Summary
If asked a little while ago, the future of theStar Wars Battlefrontfranchise would’ve been deemed entirely uncertain if not shelved entirely. But in actuality, the series may not be fully retired since it was announced at the Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase thataStar Wars Battlefront Classic Collectionis arriving in the middle of March.
Of course, this doesn’t meanStar Wars Battlefrontwill be exhumed or have a new modern entry in the works, though it does scratch an itch that could continue to be satiated if the collection is successful enough. A newBattlefrontwouldn’t even need to have the same PvP structure necessarily, at least not exclusively. It might not allow for the same degree of customization or diversity in terms of which characters are playable, and yet a PvEStar Wars Battlefronttitle could be exhilarating with the same formula and aesthetic as Arrowhead’sHelldivers 2.
Helldivers 2 is the Perfect Blueprint for a PvE Star Wars Battlefront Game
Star Wars’ Clone Wars Meet the Epic Standard of Helldivers’ Intensity
It’s true thatBattlefronthas had single-player campaigns and comparable game modes with PvE, butHelldivers’ specific focus on PvE in incredibly straightforward mission types is somethingBattlefrontcould learn from and excel with. It’s already a formulaBattlefrontcould easily translate to its own intergalactic warfare, and it’s unsurprising that the animatedClone Warsseries has been used to illustrate how hectic each firefight feels inHelldivers 2; clone troopers versus an unending horde of battle droids makes for an epic spectacle not unlike Helldivers versus an unending horde of Automatons.
There’srarely a moment inHelldivers 2not defined by humor or bombastand friendly fire alone in a PvEStar Warsgame could offer the same.
A Helldivers 2-esque Battlefront Would Be Much Less Inclusive
The clearest outcome would be having players dropped in to confront battle droids as clone troopers, but nothing says that a four-player squad of rebels couldn’t also be dropped in to take on stormtroopers. Generationally, it doesn’t necessarily make a difference;Star Wars Battlefront’s traditional, epic PvPallows players to choose which side they wish to fight for, whereas a PvE game would need to pick a side.
Therefore, a PvEBattlefrontwould need to abandon the excellent catalog of customization options that its PvP counterparts offer in terms of character skins and models since stormtroopers, battle droids, and First Order stormtroopers would no longer be playable. Plus, it’s easier to maintain a level ofparody inHelldivers 2because the enemy is always either a monstrous bug or a soulless killing machine, while the enemies inBattlefrontare far more human—even droids are humorous, for instance, and stormtroopers are still people despite being faceless facsimiles.
The likeliest reason why aBattlefrontgame emulatingHelldivers 2would be complicated, though, is due to progression being entirely wrapped around battle passes and microtransactions inHelldivers 2. Players return from each mission with at least one more medal than they previously had, which goes toward Warbond battle passes and grants them access to new gear, weapons, and cosmetics.
Star Wars Battlefront 2had a notoriously disastrous delivery of microtransactionsand loot boxes that had a hand in its reception being underwhelming, and therefore the nextBattlefrontgame to follow it having its own battle passes and microtransactions could be a slippery slope. That said, if it could ensure players that its implementation of such live-service features would be identical to those inHelldivers 2, a PvEBattlefrontgame could thrive in that same environment, especially with the knowledge of mistakes made and rectified.
Helldivers 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Do you believe in freedom? Can you stand in the face of oppression – and defend the defenceless? Wage war for peace. Die for democracy.Join forces with up to three friends and wreak havoc on an alien scourge threatening the safety of your home planet, Super Earth, in this multiplayer co-op shooter for PS5 and PC from Arrowhead Game Studios.Step into the boots of the Helldivers, an elite class of soldiers whose mission is to spread peace, liberty and Managed Democracy using the biggest, baddest and most explosive tools in the galaxy.Helldivers don’t go planet side without proper backup, but it’s up to you to decide how and when to call it in. Not only do you have a host of superpowered primary weapons and customizable loadouts, you also have the ability to call on stratagems during play.Helldivers 2 features Arrowhead’s best cooperative gameplay yet. Collaboration will be vital: Teams will synergize on loadouts, strategize their approach for each mission and complete objectives together.1Enlist in Super Earth’s premier military peacekeeping force today. We are heroes… we are legends… WE ARE HELLDIVERS.
