EA and DICE respond to Star Wars Battlefront II’s loot box problem

Loot boxes. They’re like a gamble in a crate, only they’re not, shut up and give me more money. Just about every big game on the horizon has some form of treasure in a cube on the way, although mercifully Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is steering clear of the idea of introducing Luft Boxes to its own audience of Nazi-punchers.

Star Wars Battlefront II’s loot boxes however, may just be the worst of the lot. The recent multiplayer beta revealed a system which is very much built on paying to win, offering easy access to perks and player progression if the sound of your coin is just right. That has of course resulted in an uproar from fans, players who aren’t happy that a recommended retail price investment also offers anyone with a few dollars more an easy leg up. “Rest assured, we’re continuing to listen to you coming out of Beta,” developers DICE wrote on the Battlefront 2 website.

We’re taking a look at some of the most discussed topics, from Crates and progression to Strike mode (which we’re considering changing to a best of three), the Specialist’s Infiltration ability (which might be a little too overpowered) and more. Oh, and the First Order Flametrooper needs some work — we agree he could use a little more… firepower…

We know you have a lot of questions about Crates and progression, so we want to clarify a few things, as the complete system was not in the Beta and will continue to be tuned over time:

• There are many things you can earn in the game, including weapons, attachments, credits, Star Cards, Emotes, Outfits and Victory Poses.
• As a balance goal, we’re working towards having the most powerful items in the game only earnable via in-game achievements.
• Crates will include a mix of of Star Cards, Outfits, Emotes or Victory Poses.
• Players earn crates by completing challenges and other gameplay milestones, or by purchasing them with in-game credits or Crystals, our premium currency.
• If you get a duplicate Star Card in a crate, you will get crafting parts which you can then use to help upgrade the Star Card of your choice.
• And lastly, you have to earn the right to be able to upgrade Star Cards and unlock most Weapons. You can only upgrade or unlock them if you have reached a high enough rank, which is determined by playing the game.

The real question is how quickly DICE and EA can implement changes before launch. With just over a month to go, that’s a tight window to squeeze through. Honestly, aside from the idea of loot boxes being dropped entirely, I don’t foresee much being done to help assuage any fears of the core game being diluted in favour of some quick and cheap trendy microtransactions.

Last Updated: October 13, 2017