Mobile developer Zynga is taking over Star Wars Commander, as well as developing two more mobile free-to-play Star Wars games for Disney. The multi-year licensing agreement gives one of Zynga's studios the rights to develop and publish a new game, with an optional second game.

Variety reports that NaturalMotion, the studio behind the CSR Racing series, Backbreaker Football, and Dawn of Titans, will take over daily operations of Star Wars Commander. Zynga purchased the company for $527 million in 2014. The strategy game Star Wars Commander launched the same year to decent reviews and has been kept alive with a steady stream of updates.

"Star Wars is one of the most iconic franchises in the world and has engaged generations of fans for decades. 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," Zynga CEO Frank Gibeau said in the announcement. "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."

Star Wars under the new Disney management has led box office success, and EA still has an exclusive claim to the Star Wars license for PC and console games. Some of the response to Disney's management has been negative, though, leading to harassment that actress Kelly Marie Tran spoke out against.