Battlefront 2 | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Sat, 09 Jan 2021 13:16:45 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-KITGURU-Light-Background-SQUARE2-32x32.png Battlefront 2 | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 Star Wars Battlefront 2 Celebration Edition will be free on Epic Games Store next week https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/star-wars-battlefront-2-celebration-edition-will-be-free-on-epic-games-store-next-week/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/star-wars-battlefront-2-celebration-edition-will-be-free-on-epic-games-store-next-week/#respond Sat, 09 Jan 2021 12:00:33 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=500369 If you've been keeping an eye on the weekly free games on the Epic Games Store, then you'll know that this week, you can nab a free copy of indie strategy game, Crying Suns. Next week though, there is a much bigger game being given away – Star Wars Battlefront 2.  Star Wars Battlefront 2 …

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If you've been keeping an eye on the weekly free games on the Epic Games Store, then you'll know that this week, you can nab a free copy of indie strategy game, Crying Suns. Next week though, there is a much bigger game being given away – Star Wars Battlefront 2. 

Star Wars Battlefront 2 released in a bad state, with many players avoiding it due to EA's microtransaction plans, which were ultimately cancelled. Over the years, DICE added a lot of extra content to the game's multiplayer side and at this point, the game is generally well-received.

On the 14th of January, you'll be able to claim a free copy of Star Wars Battlefront 2 on the Epic Games Store. This will give you access to the single-player campaign (which is worth a weekend playthrough), as well as the full multiplayer experience.

This is the Star Wars Battlefront 2 Celebration Edition too, which is essentially the complete edition package, including all content up to the Rise of Skywalker collaboration DLC. At this point, DICE is finished with content development on Battlefront 2, so there won't be further content updates.

KitGuru Says: If you never played Battlefront 2 due to EA's pre-release plans, then it is worth giving a go now. The multiplayer is no longer balanced around microtransactions and can be quite fun. If multiplayer isn't your thing, then the campaign is decent enough for some quick Star Wars action. 

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EA doubles up on Star Wars with Battlefront II re-release https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/ea-doubles-up-on-star-wars-with-battlefront-ii-re-release/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/ea-doubles-up-on-star-wars-with-battlefront-ii-re-release/#respond Thu, 05 Dec 2019 16:31:36 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=440203 EA has already managed to cash in on the Star Wars license this winter thanks to the launch of Jedi: Fallen Order, but the publisher will be looking to double dip ahead of the Rise of Skywalker theatrical release later this month. Today, EA is launching Star Wars Battlefront II: Celebration Edition, adding new cosmetic …

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EA has already managed to cash in on the Star Wars license this winter thanks to the launch of Jedi: Fallen Order, but the publisher will be looking to double dip ahead of the Rise of Skywalker theatrical release later this month. Today, EA is launching Star Wars Battlefront II: Celebration Edition, adding new cosmetic content and promising some Rise of Skywalker themed updates later in December. 

Star Wars Battlefront II has come a long way since its original release and has improved quite a bit, although the game never did manage to fully bounce back from its initial controversy. With the Celebration Edition, EA is bundling the following:

  • Base Game, including all past and future free game updates as they release
  • More than 25 Hero Appearances, including six Legendary Appearances, plus one Appearance each for Rey, Finn, and Kylo Ren inspired by Star Wars Rise of Skywalker
  • More than 125 Trooper and Reinforcement Appearances
  • More than 100 Hero and Trooper Emotes and Voice Lines
  • More than 70 Hero and Trooper victory poses

The release of this latest version of the game coincides with the first of two updates planned for this month. The update rolling out today includes new cosmetics for Reinforcements, like the Clone Commando, Arc Trooper, Droideka etc. Then on the 20th of December, the Rise of Skywalker update will launch, adding in new hero appearances and a new map to coincide with the film's release.

Existing owners of Battlefront II can upgrade to the new edition for $24.99, while new buyers will have to pay $39.99 on Xbox One, PC and PS4.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru Says: I've had my fill of Star Wars gaming this month already thanks to Jedi Fallen Order, but it will be interesting to see what people think of Battlefront now after two years worth of updates. Are any of you thinking about jumping back in and giving the game a second chance? 

