Star Wars: Squadrons will need to learn from Battlefront’s mistakes

EA Play gave us a glimpse of the additional details about the forthcoming Star Wars: Squadrons, promising mores customization, and dynamic multiplayer gameplay. EA will be looking to rebound after Battlefront’s well-known struggles.

Star Wars: Squadrons looks to be the high-flying ariel combat game Star Wars fans haven’t seen since the Rogue Squadron series. But looks have proven to be deceiving when it comes to EA’s previous development of Star Wars titles.

Battlefront II became one of the most anticipated games of 2017, only to be heavily ridiculed with a controversial launch and struggled to regain its footing. Support for the game ended with its final content update in April. Fans are ready to get hurt again.

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The previously announced “Project Maverick” was revealed to be Star Wars: Squadrons, a game set in the coming year after the events of Return of the Jedi. Players will have the chance to fly for the New Republic or the remnants of the Empire. Revealed gameplay promised high-octane multiplayer game modes with massive space assaults, intimate dogfighting, and a single-player campaign. Like Battlefront, the strength of this game will likely reside with its multiplayer gameplay. Unlike Battlefront, Squadrons has a chance to learn from the is predecessor.

Battlefront lacked diverse customization and a coherent progression system– something that seems to be a major selling point of Squadrons. The price of the game is currently set at $39.99– a full 20 dollars less than Battlefront II upon its release. The lower price point might Indicate EA is learning from their past mistakes. Battlefront cost $60 at launch, on top of its prevalent microtransactions.

Fans were met with persistent bugs and limited features that had players turning on the game rather quickly. EA company can’t afford to charge a top price for another Star Wars game with an underwhelming campaign and severely limited multiplayer features.

A lower price shouldn’t necessarily lower expectations for a game, but create optimal expectations. If early indications are to be believed, Squadrons will offer plenty of options for customizable cosmetic and ship functions, while limiting the microtransactions that doomed Battlefront from the start. If EA can stick to its simple approach while doubling down on an immersive experience, Squadrons can deliver the multiplayer gameplay Star Wars fans have been clamoring for.

Star Wars: Squadrons is slated for release in October 2020.