The Lucasfilm Fan Club Magazine launched in 1987 as a publication for members of the official fan club. It served as a direct line between the studio and its most dedicated supporters during the late 1980s.
Jonathan Wilkins currently edits the magazine while overseeing its content direction. The publication has passed through many different companies since its inception in 1987.
On the 10th of November 2025, an announcement stated that publication would conclude with Issue number two hundred thirty-seven. The final edition is scheduled for release in early 2026 after nearly four decades of existence.
Germany receives no copies of the American edition because the country maintains its own licensed publication titled Star Wars -- Das offizielle Magazin. This German version appears quarterly rather than bi-monthly and includes articles and short stories adapted from the main Insider run.
The name changed to Star Wars Insider in 1994 to align with the release of Star Wars: TIE Fighter. This shift marked a transition from a closed group newsletter to a broader commercial product available to general audiences.