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Star Wars: Battlefront 2 did not meet lofty sales targets, microtransactions returning within a few months https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/star-wars-battlefront-2-did-not-meet-lofty-sales-targets-microtransactions-returning-within-a-few-months/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/star-wars-battlefront-2-did-not-meet-lofty-sales-targets-microtransactions-returning-within-a-few-months/#comments Wed, 31 Jan 2018 11:42:33 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=362492 Last week we learned that DICE would finally be revamping Star Wars Battlefront II's progression system in the wake of last year's massive loot box controversy. We don't have exact details yet, but many are hoping for the removal of Star Cards, which have been a point of contention since the first alpha tests for …

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Last week we learned that DICE would finally be revamping Star Wars Battlefront II's progression system in the wake of last year's massive loot box controversy. We don't have exact details yet, but many are hoping for the removal of Star Cards, which have been a point of contention since the first alpha tests for the game. While progression may be getting changes, microtransactions will still remain, with EA's CFO confirming that they will return ‘within the next few months'.

Speaking with the Wall Street Journal this week, EA CFO, Blake Jorgensen, said that in-game monetisation will return when the publisher thinks it's ready. He indicated to reporters that this would be “in the next few months”, lining up with DICE's proposed March update for Battlefront II's progression system.

The reasoning behind this is clear, Star Wars: Battlefront II did not meet EA's lofty sales targets. Initially, the company planned to sell 10 million copies of the game during its first three months on sale, but it only managed to sell 7 million across multiple platforms. By comparison, the original Star Wars: Battlefront sold 13 million copies.

Seven million copies is still better than what most would have guessed, after all, there were plenty of reports surrounding Battlefront II's retail struggles during its first weeks on sale. Either way, it seems that multi-million sales just aren't enough to keep EA happy, and as a result, microtransactions will be returning ‘soon'.

KitGuru Says: There was always the possibility that microtransactions would return to Battlefront II. At this point, we can only hope that they will be cosmetic instead of game-changing Star Cards. We'll learn more in March, when DICE issues another update on the state of the game.

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Star Wars Battlefront 2 (2005) received a new patch this week https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/star-wars-battlefront-2-2005-received-a-new-patch-this-week/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/star-wars-battlefront-2-2005-received-a-new-patch-this-week/#respond Fri, 05 Jan 2018 18:40:00 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=359813 The original Star Wars Battlefront 2 from Pandemic Studios might be 12 years old, but the game is still getting patches to keep it alive. Over the last four months, the game has received two patches, showing that while LucasArts and Disney Interactive might not be making video games anymore, they are still open to …

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The original Star Wars Battlefront 2 from Pandemic Studios might be 12 years old, but the game is still getting patches to keep it alive. Over the last four months, the game has received two patches, showing that while LucasArts and Disney Interactive might not be making video games anymore, they are still open to supporting their back catalogue.

Pandemic's Star Wars Battlefront 2 lost its online multiplayer support back in 2014 when GameSpy shut down. Since then, the game has resurfaced on GOG with an update to restore multiplayer both for the DRM-free version and the Steam version. Then just a few days ago, a second patch was rolled out, coming in at 240MB, improving lobby functionality and fixing some minor bugs/performance issues.

Speaking with Polygon this week, a Disney representative confirmed that while the company isn't actively developing games anymore, gaming teams do still exist at both DIsney and Lucasfilm. These groups deal with licensees to ensure that older games are maintained and kept working.

Right now, the folks at GOG are handling the back-end networking for 2005's Battlefront 2, this includes the development of patches. It's specifically a technical job, rather than a creative one, so don't expect new content for older titles, but it looks like Disney will be allowing devs to keep them alive.

KitGuru Says: Given that many games often lose support after several years, it is nice to see that Disney is willing to keep its back catalogue alive, even with newer Star Wars games surfacing. Do many of you own the old version of Battlefront 2? Have you played it at all recently since the patch landed?

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EA continues to try and quell Battlefront II pay to win concerns https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/ea-continues-to-try-and-quell-battlefront-ii-pay-to-win-concerns/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/ea-continues-to-try-and-quell-battlefront-ii-pay-to-win-concerns/#comments Fri, 20 Oct 2017 11:13:29 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=351114 Since the alpha build of Star Wars Battlefront II, there have been concerns surrounding the game’s ‘Star Card’ system, which offer power-ups in multiplayer matches and can be obtained by paying extra money. This came to a head during the recent open beta, forcing DICE to respond. Now this week, EA is also speaking out, …

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Since the alpha build of Star Wars Battlefront II, there have been concerns surrounding the game’s ‘Star Card’ system, which offer power-ups in multiplayer matches and can be obtained by paying extra money. This came to a head during the recent open beta, forcing DICE to respond. Now this week, EA is also speaking out, trying to quell ‘pay to win’ concerns.

