Star Wars premiered nearly 50 years ago and quickly became a sensation, but no one could have predicted the impact the story and the amazing attention to detail would have on our culture. With richly described environments and multicultural characters, Star Wars opened up numerous avenues for exploration and sparked the imaginations of millions. It has inspired creators and designers to build universes with deep, complex systems. Beyond cosplay and lightsabers, the influence of Star Wars can even be seen in our language, as quotes from Darth Vader and Yoda are commonly referenced (you might be saying them in your head right now).
The same immersive, empathetic universe makes Star Wars so juicy for designers. Think about how Star Wars depicts advanced futuristic machines with battle-tattered bodies and majestic yet weathered buildings. From this, we learned how important it is to immerse ourselves in an environment and consider how that environment would affect everything inside it. From tech, UI/UX, fashion, architecture, transportation, and products, these immersive environments force us to design holistically.
So, a toast to Star Wars and the force of true immersion and to those who create using environmental empathy!