Star Wars Battlefront II: From Controversy to Comeback Released by EA and DICE in November 2017, Star Wars Battlefront II is the second installment of the rebooted Battlefront series. Unlike its 2015 predecessor, which focused only on the Original Trilogy era, this title spans all three major Star Wars cinematic eras: the Prequels, Originals, and Sequels. Gameplay Overview Battlefront II is a third-person (or first-person) shooter that emphasizes large-scale, cinematic battles.
Classes: The game introduced a four-class system (Assault, Heavy, Officer, Specialist), replacing the generic loadouts of the first game. Vehicles & Heroes: Players can pilot iconic vehicles (TIE Fighters, AT-ATs) and control legendary heroes (Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Kylo Ren, Rey, Yoda, and prequel characters like General Grievous and Obi-Wan Kenobi). Star Cards: A progression system using equippable cards to modify abilities, cooldowns, and stats for troopers, heroes, and starfighters.
Key Modes
Galactic Assault (20v20): The flagship mode. Players fight through phases with objective-based missions (e.g., destroying a capital ship, escorting an ion cannon). Maps include Hoth, Naboo, Kashyyyk, and Starkiller Base. Starfighter Assault: A standout, space-focused dogfight mode with objective play (taking down cruisers, defending bombers). Praised for its intuitive controls and stunning visuals. Heroes vs. Villains: A 4v4 team deathmatch featuring only playable heroes and villains. Ewok Hunt (Hunt Mode): A fan-favorite survival mode where Imperial stormtroopers (flashlights only) are hunted by Ewoks in the dark forests of Endor. Campaign: A single-player story following Iden Versio, commander of the Imperial special forces unit Inferno Squad , covering the aftermath of the Battle of Endor and the transition from Empire to First Order. La Guerra de las Galaxias Battlefront II
The Controversial Launch (The "Pride and Accomplishment" Fiasco) Upon release, Battlefront II became the epicenter of a major industry controversy due to its progression and monetization systems:
Pay-to-Win Loot Crates: The best Star Cards (which gave statistical advantages) were hidden behind randomized loot boxes. Players could buy these crates with real money. Hero Grind: Iconic heroes like Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker were locked behind an enormous in-game credit grind (estimated 40+ hours each) unless players paid to unlock them. The Backlash: Reddit user calculations revealed it would take over 4,500 hours to unlock everything without paying. EA’s official response—claiming the grind was meant to give players a “sense of pride and accomplishment”—became the most downvoted comment in Reddit history (over 667k downvotes). Consequences: Disney intervened, Belgium declared loot boxes illegal gambling, and EA temporarily removed all microtransactions just days before launch.
The Redemption Arc (2018–2020) Unlike many failed live-service games, DICE spent two years rebuilding Battlefront II . Star Wars Battlefront II: From Controversy to Comeback
Progression Overhaul (March 2018): The loot crate system was completely removed. Progression became linear: you earn XP for specific classes and heroes, then unlock abilities directly. Microtransactions returned only for cosmetic skins (no stat advantages). Clone Wars Content Drops (2018–2019): The game saw a massive injection of prequel-era content, including heroes like Anakin Skywalker, Count Dooku, Obi-Wan, and General Grievous, plus the new game mode Capital Supremacy (ground-to-space ship boarding). Age of Rebellion & Rise of Skywalker (2019): Added Original Trilogy content (Scarif map) and Sequel Trilogy heroes (BB-8 and BB-9E). The Celebration Edition (December 2019): A complete version including all cosmetic items from 25 content updates. Final Update (April 2020): DICE announced the end of major support, leaving the game in a stable, content-rich, and balanced state—a complete 180 from launch.
Critical Reception Over Time
Launch Reviews (2017): Mixed. Critics praised the visuals, sound design, and campaign, but universally condemned the progression system (Metacritic user score ~1.0 due to review bombing). Post-Redemption (2020): Widely considered a "turnaround success." User reviews rose to "Very Positive" on Steam. Players and critics praised DICE’s transparency and commitment to fixing the game without abandoning it. Classes: The game introduced a four-class system (Assault,
Legacy Star Wars Battlefront II is now a case study in game development—taught as both a warning (how predatory monetization destroys trust) and a model (how post-launch support can redeem a product). While no longer receiving new content, the game remains active online, often cited as the most authentic Star Wars battle experience in terms of audio, visual fidelity, and fan service.
Final Verdict: What launched as a symbol of corporate greed ended as a love letter to Star Wars fans—but only after the community fought back.