No Microtransactions in Star Wars Battlefront, Says DICE Dev

A senior developer at Star Wars Battlefront studio DICE has put to rest longstanding speculation about whether the game would incorporate microtransactions.

Battlefront uses a two-tier currency system of points and credits, with the latter being used to rent more exotic and dangerous weapons. By convention, two-tier credit systems are typically developed in games to pave the way for microtransactions, with players converting their real money into another currency, and thereby masking how much players are spending on in-game items.

But in an interview with GameSpot at DICE's Stockholm studio, Battlefront design director Niklas Fegraeus made it clear that the game does not allow for microtransactions. He said microtransactions were "not part of the core design" of how Battlefront works.

A verbatim passage from the interview follows:

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GAMESPOT: Just a point of clarification, I'm not sure whether there is microtransactions in Star Wars Battlefront. Could you explain?

FEGRAEUS: Well the currency system is based on your game performance. The credits that you use to buy things in the game are earned. You play the game, complete challenges, and that's how you get credits.

So, is that the only way you can obtain credits? By earning them by performance?

Yes, that's what's in the game. Absolutely.

Ah, the reason I asked is because Battlefront has a two-step currency system, which is usually a telltale sign of paving the way for microtransactions to be introduced. But it sounds like, from what you are saying, that you are moving away from that?

Yeah, that's not part of the core design of how it works. This is a progression system based on your gameplay performance.

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Elsewhere in the interview, Fegraeus emphasised how player performance would be the only way to earn credits.

"There are several [credit] systems working together here. Just doing things in the game earns you points, and those [points] earn you credits. That's the baseline system; the more you do, the more credits you get," he said.

"But then there are other systems, such as small challenges for you to complete, and rewards for different actions.

"If you're really competitive, the coolest things you can get is star cards to best suit your play style. If you really like to snipe, for example, you should totally go for the blaster cannon. Or if you're looking for something cool in terms of expressing yourself, then I would say if you gather a lot of credits, you can buy some expensive in-game items, such as being able to play as an alien race. You can be a Rodian while everyone else is human."

In the video above, GameSpot offers hands-on impressions of the EA shooter. Follow the links below for further videos:

• Star Wars Battlefront Drop Zone Gameplay Video
• Star Wars Battlefront Co-Op Mission Gameplay Video
• Star Wars Battlefront Hoth Walker Assault Gameplay Video

Star Wars Battlefront ships to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC in North America on November 17, and comes to the UK and Australia on November 19.

Meanwhile, the Star Wars Battlefront Beta begins on October 8 and runs until October 12.

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