Though Electronic Arts (EA) have suspended all micro-transactions within Star Wars: Battlefront II, it looks as if the game still has a major pay-to-win problem. As one of this year’s most highly-anticipated video game releases, Battlefront II had some lofty expectations to live up to, but unfortunately for Star Wars fans, it doesn’t seem to have lived up to the hype.
Before the game’s official launch, Battlefront II was hit with some major criticisms from those who had early access. They blasted the system of being allowed to buy in-game loot boxes, which had no guarantee of containing brilliant items, encouraging gambling and earning the wrath of the Star Wars fan base. Whilst other popular games such as Overwatch have the same system, it’s used for cosmetic items that have no bearing on gameplay or online multiplayer. That’s not the case for Battlefront II; instead, the boxes here contain items that give those who pay a slew of major advantages.
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EA turned off all in-game purchases right before the official launch to battle the criticisms, but it’s now come to light that players can still spend some extra money to gain better gear before even loading up the game for the first time. At $79.99, the most avid of fans can purchase the Elite Trooper Deluxe Edition of the game which comes with a whole host of epic cards, immediately giving the consumer an advantage when it comes to online multiplayer.
The deluxe edition gives players immediate access to the special The Last Jedi heroes pack, along with upgraded versions of all four trooper classes and four epic ability upgrades for each trooper class. Six hero and Starfighter epic Star Cars are also immediately granted, as well as instant access to the Millennium Falcon. All in all, it’s pretty groundbreaking stuff when put up against the basics.
Though there’s no definitive answer to how this should be combated, some people would suggest different servers for those who have the normal edition of the game, and those who have bought their way to better gear. Otherwise, those who want to earn their advantages further down the line will immediately be put at a disadvantage when forced to go up against enemies who instantly have the best items.
It’s also fair to say that allowing players to access special gear and loot when buying deluxe editions of games isn’t something new, but when the majority of Battlefront II is aimed at pushing players to its online multiplayer content, there should at least be some sort of balancing system in place so that every player, regardless of how much they spend on the title, is getting a fair experience after shelling out for the base game.