Confirmed: EA has removed all microtransactions from Star Wars Battlefront II (update)
Star Wars Battlefront II is proving to be one of the most controversial games of 2017 already, and it looks like the drama has no end in sight.
Update November 17, 2017: We've updated this article with official confirmation from EA.
Battlefront II's systems are inextricably tied to an annoying credits system, which rewards players for participation across the game's various modes. Multiplayer drip feeds small amounts of credits to players, while completing various challenges (often for activities you might not want to participate in) can boost the accrual. Credits can be spend on loot crates or hero characters like Darth Vader, forcing players to choose where they want to progress. Of course, you can circumvent all of this by giving EA piles of cash, using its premium currency "Crystals."
Or at least, that used to be the case.
Star Wars Battlefront II was subject to a huge backlash over these systems, earning itself the most downvoted comment in reddit history, and sparking a huge wave of negative coverage in even large mainstream news outlets, including the BBC.
EA has caved to the immeasurable negativity surrounding its "pay to earn" systems, scrubbing premium currency from the game ahead of its full global launch on November 17, 2017.
Issuing a statement on the Battlefront II website, DICE had this to say:
As of writing, the Crystal premium currency can be purchased directly from Xbox Live, but it no longer appears in Battlefront II's main menu, and I've seen reports that they have been removed from Sony's PlayStation Network already.
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If it wasn't for these horrible progression systems, Battlefront II could have been candidate for game of the year 2017 in my view for its amazing visuals, tight gunplay, and authentic Star Wars experiences. Sadly, they threw it all away in an aggressive, anti-gamer pursuit of micropayment bucks. Will EA learn its lesson? Probably not, but at least for the time being, Battlefront II might become a far fairer game. Hopefully the next incarnation of crystals errs on the side of cosmetics, rather than providing an advantage over other players.
Jez Corden is a Managing Editor at Windows Central, focusing primarily on all things Xbox and gaming. Jez is known for breaking exclusive news and analysis as relates to the Microsoft ecosystem while being powered by tea. Follow on Twitter (X) and Threads, and listen to his XB2 Podcast, all about, you guessed it, Xbox!