In an interview with GameSpot published this week, EA Motive’s Chris Matthews stated that fears surrounding Battlefront II’s micro transactions are “understandable”, before adding that there are plenty of games that “exploit players”, while others have managed to balance micro transactions better.

“Right now there have been games that exploit players and there have been games that have done it in better ways. DICE has taken great care to make sure that Star Cards and the way they work give you more options in battle. Terms like pay-to-win and stuff like that are hard to dodge, but the guys are doing a really incredible job of trying to balance that system.”

One of Battlefront II’s campaign writers, Mitch Dyer, then added that “the beta existed for things like this”. Now that DICE has received feedback from players, the game will improve in the long run. DICE has already posted its own response to the loot crate system, stating that it intends to have the most powerful items be earnable via playing the game, rather than random boxes.

Unfortunately, for the time being we are just going to need to take DICE and EA’s word for it. Until the final game comes out, it is difficult to say how Star Cards and loot boxes will impact the final game.

KitGuru Says: If EA had just stuck to cosmetic loot boxes, then much of this drama could have been avoided. Adding multiplayer power-ups to a game as a microtransaction was never going to go down particularly well, even if they can be obtained without spending extra money. On the plus side, at least the game’s campaign looks very promising story-wise.

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DICE addresses Battlefront II loot boxes, aims to strike a fair balance https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/dice-addresses-battlefront-ii-loot-boxes-aims-to-strike-a-fair-balance/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/dice-addresses-battlefront-ii-loot-boxes-aims-to-strike-a-fair-balance/#comments Fri, 13 Oct 2017 14:23:01 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=350341 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 …

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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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Star Wars Battlefront 2’s loot box system sounds pretty bad https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/star-wars-battlefront-2s-loot-box-system-sounds-pretty-bad/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/star-wars-battlefront-2s-loot-box-system-sounds-pretty-bad/#comments Fri, 30 Jun 2017 17:07:27 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=339367 Over the years, publishers like EA have experimented with microtransactions in Triple A games quite a bit. Over time though, game makers have found more forgivable ways to include them, for instance, most people seem to be willing to accept loot boxes. However, those loot box systems are usually confined to cosmetic items. With Star …

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Over the years, publishers like EA have experimented with microtransactions in Triple A games quite a bit. Over time though, game makers have found more forgivable ways to include them, for instance, most people seem to be willing to accept loot boxes. However, those loot box systems are usually confined to cosmetic items. With Star Wars Battlefront 2, EA will be doing loot boxes differently, by offering gameplay-affecting power-ups in the form of ‘Star Cards'.

Star Cards are similar in some ways to ‘Burn Cards' in Titanfall. These are cards you can collect and activate during a multiplayer game to give yourself a stat boost. Unfortunately, the similarities seem to stop there. While Burn Cards are one-time use, Star Cards are permanent and come in different rarities. So if you spend enough cash opening loot boxes, you may manage to heavily increase base damage of one of your classes, or have Darth Maul recover a bigger chunk of health every time you get a kill.

In the video above from BattlefrontUpdates, you can see some of these exclusive crates being opened up. Early on in the video, you can see an ‘Epic' Darth Maul card, which boosts the character's Spin Attack by 60 percent. Later on you can see a Star Card that boosts the game's Heavy class, giving you the ability to earn up to 15 score each time you take damage or a shield absorbs damage. Other cards allow you to boost the blast radius of grenades and affect the damage of other weapons.

You will get some of these loot boxes for free just by launching the game daily or earning in-game currency via matches. You will also be able to use ‘Star Parts' to craft specific power-ups you want. It's a slippery slope though, depending on how the whole thing is balanced, those with expendable funds may be able to buy their way into a multiplayer advantage. This is certainly enough to spark ‘pay to win' concerns amongst the player base.

