Star Wars: Battlefront II Story Details Revealed
You've seen the trailer, now get ready to find out what will go down in Star Wars: Battlefront II.
Alongside the official first look at the upcoming action-shooter game, the minds behind Battlefront II dished up some juicy details on the title's single-player campaign story, multiplayer modes, playable characters, and even a couple of cast members.
As evidenced in the trailer, Battlefront II follows a female Imperial commander named Iden Versio who's determined to bring justice to the galaxy and secure the Empire's power once and for all. The events of Battlefront II will take place during the 30-year gap between the end of Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens. Our protagonist, Iden, helms an elite group of Stormtroopers known as the Inferno Squad.
On stage at Star Wars Celebration, EA representatives confirmed that True Blood star Janina Gavankar voices Iden Versio. Arrow actor Paul Blackthorne was seen in a behind-the-scenes clip, but details on his possible role aren't yet known.
According to DICE creative director Bernd Diemer, Battlefront II's multiplayer mode is "a hero's journey," it supports up to 40 players, and covers the entirety of the Star Wars film franchise, spanning all three eras. Gamers can pick from a long list of playable heroes and villains, including franchise favorites like Luke Skywalker, Yoda, Darth Maul, Kylo Ren, and Rey. Additionally, three maps for the game have been announced: Yavin 4, Mos Eisley, and Starkiller Base.
Battlefront II fittingly goes all in on the battle front, offering access to tons of cool gadgets, ships, and weapons. Jet off to Hoth to battle AT-ATs and Snowtroopers aboard a tauntaun, or show off your Poe Dameron skills in an X-Wing as you take on TIE Fighters and Star Destroyers. The choice is entirely yours. Players can even climb inside the Millennium Falcon and take it for a spin. Overall, the game's battles are more like "high stakes dogfights," according to EA. Sounds pretty intense.
While some fans may be wary of a new character like Iden joining the Star Wars mythos, EA clarified that all fresh faces were created "in close partnership with the story group at Lucasfilm." Additionally, Battlefront II's campaign was developed by Jade Raymond's Motive studio. Raymond previously served as the former head of Ubisoft Toronto.
Mark Thompson of Motive dove into details on what the single-player campaign actually entails. "We wanted to create a campaign that told a story we haven't seen before in Star Wars," Thompson said. "It was important for us to tell a new authentic story, one that gives players a brand-new perspective. By putting players in the boots of an elite member of the Imperial forces, we can show them what the battle was like from the other side."
Fans can get their hands on Battlefront II a few days early by preordering the "Elite Trooper Deluxe Edition" of the game. The special version features trooper upgrades and Last Jedi-themed content, like "exclusive Kylo Ren and Rey looks" and offers pre-release access to the title on November 14.
Star Wars: Battlefront II is slated for release on November 17. Until then, check out the things we hope to see in the game.