Star Wars rumors: Why EA losing exclusive gaming rights would be good

Photo Credit: Lucasfilm, Electronic Arts

Enter: Star Wars Battlefront II.

In 2017, EA looked to right the ship with Battlefront II. Gamers were willing to forgive the weak sauce that was the first Battlefront when EA announced the second installment would feature a full-fledged single-player story about an elite Imperial squad set after Return of the Jedi. Even better, multiplayer would be expanded with more weapons, more maps, and – wait for iiiiiiiiiiiiitttt – Clone Wars content! Gamers couldn’t wait to step into the boots of Republic Clone Troopers and blast clankers “FOR THE REPUBLIC!”

It looked as if EA had listened to the fans and addressed the issues of their first Battlefront game. Never mind that in nearly five years we’d gotten Battlefront and Battlefront II (remember, those mobile games don’t count). At least this second Battlefront game would be good – heck, it might even live up to the classic Star Wars Battlefront II from 2005 (I know – it gets confusing).

Photo Credit: Lucasfilm, Electronic Arts

Enter: The loot crate.

Yes, the loot crate. The digital box that grants in-game rewards in exchange for real, hard earned cash. Many games today feature loot crates. EA is not the only publisher guilty of including them in their games. However, the contents of most games’ loot crates are cosmetic items – new character skins or new design schemes for weapons obtained through normal play. Battlefront II’s loot crates did not contain cosmetic items – instead, they contained “star cards,” the items used to equip and power up your character. This gave a distinct advantage to those players willing to spend real-life money in a video game they’d already purchased for sixty (or more!) dollars.