A Star Wars Episode I: Racer Easter egg has finally been explained, 24 years after the podracer game was originally released. The game was released back in 1999 as a follow-up entertainment piece of media for the movie Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, and features a series of racers and tracks set in the many worlds that feature podracing as a competition. Players could control racers such as Anakin Skywalker and even Sebulba, and compete on planets such as Tatooine and Mon Gazza.

A remastered version of Star Wars Episode I: Racer for PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch was released in 2020, allowing modern console players to experience the classic game. With its re-release, an old Star Wars Episode I: Racer Easter egg also resurfaced and has now finally been explained. In the end credits, there is a special thank-you note to game developer Tim Schafer, saying he “never actively tried to sabotage the project.” The curious detail is that he did not actually participate in the game’s development.

How Tim Schafer Contributed To The Star Wars Podracer Game

24 years later, that small Easter egg in the Star Wars podracer game was explained. On his official Twitter account, Tim Schafer quote-retweeted a user questioning the story behind the thank-you note and answered it. He explains that, at the time, the Grim Fandango team – which he directed – was sitting next to the Star Wars Episode I: Racer team at developer LucasArts. Schafer jokingly asked what credit he would receive in the podracer game and, when the developers mentioned he didn’t help, he said that he also did not do anything to harm the project.

Tim Schafer Was Leading The Development Of Grim Fandango

Apparently, Tim Schafer’s well-humored comment was enough to actually get his name in the game’s credits, which created the entire Star Wars Episode I: Racer Easter egg. As mentioned, Schafer was directing a game that would become an underground success for LucasArts, Grim Fandango. While not set in the Star Wars universe, for which LucasArts was widely known at the time, the adventure game instantly became a cult classic and was appraised for the quality of its design and storytelling. Yet, despite all its positive qualities, it was deemed as a commercial failure.

Given Grim Fandango was released in 1998 and the Star Wars podracer game came about a year later, the tongue-in-cheek thank-you serves as a nice nod to Schafer and the team’s shared office space during this period. With one cheeky comment, Tim Schafer scored his name in the racing game’s credits, creating a decades-long Star Wars Episode I: Racer Easter egg that was only now explained.

Source: Tim Schafer/Twitter