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Star Wars Battlefront 2's Controversial Crates Addressed By DICE

Players have speculated that Battlefront II's crates amount to a pay-to-win system, but DICE denies that.

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EA's beta test for Star Wars Battlefront II has concluded. It showcased the game's new weapons, maps, heroes, and increased depth, but much of the discussion surrounding the game has centered around something that wasn't actually in the beta: microtransactions. Battlefront II will give away things like maps and character DLC for free, but it will use a loot box-style system for unlocking various upgrades that has fans concerned. We recently discussed how Battlefront II's microtransactions work and why they are a big problem, but developer DICE has now spoken out to try to assuage fears that the game will be pay-to-win.

In a new blog post, DICE outlined some of the balance changes it's making in the wake of the beta. The big focus, however, was on microtransactions and clarifying how they work and why DICE feels you can't just pay your way to the top of the leaderboards. "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," it said.

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Now Playing: GS News Update: Star Wars Battlefront 2's Controversial Loot Crates Addressed By DICE

"As a balance goal, we're working towards having the most powerful items in the game only earnable via in-game achievements," it explained. Crates are obtained by completing challenges "and other gameplay milestones" or by purchasing them--either with credits earned in-game or real-world money. Inside crates, you'll find Star Cards, emotes, victory poses, and outfits; any duplicate Star Cards you receive are turned into crafting parts that can be put toward other Star Cards of your choosing.

Star Cards impact gameplay and are players' major concern. DICE claims there is more to becoming powerful than simply buying a crate and getting a good Star Card. "You have to earn the right to be able to upgrade Star Cards and unlock most weapons," it explained. "You can only upgrade or unlock them if you have reached a high enough rank, which is determined by playing the game."

Despite DICE's reassurances, there are still those who want to play a version of the game where you don't have to worry about what Star Cards you or your opponent have access to. The developer says it's aware of that, though it didn't promise such a mode will be released.

"We also have heard some players are looking for a way to play where all players will have the same set of Star Cards with flattened values," it said. "Like everything else, we will be continually making necessary changes to ensure the game is fun for everyone. We will work to make sure the system is balanced both for players who want to earn everything, as well as for players who are short on time and would like to move faster in their progress towards various rewards."

Battlefront II releases for PC, PS4, and Xbox One on November 17. Whether we'll see any changes to the proposed crates system between now and then remains to be seen.

Related Viewing: Loot Crates Have Finally Gone Too Far - The Lobby

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