I can't stress how badly we need Star Wars Battlefront 3
Star Wars fans have somehow revived Star Wars Battlefront for the umpteenth time, once again proving how badly we need Star Wars Battlefront 3.
Star Wars battlefront 2 (2017) wasn’t a failure of a game like many might say; it just suffered from a false start. Electronic Arts launched the game in an unstable state, littered with loot boxes. It was a far cry from the LucasArts games it was modelled after.
I remember being excited for the game prior to its release as while I enjoyed Star Wars Battlefront (2015), it felt like something was missing by having it solely cover the Original Trilogy era. Star Wars Battlefront 2 gave us the most comprehensive tour of the Star Wars timeline yet, having players go from the Clone Wars, to the tyranny of The Empire and the reign of the First Order.
After a few updates that ironed out some of its less appealing features, including the scrapping of loot boxes altogether, the game was in my eyes perfect - and I had a hard time putting it down in the following months.
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Like many multiplayer games though, the playerbase eventually dwindled and it was clearly time for a Star Wars Battlefront 3. We never got that third game but recently, Battlefront 2 has miraculously hit a concurrent player count of 100,000 players which for a game over eight years old is very, very impressive.
Calls are now being made for Electronic Arts to greenlight Star Wars Battlefront 3 if it hasn’t already, or at least put a team back onto Star Wars Battlefront 2 for some new updates. In my humble opinion, as a Star Wars fan, I think Star Wars Battlefront 3 is sorely needed, as while the current game still holds up as a cinematic marvel, there’s so much that could be improved upon for a third instalment.
Fleshing out the Clone Wars would be a good start. It’s safe to say that the film has been overshadowed by the Clone Wars animated series so it’s a shame so little was pulled from it for the game. With that animated universe still seeing new entries through spin-offs like Star Wars: Tales Of The Underworld and Star Wars Maul: Shadow Lord, you could absolutely include more of those heroes and villains in another game. Hell, I’d be satisfied if the next Star Wars Battlefront focuses solely on the Clone Wars.
I think the class system could do with an overhaul as well, focusing less on ability cards and more on general customisation. One of the biggest hurdles to new players in Star Wars Battlefront 2 is how overpowered the veteran players feel since they’ve unlocked everything, so it’d be nice to see a sequel strip things back slightly so it feels more like an equal playing field. Keep the weapon and cosmetic customisation, but the ability cards can be left behind in my opinion.
The biggest change I’d like to see though are the characters, not just in terms of roster size but specifically the lightsaber wielders. I know the Heroes Vs Villains mode is still very popular but I’ve never liked the lightsaber combat in Star Wars Battlefront 2. It feels awkward, unresponsive, and too easy to cheapen with exploits. A more refined combat system would be a dream come true.
Everything else can remain pretty much the same, as I think Star Wars Battlefront 2 nailed a lot of what makes the Battlefront games so entertaining. It clearly did something right to still have players engaged with it so many years later.
It’s high time we got a sequel though, as the latest singleplayer-led Star Wars games like Star Wars Outlaws and Star Wars: Jedi Survivor have been wonderful but the online players need something too.
Hopefully, Electronic Arts is paying attention to all the love the series has been getting recently, and with so many more great shows and films on the way like Ahsoka Season 2 and the new Star Wars: Starfighter film, there’s arguably more potential than ever to make a good Star Wars Battlefront game. It’ll be a challenge, and some sacrifices will have to be made, but with the right leadership and plenty of free post-launch support, Star Wars Battlefront 3 could be something special.