Much of the discussion about Star Wars Battlefront II, particularly since its beta, has centered around the game's microtransactions. While EA has made a welcome change in giving away all gameplay content--like the upcoming Last Jedi characters and maps--for free, it's compensated by introducing a loot crate system. But whereas this can be relatively innocuous in other games, such as Overwatch, where you're only obtaining skins and cosmetics, Battlefront II's crates have a meaningful impact on gameplay. [Update: Microtransactions have been removed entirely from Battlefront II for the time being.]
While the system wasn't active during the beta, it did lead to an uproar from fans, causing some concessions from developer DICE. The studio announced that it was making changes to Battlefront II crates, such as preventing players from earning high-tier Star Cards from loot crates or being able to equip them without first reaching a certain level. But that solution left open the door for players to purchase loot crates and craft Epic-level Star Cards that can be used once they've put in enough time with the game. Essentially, that means players can pay for an in-game performance boost, just with a temporary roadblock. And it also does nothing to prevent players from buying loot crates to use lesser (but still beneficial) Star Cards right out of the gate. These cards can be obtained by playing, but those who pay will have an edge until you can put in a substantial amount of time.
In the video above, we provide a comprehensive breakdown of the different currencies, what kind of items and Star Cards are available, and what $90 (or $100, if you don't have the EA/Origin Access discount) puts in your hands. It's a complex system, but one you'll likely want to understand before diving into the game--or deciding whether it's worth a purchase.
Battlefront II officially releases on November 17, but it's currently playable for EA and Origin Access members on Xbox One and PC, respectively. That trial provides the full multiplayer component and the first three single-player missions, though you're limited to a total of 10 hours of gameplay. Pre-ordering the Deluxe edition gets you complete access on November 14, including on PS4. You can read more in our Battlefront II multiplayer pre-review.
