Star Wars Battlefront: What We Know So Far

Well I’m finally off the hype train from last week and can actually make real sentences about all that new Star Wars information given to me rather than just typing a blog full of “hgjfhaj hfdjkshg anjfdndjf dbghivlq.”

I’m going to start with the more disappointing note that is the news released about Star Wars Battlefront and the first look trailer from EA and Dice.

The first piece I have to comment on is the trailer is just a teaser using “game engine footage.” If you’ve been in the gaming world as long as I have you know that “game engine footage” is to be taken with a grain of salt thanks to many trailers of games past. The trailer is likely all pre-rendered in engine to create that super polished look and anything short of a super computer could make something that looks like that. That’s not to say that the game isn’t going to look phenomenal! Dice’s Frostbite engine has more than proven its self to us in Battlefield and Dragon Age Inquisition so it’s not going to be as bad as that one time Killzone fed us “game engine footage.”

I can’t say I was disappointed by the trailer because I went into it expecting that DICE was going to show us a teaser rather then actual gameplay. Going to have to wait til E3 for that I’m guessing. But the trailer looks great and it does feel like Star Wars. The deployed shield and some of the units in the Endor battle like the Y-Wings and Darth Vader seemed out of place but overall it’s got the feeling that I want. Also it’s Boba Fett flying around wasting people while a Star Destroyer crashes in the background and that’s what teaser trailers are for.

Oh and this little guy really stole the show too.

Look at the way he mic drops that rocket launcher. What a badass Sullustan just like Ten Numb, I wonder if they are brothers.

Oh the Star Wars hype train never fails to bring me in… Back to complaining about things!

DICE just gave us some more information talking about what ISN’T going to be in the game. Not normal for an EA game to bring this up, usually they say “This stuff is in the game but you have to give us $59.99 extra for a seasons pass to unlock it.” They mentioned these points all the same and I’m going to share them with you.

1. There is no single player campaign, just a few missions depicting moments from the original trilogy that can be played solo or cooperatively.
Even recent Battlefields tried at a campaign and this is a perfect time to put in a new campaign since this is the first major release since the great Star Wars EU purge. It would be a great time to expand the story and further set the scene for a certain movie set to come out in December. Sure there is free DLC content coming out before the movie releases that takes place on Jakku and it will have missions that will “crafted missions” that could be something kind of like Titanfall. It doesn’t matter what they do anyway I will still want more narrative!

2. There is no galactic conquest mode.
This makes me sad. That is all.

3. The max player count is capped at 40 across all platforms. When asked whether bots would be featured DICE responded with “no comment”.
I’m really hoping that they do plan to have bots to fill up the matches to give it that huge scale like Titanfall or even Battlefront 1 and 2 did before it. I don’t have a problem with 20 vs 20, I have a problem with 20 units vs 20 units.

4. There are no space battles or fighting in orbit, and air units will be confined to the area above ground maps like in the Battlefield franchise.
I love space battles and Star Wars space battles especially. Ever since I was a kid I’ve had a giant poster of the Space Battle over Endor and Return of the Jedi is my favourite of the Star Wars (so far) at least a little bit because of that GLORIOUS SPACE BATTLE! So sure I’m biased on this and I probably am going to take my restricted in atmosphere consolation prize and go home but it is called Star Wars and not Ground Wars.

5. Only units and characters from the Original Trilogy will be featured.
I understand this isn’t necessarily a downside since we are moving on with our Star Wars lives and leaving the prequels behind but personally I still like the Clone Wars era but I guess I should get used to it.

6. The AT-AT walkers shown in the trailer and promotional stills will not be player controlled, and will instead follow a scripted path across the battlefield.
The developer is quoted saying “Freedom doesn’t always equal fun” and I am quoted saying “Hey buddy! I should have the freedom to decide that for myself.” Traditionally you could drive an AT-AT and it was simultaneously the most boring and badass part of the previous Battlefront games. The point is you didn’t have to drive it, they could have been AI controlled and in the instance of the battle of Hoth you pretty much just walk in a straight line anyway but damn it I want to control that straight line! Right to choose!

A lot of these are stepping back from the already perfect model of Battlefront 2.

What about the points they mentioned that they are getting right? I’m glad you asked, here they are:

1. Online and offline play with options for solo or co-op and even split screen for missions.

2. There will be more maps than 8, and more than two per planet at launch.

3. Customization for characters including armour, weapons, and abilities. I’m hoping to make myself a Sullustan named Rambo Numb.

4. Toggle first person and third person at will.

5. “You can storm in as the Dark Lord himself,” said design director Niklas Fegraeus. “You can wield a lightsaber. You can Force choke the rebel scum, which is fun. Basically, you are the boss of the battle. This means that you, as Vader, can lead your team to victory — if you play well.”

6. Boba Fett is playable.

7. Boba Fett is playable.

All this information led to a Forbes article about why you shouldn’t pre-order Battlefront and is a generally advisable PSA against most game pre-orders (but not all, don’t start that argument it’s a discussion for another time.) But honestly I don’t think it’s over and I’m still holding out on formulating my opinion on how soon I buy it til I can see some actual game play because it’s still going to be a damn good game even if it is a couple steps back from Battlefront 2.

I’m going to go play Battlefront 2 now. Add me on steam dup3_

About the Author

Andew Dupe Andrew is a web developer and general geek. He likes drawing, programming, table top gaming, video gaming, other general geek things, and of course long walks on the beach. Follow him on twitter @dup3 Favourite Movie: Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi Favourite Game: Halo 2 Favourite Book: Name of the Wind