Star Wars Battlefront II recently launched worldwide, delivering the second entry to Electronic Arts' shooter series. And while some welcome improvements have been made over its predecessor, the narrative surrounding its launch has taken a negative turn, following widespread outrage over multiplayer systems and monetization routes.
As reported by GamesIndustry.biz, Star Wars Battlefront II's first-week physical sales have now surfaced in the UK, with lower figures than initially expected. First-week sales for the game (starting on Tuesday, November 14 for the Elite Trooper Deluxe Edition, followed by the Standard Edition on November 17) are down 61 percent, in contrast with the same launch period for its 2015 predecessor, Star Wars Battlefront. Sales for the game also fell significantly behind last year's EA blockbuster, Battlefield 1, racking up half the sales of the brutal WW1 shooter. This decline resulted in the game's debut on UK video game charts in second place, topped by Call of Duty: WWII.
Star Wars Battlefront II has been criticized for its approach to randomized loot crate systems.
A drop in physical sales has been seen for most major releases this year, as the industry continues to shift toward digital content distribution. This clearly accounts for a share of lost physical sales, however, selling less than half the units, it's hard not to attribute this to recent events. Outcry surrounding Star Wars Battlefront II's implementation of microtransactions became the defining aspect of its launch week – many choosing to pass on the game for its practices. Electronic Arts may have removed microtransactions at launch, but a negative view of the publisher remains.
It will be interesting to see how Star Wars Battlefront II sells going forward, once more data is available from other regions. With the theatrical release of "Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi" only a few weeks away, Battlefront II is bound to see wide appeal. However, the impact of strong monetization may have still tarnished an otherwise engaging shooter.
We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.
Minecraft Dungeons is looking good with 'Echoing Void' now releasing
The first chapter of Minecraft Dungeons has arrived at its epic conclusion, and players can now live through it with the 'Echoing Void' DLC. If you aren't caught up with Minecraft Dungeons' story so far, you can also pick up the Ultimate Edition to pick up every single DLC and the base game.
Chernobylite PC review: Survival horror in 3D-scanned Chernobyl awaits
With its excellent survival horror gameplay, 3D-scanned environments, and fantastic presentation, Chernobylite solidifies itself as one of the best Chernobyl adventures in all of gaming. Here's our full review.
Here's every Forza Horizon 5 car confirmed so far
Forza Horizon 5 goes bigger than ever with its next trip to Mexico, coupled with an extensive list of cars to match. Here's the full list of Forza Horizon 5 cars, with more added all the time.
Best Minecraft toys and gifts 2021
Minecraft is the biggest game in the world, and that means it also comes with one of the biggest selections for merch, toys, and gifts. Here's the definitive list of the best Minecraft toys and gifts for any fan.