Star Wars Battlefront 2 had a rough launch: a rigorous loot box system spoiled the fun for many players. A tough time for the developers as well, said design director Dennis Brännvall. However, Battlefront 2 is now doing so well that the team no longer has to fear showing themselves online.
This is why Battlefront 2 struggled: Star Wars Battlefront 2 drew the ire of some players during the beta phase. Crafting materials and star cards, the so-called Star Cards, which allow characters to equip various, usually stronger abilities, came from loot boxes. The boxes could be earned in-game but also purchased with real money.
The game sparked a controversy and ignited a debate about the popular surprise packages in many games.
This was also a difficult time for the developers at DICE, as design director Dennis Brännvall said in an interview with PCGamesN:
The months following launch were probably my darkest time at DICE. It was tough, and the mood in the community and the player base probably crashed around that time.
The game has now changed, so much so that the developers no longer fear going online and showing themselves to the community.
This has changed: According to Brännvall, the turnaround happened about a year ago, when the developers finally gave players what they wanted: content for the popular animated series Clone Wars.
This also had positive effects on the number of players in the shooter. Since the update, the player count has been steadily rising every month. “It’s really going well, and it’s growing and thriving,” said Brännvall.
The developers continue to work on Battlefront 2, releasing patches and updates regularly:
- In May, the massive mode “Total Domination” was released
- In June, a major update with droidekas, new outfits, and vehicles followed
- At gamescom 2019, a new coop mode was showcased
This is what players say: The mood on the Star Wars Battlefront subreddit seems to have improved noticeably. Many players share images or small clips of their escapades in Battlefront 2.
However, there is currently increased criticism of hit detection and hitboxes. Hits would not be consistent, and even shots fired directly at the opponent would also only be vaguely registered.
