The game is based on LucasArts' proprietary "Ronin" game engine but also integrates third-party technology: Havok for rigid body physics, Pixelux Entertainment's "Digital Molecular Matter" (DMM) for dynamically destructible objects, and NaturalMotion's Euphoria for realistic non-player character artificial intelligence. The focus of employing Euphoria to develop The Force Unleashed caused LucasArts to "sideline" Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings, an Indiana Jones title that had been in development since two years ago, for a while until development on the Star Wars title concluded. LucasArts' programmers had to overcome technical hurdles to get Havok-, DMM- and Euphoria-coded components to interact.
The game employs LucasArts' proprietary "Ronin" engine, which is combined with third-party technologies like Havok (physics), DMM (destructible objects), and Euphoria (AI). This integration led to a delay in the Indiana Jones project due to technical difficulties.