From Controversy to Comeback: The State of Star Wars Battlefront 2 in 2025

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In November 2017, EA DICE’s follow-up to their revamped space opera-themed mass-multiplayer warfare series, Star Wars Battlefront II, received an excessive amount of hype but faced a storm of controversy before a single shot was fired. The game was heavily criticized for its microtransactions and exploitative loot box practices right off the bat. In the early stages of EA Access, players were upset that iconic characters like Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Maul, Obi Wan, Boba Fett, etc., were locked behind paywalls or only accessible after investing an inordinate amount of time to accumulate the necessary skill points or in-game currency. To make matters worse, this excessive number of loot boxes wasn’t present during the open beta held a few weeks prior in October, so their appearance – as problematic as it was – felt even more deceptive because it seemed like bait and switch.

In the lead-up to their product launch, Electronic Arts’ defense of their decisions on a Reddit post turned out to be comical. This post, which received an unprecedented number of negative votes, became the website’s most downvoted ever, and it earned the game (still unreleased at that time) its initial recognition: a dubious Guinness World Record for holding the title of the post with the most downvotes in history.

In the boardroom at EA, the proposal wasn’t well received initially, but rather than standing firm, they decided to address player complaints and made a partial change of direction. To start with, they significantly lowered the cost of their franchise’s main characters. Later, just before the game’s launch, they disabled microtransactions. We refer to this as a partial reversal because the microtransactions were reinstated a few months later; however, the items available for purchase were only cosmetic items like skins, emotes, and victory poses – not the pay-to-win tactics EA initially intended.

It’s clear that the modifications in Star Wars Battlefront II weren’t solely due to player dissatisfaction. The controversy over the loot boxes, specifically, raised significant concerns because they could be seen as a form of gambling. The uproar was so intense that governments across Europe and North America started investigations, not just into Star Wars Battlefront II but also into the use of loot boxes in video games generally. It’s important to note that many children play games, and given the popularity of Star Wars, it’s certain that a large number of underage players were eagerly awaiting the release of Battlefront II. EA’s initial response, while humorous on the surface, might have been more serious in intent. The loot box controversy surrounding Star Wars Battlefront II eventually became a major industry-wide issue. Eventually, it was deemed that buying loot boxes with uncertain rewards amounted to gambling, and this practice could no longer be tolerated.

2017 marked a concerning direction for the industry regarding a specific practice, though it’s important to note that it wasn’t entirely eradicated. The fact that this issue became so prominent around that time can be attributed to the fact that it was a popular “Star Wars” game, which sparked a significant uproar due to the strong attachment fans have for this long-standing franchise (40 years at the time). Fans of Star Wars are known for their intense passion, and they’re more likely to express dissatisfaction than players of EA’s annual sports games.

Although Electronic Arts (EA) significantly altered Star Wars Battlefront II’s pay-to-win progression system, its launch was still met with widespread criticism. However, beneath the storm of negative feedback, there was a good game that EA DICE later refined over the years following its release. This refinement continued until 2020 when support for the game was discontinued.

The game that’s being played now, Star Wars Battlefront II, underwent a significant transformation back in March 2018. To address the question at hand, the key factor that improved the game was the shift to linear progression. This change allowed troopers to accumulate in-game skill points not by making payments but through playing itself. Activities such as completing objectives, defeating opponents, and traditional leveling up are now responsible for earning these points.

Star Cards serve as means to improve the abilities of game characters. These are unlocked via experience once they’ve been taken out from loot boxes. They manage progression for each class, hero, AI reinforcements, and vehicles. Skill points can be used to upgrade a Star Card to a higher level or craft new ones. This system is similar to that of the predecessor in Battlefront II, but it has been tweaked to include abilities and boosts, which are essential during large-scale battles. Boost cards amplify your unit’s existing skills, whereas ability cards, unique to each trooper class, can be changed at will. This aspect is rewarding for players who prefer specializing in a particular trooper class – such as stealthy specialists, heavy troops with greater destructive power, tougher assault troopers, and so on.

If it’s true that Star Wars Battlefront II has been fixed, we find ourselves pondering: is this game, nearly eight years past its release and four years since an update, still enjoyable to play today? This may not be the case for PC players, as the game has been tainted by hackers who have inserted cheats that ruin the experience, and there have also been reports of harassment towards fair-playing users. On consoles, however, Star Wars Battlefront II remains a thrilling, cinematic multiplayer adventure with its chaotic gameplay.

Without a doubt, the days of Star Wars Battlefront II’s past glory may be behind us, but let me tell you, in 2025, the game is still thriving online. Admittedly, it might take a few minutes to find a match, especially if you want to pick your preferred multiplayer mode. But when you do get connected, the performance on PlayStation platforms is smooth and swift, making every battle feel engaging.

Visually as well, even after eight years, Star Wars Battlefront II maintains an impressive appearance with its diverse landscapes. It would be wonderful if the game were remastered for modern gaming systems, but considering that EA DICE has ceased support and moved on to other projects (and regrettably abandoned plans for a third Battlefront title), we’ll have to settle for the previous-gen version. Despite this, it continues to look and play superbly, with gameplay being the most crucial aspect.

As a dedicated fan, I’ve always found multiplayer to be the star attraction, just as it has been since the beginning. The single-player campaign, focusing on Iden Versio and her Inferno Squad, offers a unique view of the Empire, but it doesn’t fully deliver on that promise amidst the typical missions. There are moments suggesting empathy from Versio, a trait seldom seen in Star Wars games, yet these intriguing aspects remain unexplored. It seems that EA DICE poured most of their energy into the online multiplayer experience, offering diverse game modes with something appealing for everyone, and the offline arcade modes as well.

It’s also noteworthy that the characters in this game are exceptionally powerful, especially when you get to play as a Jedi or Sith with a lightsaber. Cutting through troopers feels incredibly rewarding, but beware, anyone else who gets too close could end up getting hurt. Those sudden encounters where you turn a corner and find Darth Vader approaching can be quite humorous. The most enjoyable parts of Star Wars Battlefront II, though, come when heroes engage in combat. Watching Luke and Maul fight amidst a hail of blaster fire and thermal detonation explosions is like living out the best fan fiction – there’s no other Star Wars game that can deliver those exhilarating moments quite like this one does.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

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2025-05-22 17:11