Games will develop at least one new Star Wars mobile game, with more possibly on the table if the first goes well. NaturalMotion has released a handful of mobile games over the years, most recently Dawn of Titans in 2016. The studio moved to close its Oxford offices and focus operations in Brighton late last year.

"Star Wars is one of the most iconic franchises in the world and has engaged generations of fans for decades," said Frank Gibeau, CEO of Zynga. "As game makers and moviegoers, we're huge fans of Star Wars and are excited to create new experiences for players that bring this beloved brand to life. We look forward to extending the reach of the Star Wars universe and developing a new mobile game that entertains players for years to come and has the potential to be a future forever franchise for Zynga."

Disney's other Star Wars mobile game, Galaxy of Heroes, is currently developed and published by EA, as are other console Star Wars titles such as the Battlefront series and the upcoming Jedi Fallen Order game.