Star Wars Battlefront II Microtransactions Removed Entirely, All Gear to Be Unlocked Through Progression (Update)

Update:

As expected, EA has confirmed our report. Check out the complete letter to fans in full below.

Thank you to everyone in our community for being the passionate fans that you are.

Our goal has always been to create the best possible game for all of you – devoted Star Wars fans and game players alike. We’ve also had an ongoing commitment to constantly listen, tune and evolve the experience as it grows. You’ve seen this with both the major adjustments, and polish, we have made over the past several weeks.

But as we approach the worldwide launch, it’s clear that many of you feel there are still challenges in the design. We’ve heard the concerns about potentially giving players unfair advantages. And we’ve heard that this is overshadowing an otherwise great game. This was never our intention. Sorry we didn’t get this right.

We hear you loud and clear, so we’re turning off all in-game purchases. We will now spend more time listening, adjusting, balancing and tuning. This means that the option to purchase crystals in the game is now offline, and all progression will be earned through gameplay. The ability to purchase crystals in-game will become available at a later date, only after we’ve made changes to the game. We’ll share more details as we work through this.

We have created a game that is built on your input, and it will continue to evolve and grow. Star Wars Battlefront II is three times the size of the previous game, bringing to life a brand new Star Wars story, space battles, epic new multiplayer experiences across all three Star Wars eras, with more free content to come. We want you to enjoy it, so please keep your thoughts coming. And we will keep you updated on our progress.

Original Story:

In news that should make everyone (including us!) happy, EA finally, finally caved and is taking out all the Star Wars Battlefront II microtransactions that are making everyone very unhappy. How unhappy? Try having the-most-downvoted-Reddit-post-in-history unhappy! 

Multiple sources have confirmed to MP1st that an announcement is coming very, very soon. Once the official announcement is out we”ll be sure to update the post.

It seems Crystals, the in-game currency that can be bought by real-world money, is off the table! All Star Cards, Heroes, and game-changing items can only be obtained by natural progression (grinding)! When DICE mentioned that a “progression iteration” was incoming at launch, we never thought it’d be this big, but we’ll take it with open arms.

It’s been a challenging few days at EA and developer DICE, what with the recent AMA (Ask Me Anything) on Reddit not going down as well as some people might have hoped. Will this change be enough to stop the low score review bombing by users? Let’s hope so. 

Stay tuned to MP1st’s review of Star Wars Battlfront II which will factor in the new changes, and where we can hopefully focus on the gameplay rather than the predatory microtransaction scheme by EA.

Regardless if this was changed due to gamer pressure or not, it’s certainly a victory for gamers worldwide. Did this change your opinion of Battlefront II?  Will you consider buying it now? Let us know what you think of this major development in the comments below.

35 Comments
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James Taylor
James Taylor
6 years ago

It’s good they’re doing it, but I’m still not going to buy it. Their intentions were clear from the very beginning and let’s be honest, they’re only doing it to save face.

Lysergio
Lysergio
Reply to  James Taylor
6 years ago

Oh lord, stop with the drama. So brave. Much principles. Doing the Lord’s work there, soldier

James Taylor
James Taylor
Reply to  Lysergio
6 years ago

Fuck off Tinkerbell. Have a look at your profile, all you do is insult people and try to start fights in comments. What a sad existence you must lead.

Lysergio
Lysergio
Reply to  James Taylor
6 years ago

Did you read like 4 comments with no context? OK stalker. I’m not the one telling people to fuck off. Calm down

Kid.Drunkadelic
Kid.Drunkadelic
Reply to  Lysergio
6 years ago

trump boi strikes agian, hurry your mom is bringing up some tendies

Lysergio
Lysergio
Reply to  Kid.Drunkadelic
6 years ago

What does any of that mean? Edgy tho, I guess. Love ya

Den Kovacs
Den Kovacs
Reply to  Lysergio
6 years ago

No room for starting shit with people here, play nice.

Tetsuo
Tetsuo
6 years ago

I really wanted this game. It is beyond beautiful.. The visuals, the sounds, the feeling! But EA screwed it up with microtransactions….
This bittersweet removal of microtransactions was only done in the face of ever-increasing backlash from the gaming community and IS NOT a reflection of their intentions.

EA can go get screwed. I will not support them despite the recent changes. Their model is based purely on greed.

RedKnightOH
RedKnightOH
Reply to  Tetsuo
6 years ago

EA ‘could’ still change their game business practices after this player customer revolt with SWBF2.

Keep in mind… Battlefield 5 will release in late 2018 or Spring of 2019. I don’t think EA wants to repeat this microtransaction fiasco with one of their main game franchises. Time will tell. But if EA/DICE goes through this again with Battlefield 5… I’ll be done with anything EA.

