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EA’s March 2018 update for Star Wars Battlefront II unlocked every hero and Hero ship available at the time for all players, removed Star Cards from purchasable crates, and made gameplay-impacting progression earnable through play. It did not end monetization: players could still buy cosmetic appearances with Crystals.
What changed in the March 2018 update?
EA’s progression redesign began rolling out on March 21, 2018. The central change was that advantages affecting gameplay would come from playing, not from spending real money. EA stated that “Star Cards, or any other item impacting gameplay, will only be earned through gameplay and will not be available for purchase.” (EA’s progression announcement)
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
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| 1 |
![Star Wars Battlefront II Celebration Edition EA App - Origin PC [Online Game Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51u5Kk7V5VL._SL160_.jpg)
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Star Wars Battlefront II Celebration Edition EA App - Origin PC [Online Game Code] | $39.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Star Wars Battlefront II - PlayStation 4 | $21.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Star Wars Battlefront II - Xbox | $11.52 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Star Wars Battlefront II - Xbox One | $35.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Star Wars Battlefront II - PlayStation 2 (Renewed) | $19.33 | Buy on Amazon |
| Area | Before the redesign | After the redesign |
|---|---|---|
| Heroes and Hero ships | Some required unlocking. | All then-available heroes and Hero ships were unlocked for all players. |
| Star Cards | Could be obtained through crates and other progression routes. | Earned through gameplay progression, then unlocked or upgraded with Skill Points. |
| Crates | Could include Star Cards and be purchased. | No longer purchasable and no longer contained Star Cards or other gameplay-impacting items; rewards were Credits or cosmetics. |
| Real-money purchases | Could be tied to progression items. | Crystals remained usable for selectable appearances, not gameplay power. |
Did EA unlock every Battlefront II hero?
It unlocked all heroes and Hero ships that were available when the update took effect, for every player. That wording matters: EA did not promise that any heroes or Hero ships introduced later would automatically be free. The official FAQ said newly introduced heroes and Hero ships would be unlockable with Credits. (EA’s progression update FAQ)
How did progression work after the change?
Players earned experience for the classes, heroes, and ships they chose to use in multiplayer. Leveling a unit granted a Skill Point, which could be spent to unlock or upgrade an eligible Star Card. This replaced crate-based access to Star Cards with a more direct loop: play a particular unit, progress it, and spend its earned Skill Points.
#1 Best Overall
- Star Wars Battlefront 2 base game plus more than 150 Hero, Trooper, and Reinforcement cosmetic appearances.
- Huge Star Wars Battles Across Three Eras – Rebel against the Empire. Crush the Resistance.
Players kept Star Cards, heroes, weapons, and other unlocks they had already earned. The update changed how progression worked going forward rather than wiping existing progress. (EA’s announcement)
What remained in crates—and what could players buy?
Crates could no longer be purchased and no longer contained Star Cards. EA said players could earn them through daily logins, milestones, and timed challenges. Their contents were Credits or cosmetic items such as emotes and victory poses.
Rank #2
- A new hero, a story untold in an emotionally gripping new Star Wars campaign that spans over 30 years
- The ultimate battleground
- Galactic scale space combat: Space combat has been designed for Star Wars Battlefront II from the ground up with distinct handling, weapons and customization options
- Battery: No battery used
Crystals still had a paid role, but the FAQ limited their use to selectable appearances. They could not buy Star Cards, weapons, or other items that affected gameplay. Ars Technica described the revised real-money purchases as cosmetic-only. (EA FAQ; Ars Technica)
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why was the update described as a retreat?
“Admits defeat” is a characterization of EA’s response, not the name of a game feature. The progression overhaul followed the backlash over the game’s monetization and the shutdown of microtransactions, as reported by Ars Technica. In a November 2017 statement reproduced by the outlet, DICE General Manager Oskar Gabrielson said the company had heard concerns about unfair advantages and apologized: “Sorry we didn’t get this right.”
Rank #3
- Designed for Sony PSP
- Choose one of dozens of characters from the Star Wars universe, hop into famous vehicles, and then duke it out online in epic battles. Players can dogfight in X-wings, TIE fighters, Jedi starfighters and more. It's even possible to board an enemy capital s
- New space battles allow you to dogfight in X-wings, TIE fighters, Jedi starfighters and several other starcraft, or fight it out on foot aboard an enemy capital ship
- Special opportunities throughout the game for players to wield a lightsaber and use their favorite Force powers as a Jedi
- More than 13 new battlefronts on land and in space, including many from Star Wars - Episode III Revenge of the Sith such as Utapau, Mustafar and the space battle above Coruscant
The March changes addressed the purchase of gameplay power, but did not remove every progression difference between players. Ars Technica noted that gaps could still exist between new players and those with highly upgraded characters. An earlier EA adjustment in October 2017 had already removed Epic Star Cards from crates, while leaving them primarily obtainable through crafting; special Epic cards were exceptions for pre-order and deluxe editions. The March redesign went further by making gameplay-impacting progression earnable through play. (EA’s October 2017 update)
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Disc only. Original case and manual not included. Will come packaged in a generic case.
- This renewed game has been cleaned, tested, and shows minimal wear.
Rank #4
- The reboot of the Battlefront series returns with a new character class system and a single-player campaign in Star Wars: Battlefront II. Solo gamers join the Galactic Empire as Iden Versio, commander of an Imperial special forces unit known as Inferno Squad.
- Beginning after the explosion of Death Star II, players embark on a 30-year campaign in which they interact with iconic Star Wars characters and fight to suppress the rebellion in battles on land and in space, while multiplayer fans pick from four classes, head to iconic locations, and compete in a variety of modes.
- Gamers choose from Assault, Heavy, Specialist, or Support classes and then switch between first-person and third-person perspectives as they fight across worlds like Endor, Jakku, Naboo, and Yavine 4, either on foot, or aboard vehicles like speeder bikes, snowspeeders, and AT-ATs.
- Multiplayer modes include the objective-based scenarios of Strike, Galactic Assault, and Starfighter Assault, the close-quarters combat of Blast, and four-on-four battles in Heroes vs. Villains mode.
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