DICE addresses Battlefront II loot boxes, aims to strike a fair balance

Over the last few months, there have been some growing concerns surrounding Star Wars: Battlefront and its in-game microtransaction system. This came to a head last weekend when the open beta kicked off. Fans didn't get the best impression of the loot crate system, so today, DICE has spoken out about some of the changes it is going to make.

In Star Wars Battlefront II, players can earn credits to open loot crates. These will then give you ‘Star Cards', containing various power ups and buffs that you can use in multiplayer games. These credits can also be purchased with real money, giving those with the coin to spend a distinct advantage over other players.

To try and combat any pay-to-win concerns, DICE has set a balance goal for itself. Right now, the studio is working to implement a system where the most powerful Star Cards in the game are only earnable via in-game means, such as achievements. Throughout the levelling process in-game, DICE will also be giving players crates which will include a mix of Star Cards, Emotes, Victory Poses and Outfits.

Star Cards are the main issue here as they directly affect Battlefront II's PvP modes. To try and keep things fair, DICE is going to lock upgrades and more powerful weapons behind a level-gate, that way you can only unlock specific abilities once you have reached a high enough rank. This should stop players from being able to jump into low-ranked games armed with power-ups unobtainable by anyone else in the match. However, it does also mean that should you end up in a game with a high ranked player, you will be at a distinct disadvantage.

DICE is continuing to monitor feedback on the system and will “work to make sure the system is balanced both for players who want to earn everything, as well as for players who are short on time and would like to move faster in their progress”.

KitGuru Says: I have had some concerns about the Star Card system since it was first unveiled in Battlefront II's alpha. Unfortunately, the beta didn't give me much confidence in it. However, it seems that DICE is now paying attention to these concerns, so hopefully it can strike a decent balance to keep everyone happy. Did any of you try out the Battlefront II beta? Do you think the Star Card system needs balancing, or is it doomed to fail? 

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