Almost a decade ago, Electronic Arts acquired the license to reboot the Star Wars Battlefront series. Despite mixed reviews of the game from critics, the original title was a commercial success, selling about 14 million copies. So far, so good. The lack of depth in the initial release could be improved, and there would be a winner on the cards.
Controversy Over Battlefront II
Wind on a couple of years to 2017 and there had rarely been a more divisive sequel. The second instalment in the series set the alarm bells ringing and enraged the gaming community. It soon came to light that players could only obtain credits to unlock players by either very long stretches of play – up to 40 hours approximately – or by purchasing them. The publisher EA responded by reducing the credits required to unlock key characters, including Darth Vader.
Loot Crates Criticism Another Setback For EA
Players argued that in-game micropayments should not be present in a full title that cost around $60. These complaints arose in response to the additional issue of ‘loot crates’ which were essentially mystery bonuses that only appeared once the payment was taken. Some crates would be more useful than others, and players came out in their thousands on the Reddit community to criticise this model.
The company had to react, despite arguing that playing out scenes and unlocking heroes “created a sense of accomplishment.” They suspended in-game currency demands amid a wider conversation about loot boxes across the gaming community. Fans said that these were a little like online betting rather than playing a Star Wars title.
The company spoke about how they had learned from the experience. It was a lesson that spoke loudly to all developers in how treating the playing community fairly was of paramount importance. Makers would have to think carefully about how the mechanics of in-game purchases would be utilized in the future. Developers will now be wise to check with the general public to prevent similar episodes.
Battlefront II is Back With a Vengeance
Second chances are precious things in the super competitive world of gaming and Battlefront II’s makers hadn’t listened to their greatest asset: the players. Even so, time is a great healer. They have come back in droves more than seven years after the original release, with over 18,000 players registered on Steam by May.
The original game’s strengths were rather overshadowed by the controversy. Battlefront II always looked good, was faithful to the original’s narrative, and took the player on a journey to new and old planets in a multiplayer format. Its 2025 resurgence has the backing of a bigger player base which is creating new momentum.
This time, social media created a strong campaign for the relaunch with a wave of livestreams, and gameplay breakdowns. It also benefited from the release of Andor Season 2, which reignited interest in the wider Star Wars universe. Star Wars Day in May produced some heavy discounts too. There was also something deeper to make these triggers more permanent.
The game has been freed up from its history and is playing as well as ever. It’s almost as if it has a clean slate with a reworked value by concentrating on the many original strengths as a retro shooter. The step back in time has quashed all the negative publicity.
Most gamers now see the thrill of the chase. Battlefront II is an authentic Star Wars experience that is content-rich, has a great battle between good and evil, and a very satisfying epic battlefield that is cinematic in scope.
EA Missed Out On Bigger Audience With Original Release
There is still a feeling that EA missed out on a golden opportunity of reaching out to a huge audience if they had got things right from the start. Battlefront II had all the momentum to make a great step up in an iconic franchise with a motivated community base, but there was too much upfront damage.
It has been the fans who have created the updates and the resurgence by creating community events. With official backing, the numbers could have been stratospheric. The second life has been a comeback that has connected.
Battlefront II has had a checkered history and there is no doubt that the big gaming companies and developers have really felt the force of player power. Sometimes, the company vision is so different from the player reality that there’s a danger of missing the obvious.
Whatever the rights and wrongs of this episode, the nostalgia for the series will never stop, even if thoughts of Battlefront 3 are not in the galaxy right now.