Eric Wilson
Eric Wilson
6 years ago

Let’s not start congratulating EA for something that they should have done from the very beginning. All this is then conceding ground in an attempt to try to win back all the PR that they lost. we as gamers need to remain vigilant to stop this and any other games as services policies that EA will try to shove at us in the future.

Den Kovacs
Den Kovacs
Reply to  Eric Wilson
6 years ago

And this is the main thing we have to keep in mind. This isn’t a friendly gesture, this is saving their game and name.

Eric Wilson
Eric Wilson
Reply to  Den Kovacs
6 years ago

Absolutely. And it wouldn’t surprise me if some higher up in EA. Where to go on to some journalistic outlet soon and make a comment about “entitled gamers”. This is nothing more than EA receiving the pushback that they deserved for pushing an anti consumer policy and now they’re just going to try to find some way to get around or ability to catch them in the act.

Den Kovacs
Den Kovacs
Reply to  Eric Wilson
6 years ago

The first point would never happen. You never alienate playerbase or audience with statements like that. Through actions? That’s a different book.

PR Crisis mode 101 is what this is. Hopefully not everyone is sucked into thinking that EA is doing it out of the goodness of their heart. It’s a business.

RedKnightOH
RedKnightOH
6 years ago

The removal of the Microtransaction system is only temporary per EA. See: http://www.ign.com/articles/2017/11/17/ea-takes-star-wars-battlefront-ii-microtransactions-offline

OK…. This just came off my “No Way Am I Buying This Game!” list… to my, “Wait and See” list. I’ll watch SWBF2 on TWITCH and get the LIVE player reviews for a month or two… and if the player reviews are acceptable… I will most likely give it a try. In that time… we’ll learn more just how EA/DICE plans to “FIX” this game and what that means. They could screw it up worse!! I need something to play until Battlefield 5 gets released.

EA Quote: …(The ability to purchase crystals in-game will become available at a later date, only after we’ve made changes to the game. We’ll share more details as we work through this.”)

I’m not loving that these crystals microtransactions could come back (at a later date). “When it’s Changed?” What does that mean? If the (crystals multiplayer pay-to-win) system comes back later… that’s a game killer!

EA Quote: …(all progression will be earned through gameplay)

Looks like the in game (progression system) could still be screwed up. I don’t like ‘grinding’ to slowly advance in the game. If I can’t advance normally like in other games… that could be a game killer. I won’t spend hundreds or thousands of hours in a game to sloooooowly rank up my player.

The information about how Multiplayer works has been very lacking. There’s been almost NO info on how MP works! I want solid MP Tactical TEAMWORK with MY friends. The more in game friends as possible. If it’s only 6 vs 6 in a PvP system with bad netcode, Game LAG or other online game breaking MP problems… that will be a game killer also. I won’t play another game that takes 30+ bullets just to kill an enemy!! Or 3 grenades to kill one guy!

Outstanding in game player communications is a must. I want to talk to MY friends… not listen to dozens of screaming kids all talking at once. If “IN GAME” Teamwork communications is broken… that’s a game killer. We won’t depend on the PS4’s Party Chat system to talk to each other. Last time we did that… we had to choose between Game Sounds… or Party Chat Voice sound… NOT BOTH!! Battlefield 3 had a GREAT in game player communications system.

I’ll let OTHERS buy the game first and see what the players like or hate about it and THEN buy it or not.

RedKnightOH
RedKnightOH
6 years ago

We “made” EA listen to us! Our outrage on the internet on these Microtransaction issues was a game changer. Other game developers will carefully notice this! As customers and players… we have a voice together that has impact.

Jody Wiggins
Jody Wiggins
6 years ago

“The ability to purchase crystals in-game will become available at a later date, only after we’ve made changes to the game. We’ll share more details as we work through this.” Temporary. So its not removed, only delayed.

RedKnightOH
RedKnightOH
5 years ago

We “made” EA listen to us! Our outrage on the internet on these Microtransaction issues was a game changer. Other game developers will carefully notice this! As customers and players… we have a voice together that has impact.

Eric Wilson
Eric Wilson
5 years ago

Let’s not start congratulating EA for something that they should have done from the very beginning. All this is then conceding ground in an attempt to try to win back all the PR that they lost. we as gamers need to remain vigilant to stop this and any other games as services policies that EA will try to shove at us in the future.

Den Kovacs
Den Kovacs
Reply to  Eric Wilson
5 years ago

And this is the main thing we have to keep in mind. This isn’t a friendly gesture, this is saving their game and name.

Eric Wilson
Eric Wilson
Reply to  Den Kovacs
5 years ago

Absolutely. And it wouldn’t surprise me if some higher up in EA. Where to go on to some journalistic outlet soon and make a comment about “entitled gamers”. This is nothing more than EA receiving the pushback that they deserved for pushing an anti consumer policy and now they’re just going to try to find some way to get around or ability to catch them in the act.