KitGuru Says: This Star Card system doesn't sound particularly appealing to me, especially since the power-ups are permanent and vary in rarity to encourage you to buy more. That said, I have not played Battlefront 2 yet, perhaps DICE will manage to balance the game in such a way that ‘pay to win' doesn't end up becoming an issue. Still, purchasable multiplayer power ups never really sit right with me. How do you guys feel about Battlefront 2's loot system? 

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EA discusses console market predictions and lofty Star Wars Battlefront ambitions https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/matthew-wilson/ea-discusses-console-market-predictions-and-lofty-star-wars-battlefront-ambitions/ https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/matthew-wilson/ea-discusses-console-market-predictions-and-lofty-star-wars-battlefront-ambitions/#comments Wed, 10 May 2017 13:08:52 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=333616 EA held its quarterly earnings call last night and as usual, some interesting information came out about the publishers plans and view of the market. We already know that Bioware's new IP has been pushed back of FY 2019, but it seems EA has also been surprised by growth in the digital games market and …

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EA held its quarterly earnings call last night and as usual, some interesting information came out about the publishers plans and view of the market. We already know that Bioware's new IP has been pushed back of FY 2019, but it seems EA has also been surprised by growth in the digital games market and console market. The company has also set some lofty ambitions for Star Wars Battlefront II this year, which will have ‘three times the content' of the original game at launch.

Let's start with EA's expectations for Star Wars this year. According to CEO Andrew Wilson, EA is currently expecting to sell a massive 14 million copies of Battlefront II between its release and the end of March 2018. The company hopes the sequel's increased amount of content and “very robust” update plan will help drive that, though more details are due to come at E3.

As far as the console market goes, it seems the current generation is doing quite well in its fourth year. According to EA's predictions, we will end 2017 with 105 million PS4s and Xbox One systems out in the wild. The company didn't make specific number predictions for the Nintendo Switch, but EA does plan on supporting the console with games beyond FIFA.

To top it all off, the company seemed surprised by the growth in digital purchases amongst console gamers and now expects 40 percent of its sales next year to be digital.

KitGuru Says: EA got off to a bad start with the original Battlefront but if this one can truly impress, then perhaps it will meet its lofty sales goals. It will certainly have a good user base to target, with 105 million consoles set to be out in the wild by the end of the year.

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Battlefront II full reveal trailer released, game will span all eras of Star Wars https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/battlefront-ii-full-reveal-trailer-released-game-will-span-all-eras-of-star-wars/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/battlefront-ii-full-reveal-trailer-released-game-will-span-all-eras-of-star-wars/#comments Mon, 17 Apr 2017 11:59:18 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=330798 Last week, a brief 30 second trailer for the next Star Wars: Battlefront game leaked on to the web. At the time, it was assumed that this would be the trailer shown at Star Wars Celebration but it turns out, EA had a much bigger reveal trailer in store for us, along with plenty of …

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Last week, a brief 30 second trailer for the next Star Wars: Battlefront game leaked on to the web. At the time, it was assumed that this would be the trailer shown at Star Wars Celebration but it turns out, EA had a much bigger reveal trailer in store for us, along with plenty of other details to reveal about the game.

Star Wars Battlefront 2 is coming to PC and consoles on the 17th of November and will span across all eras of Star Wars, whether it be the prequels, the original trilogy or the new sequel series.

This time around, DICE has spent time putting together a campaign mode, which is penned by the same writer behind Spec Ops: The Line. This time around, the story will follow Iden Versio, commander of Inferno Squad, which is an ‘Imperial Special Forces' unit. The story will span over 30 years of Star Wars history and feature many different characters along the way.

Space battles will also feature in Battlefront 2, alongside the return of massive 40 VS 40 game modes, which we saw in the first game. As for confirmed hero characters in multiplayer, we can expect Luke Skywalker and The Emperor to return alongside new additions, including Rey, Kylo Ren, Yoda and Darth Maul. So far, Vader hasn't been shown but I'd be surprised if he wasn't in the game at all.

KitGuru Says: It is already starting to look like EA/DICE have taken a lot of feedback on board following Star Wars Battlefront. I'll be looking forward to checking out the campaign, it has been a long time since I've played a story-driven Star Wars game. What do you guys think of Battlefront 2 so far? Has the trailer won you over, or has the first game put you off from returning?

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