Scheduled to roll out on Wednesday, March 21, Star Wars Battlefront II is finally getting an update to its in-game progression system that will reward players for actually playing as the class or character they want to upgrade. Gaining new skills for preferred classes, hero characters, and ships is now done entirely through linear progression and playing that specific character. Everything players have earned and unlocked so far will remain intact, but all future progression will follow this new system.
Star Cards will no longer be earned through randomized drops in crates. Crates will contain entirely cosmetic items and Credits. New in-game cosmetics will also be able to be purchased directly in Battlefront II using Credits (in-game currency) and Crystals (purchased using real-world money). Yes, this means that microtransactions are coming back.
There are four main points that EA and DICE wanted to talk about with this coming update.
With this update, progression is now linear. Star Cards, or any other item impacting gameplay, will only be earned through gameplay and will not be available for purchase. Instead, you’ll earn experience points for the classes, hero characters, and ships that you choose to play in multiplayer. If you earn enough experience points to gain a level for that unit, you’ll receive one Skill Point that can be used to unlock or upgrade the eligible Star Card you’d like to equip.
You’ll keep everything you’ve already earned and unlocked. You will keep all of the Star Cards, heroes, weapons, or anything else you have already earned. What you have earned will still be available to use with this update regardless of how much or little progress you have already made.
Crates no longer include Star Cards and cannot be purchased. Crates are earned by logging in daily, completing Milestones, and through timed challenges. Inside of these crates, you’ll find Credits or cosmetic items, such as emotes or victory poses, but nothing that impacts gameplay.
Starting in April, you’ll be able to get appearances directly through in-game Credits or Crystals. The first new appearances are coming soon, meaning you’ll be able to grab new looks for your heroes and troopers directly by using either Credits (earned in-game) or Crystals (available to purchase in-game and through first-party stores). If you’ve ever dreamed of being a part of the Resistance as a Rodian, your chance is right around the corner.
The Star Wars Battlefront II progression update is a pretty big shift from how the system worked before. On the microtransactions and cosmetics side of things, Battlefront II will operate much more like Overwatch now. Real-world money can only be spent on purely cosmetic items.
On the progression side of things, Battlefront II is taking a page out of other first-person shooter books, providing leveling and skill points as you play a specific class. The implementation of the system will be interesting to watch, as most longtime players have already built out their optimal loadouts for their preferred characters. Balancing updates could cause shifts, however.
Finally, the team teased new modes coming to the game. “In addition to continued balance patches, we will also add a number of modes to Star Wars Battlefront II in the coming months, offering several standout, brand-new ways to play. Some of these, like the recently released limited-time Jetpack Cargo, are radically different than anything you’ve experienced in the game before, and we’re excited to surprise you with what we have planned.”
Are you excited to hear about the the Star Wars Battlefront II progression update? Do you think the direction that EA and DICE are taking is the best way to go? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
[Source: EA]