Den Kovacs
Den Kovacs
Reply to  Eric Wilson
5 years ago

The first point would never happen. You never alienate playerbase or audience with statements like that. Through actions? That’s a different book.

PR Crisis mode 101 is what this is. Hopefully not everyone is sucked into thinking that EA is doing it out of the goodness of their heart. It’s a business.

James Taylor
James Taylor
5 years ago

It’s good they’re doing it, but I’m still not going to buy it. Their intentions were clear from the very beginning and let’s be honest, they’re only doing it to save face.

Lysergio
Lysergio
Reply to  James Taylor
5 years ago

Oh lord, stop with the drama. So brave. Much principles. Doing the Lord’s work there, soldier

Kid.Drunkadelic
Kid.Drunkadelic
Reply to  Lysergio
6 years ago

trump boi strikes agian, hurry your mom is bringing up some tendies

Lysergio
Lysergio
Reply to  Kid.Drunkadelic
5 years ago

What does any of that mean? Edgy tho, I guess. Love ya

James Taylor
James Taylor
Reply to  Lysergio
6 years ago

Fuck off Tinkerbell. Have a look at your profile, all you do is insult people and try to start fights in comments. What a sad existence you must lead.

Lysergio
Lysergio
Reply to  James Taylor
5 years ago

Did you read like 4 comments with no context? OK stalker. I’m not the one telling people to fuck off. Calm down

Den Kovacs
Den Kovacs
Reply to  Lysergio
6 years ago

No room for starting shit with people here, play nice.

Tetsuo
Tetsuo
5 years ago

I really wanted this game. It is beyond beautiful.. The visuals, the sounds, the feeling! But EA screwed it up with microtransactions….
This bittersweet removal of microtransactions was only done in the face of ever-increasing backlash from the gaming community and IS NOT a reflection of their intentions.

EA can go get screwed. I will not support them despite the recent changes. Their model is based purely on greed.

RedKnightOH
RedKnightOH
Reply to  Tetsuo
5 years ago

EA ‘could’ still change their game business practices after this player customer revolt with SWBF2.

Keep in mind… Battlefield 5 will release in late 2018 or Spring of 2019. I don’t think EA wants to repeat this microtransaction fiasco with one of their main game franchises. Time will tell. But if EA/DICE goes through this again with Battlefield 5… I’ll be done with anything EA.

Jody Wiggins
Jody Wiggins
5 years ago

“The ability to purchase crystals in-game will become available at a later date, only after we’ve made changes to the game. We’ll share more details as we work through this.” Temporary. So its not removed, only delayed.

RedKnightOH
RedKnightOH
5 years ago

The removal of the Microtransaction system is only temporary per EA. See: http://www.ign.com/articles/2017/11/17/ea-takes-star-wars-battlefront-ii-microtransactions-offline

OK…. This just came off my “No Way Am I Buying This Game!” list… to my, “Wait and See” list. I’ll watch SWBF2 on TWITCH and get the LIVE player reviews for a month or two… and if the player reviews are acceptable… I will most likely give it a try. In that time… we’ll learn more just how EA/DICE plans to “FIX” this game and what that means. They could screw it up worse!! I need something to play until Battlefield 5 gets released.

EA Quote: …(The ability to purchase crystals in-game will become available at a later date, only after we’ve made changes to the game. We’ll share more details as we work through this.”)

I’m not loving that these crystals microtransactions could come back (at a later date). “When it’s Changed?” What does that mean? If the (crystals multiplayer pay-to-win) system comes back later… that’s a game killer!

EA Quote: …(all progression will be earned through gameplay)

Looks like the in game (progression system) could still be screwed up. I don’t like ‘grinding’ to slowly advance in the game. If I can’t advance normally like in other games… that could be a game killer. I won’t spend hundreds or thousands of hours in a game to sloooooowly rank up my player.

The information about how Multiplayer works has been very lacking. There’s been almost NO info on how MP works! I want solid MP Tactical TEAMWORK with MY friends. The more in game friends as possible. If it’s only 6 vs 6 in a PvP system with bad netcode, Game LAG or other online game breaking MP problems… that will be a game killer also. I won’t play another game that takes 30+ bullets just to kill an enemy!! Or 3 grenades to kill one guy!

Outstanding in game player communications is a must. I want to talk to MY friends… not listen to dozens of screaming kids all talking at once. If “IN GAME” Teamwork communications is broken… that’s a game killer. We won’t depend on the PS4’s Party Chat system to talk to each other. Last time we did that… we had to choose between Game Sounds… or Party Chat Voice sound… NOT BOTH!! Battlefield 3 had a GREAT in game player communications system.

I’ll let OTHERS buy the game first and see what the players like or hate about it and THEN buy it or not.

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