Star Wars: Battlefront II
Star Wars: Battlefront II

Fans of Battlefront II will be excited to learn that new content from Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker is coming! The Community Transmission from the developers had this to say:

We will also be working toward the release of content inspired by Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. While we don’t want to go into the exact specifics (no spoilers!), we can confirm that we will be building a new planet and some new reinforcements based on the conclusion to the galaxy-spanning Skywalker Saga. We’ll be back with more details on each of the above as we get closer to their release.

Battlefront II Developer’s Community Transmission

Smoother road after a rocky start

When Star Wars: Battlefront II was released in November of 2017, fans gave it a cold review. Game play was great, but the game was riddled with mini-transactions in the form of loot crates. It was essentially a pay-to-play format, giving wallet warriors an advantage if they were willing to spend real cash in-game.

EA star wars

In fact, it was so coldly received, the EA response to in-game transaction was the most down-voted comment in Reddit’s history. EA listened, and suspended the feature. They later brought it back in the form of cosmetic purchases using in-game credits, none of which affects game play at all. (And the fans rejoiced… yay!)

Now, Battlefront II gets regular content updates and still boasts a robust player base, even for a two-year-old game. With the announcement of more updates to come, players should have high expectations of game play longevity. A Battlefront III title may never be necessary.

Battlefront II DLC: What fans can expect

The developer post specifically says “new planet” and “new reinforcements”. That can mean a couple things. Let’s start with the planet.

Rey on Pasaana
Rey on Pasaana

The Episode IX trailer introduces us to two new worlds right away. The first is Pasaana. Desert worlds are a favorite in Star Wars, though Pasaana is not Jakku or Tattooine. The opening scene has Rey battling it out with a TIE Fighter, and somewhere through the trailer we again see Finn and Poe there being pursued by the First Order. The new battle planet could be Pasaana.

The planet Kijimi
The planet Kijimi

Kijimi also makes an appearance, but the trailer doesn’t show any fisticuffs going on there (that we know of), so it’s unlikely at this point. Other candidates we know about are the jungle planet, which fans think is Yavin 4, the crashed Death Star planet, which is thought to be Endor or also Yavin 4, and the unnamed planet Luke rebuilt his academy on, which we saw burning in the flashback scenes. A Knights of Ren battle there would be sweet!

What “Reinforcements” could mean

When we last see the Resistance in Episode VIII, you could fit the Resistance team into one tiny ship. They need reinforcements fast. Whomever that may be, they will likely be added to the game as well. The Mon Calamari are rumored in the comics to be one race sympathetic to joining the cause. The game already has the Quarren, so why not?

Mon Calamari
Fan art depiction of what an in-game Mon Calamari could look like

For the First Order, pretty much whatever Palpatine has been brewing will be coming to their aid. The D23 clip showed an armada of Star Destroyers coming for the Resistance, so someone has to be crewing them. Sith Troopers are the obvious new ones, but there may yet be more trooper and officer classes we haven’t seen yet.

We may also get some new heroes. Zorii Bliss and Jannah would round out the hero stable nicely.

Possible New Troopers and Hero Skins

Thus far, Battlefront II has provided multiple options for Clone Troopers. Not only do you get the different combat disciplines, but you get different unit markings like the 501st and the 327th Star Corps among others. With new Episode IX DLC, fans should expect the new Sith Troopers and Jet Troopers unveiled at SDCC and D23 respectively.

Star Wars SDCC Sith Troopers
Sith Troopers – Image: Hot Toys

We will also likely see skin updates to Rey and Finn (Finn needs one badly), as well as Kylo’s shattered helmet, and maybe even an upgrade to Palpatine or Vader, since D23’s new footage teased the possible return of everyone’s favorite asthmatic dark lord. Some updates to some of the older heroes that are rumored to have an appearance in Episode IX would also be welcome, though there’s already several to choose from.

A new Rey update could be really interesting. Based on D23’s clip, she will have at least two new looks in The Rise of Skywalker: Her white Jedi robes and a new black-clad outfit with a dual-ended red light saber, ala Darth Maul. Deviantart.com is a fun place to waste time on the web, and it is already awash in fan art of Rey’s turn to the dark side. Exciting stuff!

Fan art depicting Sith Rey (Not from the D23 clip!)
Fan art depicting a Sith Rey (Not from the D23 clip!)

Battlefront II: Updates Galore

Battlefront II has recently received multiple updates, with the addition of the Arc Trooper and Commando Droids, along with the new Capital Ship invasion maps. For a console game to have this long of a life is not breaking news, however, most DLC additions and game updates are usually a conclusion to game play and story arcs.

Also, making a return in September are the single-player Instant Action modes. Add to that the Felucia map and the new PVE co-op mode and we’ve got a whole new game to play. These updates are virtually guaranteeing a long life for re-playability. That’s great news for Star Wars fans and gamers alike!

Attack of the Clone.... updates!
Attack of the Clone…. updates!

What are your thoughts on the DLC news? What do you think of the recent updates to the game? Do you think this will overshadow Jedi: Fallen Order? Let us know! Comment below, and stick with That Hashtag Show to keep up with all things geek pop culture!