Star Wars Battlefront 2 Developers Respond To Loot Crate Controversy

Star Wars Battlefront 2 developer DICE has released a statement to address the Loot Crate controversy surrounding the upcoming shooter. According to a post on the Star Wars Battlefront website, the full system for loot crates wasn’t in place for the beta, and the full release will be more fair to those who don’t want to spend extra money.

“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,” the post from DICE reads. Specific changes to the system were then mentioned, including the following:

• 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.

Well, that’s… a little better. Locking the most powerful items behind achievements will only reward players who put in the time and effort to earn them. That’s better than rewarding those with the biggest bank accounts. I’m fine with having cosmetic items like outfits and victory poses locked away, but it’s still a little upsetting to see Star Cards locked behind crates, since this actually has an in-game impact.

DICE also clarified that other issues brought up during the beta will be addressed as well. These include a modification of Strike mode to make it a best-of-three series, making the First Order Flametrooper stronger and adjusting the Specialist’s Infiltration ability. The developer is also looking for ways to allow people to play together with the same set and same values of Star Cards to really provide a level playing field.

DICE was also sure to mention that Star Wars Battlefront 2 will continue to be updated well after launch. This means if players provide enough feedback, DICE may be more open to making changes. “Whether it’s comments on our forums or posts over social media, we’re listening. Your feedback makes a difference, and your passion is what keeps us creating,” the post says.

So what do you think? Are you happy EA and DICE clarified what the Star Wars Battlefront 2 loot crates will be like? Do you think they still encourage too much of a pay-to-win environment? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.