Star Wars Battlefront 2 - Janina Gavankar plays the single-player hero, Beta info, and everything you need to know

Fast Facts

Star Wars Battlefront 2 release date: November 17, 2017
Formats: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Developer: DICE, Criterion, Motive
Price: $59.99 / £59.99

Well, you can’t accuse EA of ignoring feedback. Star Wars Battlefront 2 addresses almost all the key criticisms of the original game: the sequel spans all eras of the movie trilogy, introduces multiplayer character classes, and debuts an extended single-player story campaign. You’ll play as an elite Imperial officer, Iden Versio – played by Sleepy Hollow Star Janina Gavankar – in a tale spanning the 30-year gap between the The Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens. We’ve combined all the key Star Wars Battlefront 2 details released so far below – via trailers, interviews, and social media – as we join the dots between facts and rumours, plus investigate what DICE’s shooter will show off next.

Star Wars Battlefront 2 release date - when is it?

Star Wars Battlefront 2 is due on November 17, 2017, and it’s coming to PS4, Xbox One, and PC. That’s roughly the same time of year as the original Battlefront, and you should expect BF2 to nail this release date without any delays, in order to make it out before Christmas and - crucially - before Star Wars: The Last Jedi hits cinemas in December. Development seems pretty well progressed, and DICE has a large, hugely talented team working on it. After launch, you can expect a steady stream of DLC (all available through a season pass) that explores new planets and reflects some of the key moments from the new movie.

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Star Wars Battlefront 2 on Nintendo Switch - is that happening?

Well, one of the hottest pre-E3 rumours is that Star Wars Battlefront 2 will arrive as a Nintendo Switch game too. That’d be a huge boost for the console, which is getting Super Mario Odyssey and Skyrim Special Edition this year, but few other big hitters. Switch is certainly powerful enough to host a game like Battlefront 2, and the multiplayer environment should be all set-up too. And, yes, there are loads of Star Wars fans who also own Switch consoles, so… it wouldn’t be a huge surprise. We do know the game will have bonus content for PS4 owners, as the reveal trailer was heavily PlayStation branded.

Star Wars Battlefront 2 trailer - where can I watch it?

Here’s the trailer from Star Wars Celebration in April. It shows off all the confirmed features, including the new protagonist of the story mode - Iden Versio - and a bunch of clues about multiplayer, like space battles and hero fights from across the entire franchise. No, it isn’t canon, but you can have Yoda fighting Darth Maul, if that’s your wish. Check out all the footage right here, then we’ll break down all the different pieces of the puzzle. Oh, and look out for a fresh trailer AND first in-game footage at E3.

Star Wars Battlefront 2 single player - you can play solo this time

Yes, there’s an actual story this time, so you can play through the game in single-player and not just be taking part in isolated battles against AI bots. It follows Imperial Officer Iden Versio, who's on the losing side of the Battle of Endor. She witnesses the Death Star getting blown to dust, and dedicates the rest of her career to exacting revenge on the Jedi and Rebels who killed her Emperor. What we’ll see is the ‘flip-side’ of the Star Wars universe, and we’ll get insight into how the Empire decays after Return of the Jedi, and becomes The New Order before Force Awakens. This game bridges that entire gap, and you can guarantee some cheeky cameos from some of Force Awakens’ major players.

It's a move that's sure to delight John Boyega (Finn in The Force Awakens), who tweeted his concerns about the lack of single-player activity in Star Wars Battlefront to EA. Boyega explained that he was a long-time fan of the Battlefield games, but wanted 'to engage within a narrative'.

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Star Wars Battlefront 2 multiplayer - what maps and modes will we play?

Of course the heart of Battlefront is the multiplayer, and it’s back for BF2. Here you’ll get to fight across all eras of the central Star Wars story, from the start of the prequels (shudder) to the end of The Force Awakens. So far we’ve spotted the following multiplayer maps in the trailer, and have had extras confirmed by DICE:

Hoth (yay!)
Vardos
Takodana
Starkiller Base
Theed
Yavin 4

There are loads more to follow, and you can expect to be playing a Last Jedi map after the movie has released in theaters. In terms of modes, there have been no new announcements, other than Space Battles (in the trailer we see a massive space fight in the ruins of the second Death Star, so that seems to be a likely map). Expect Walker Assault and Supremacy to return, along with a handful of smaller modes from the original. Hero Battle and Droid Run will probably return as well.

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Star Wars Battlefront 2 heroes - what Jedi and Sith are in this game?

Ok, so you know that you can mix and match Heroes from different eras and have them fight, right? Each will have a suite of special abilities, just like they do in the first Battlefront. Right now, we know that the following characters are in Battlefront 2:

Yoda
Darth Maul
Kylo Ren
Rey
Luke Skywalker

Pre-order bonuses suggest we’ll get heroes from the Last Jedi, and we’ve heard the Emperor will be playable too. Obi-Wan, Han Solo, and Captain Phasma seem like very safe bets too. Interestingly, the way you become a Hero has changed too - it’s no longer tied to a specific pick-up on the battlefield. Instead, you need to perform specific actions in a game, and you’ll be granted the ability to spawn as a Hero or vehicle as a reward. Heroes will also be more customizable, and you’ll have a progression ‘career’ with each of them, meaning you’ll unlock powers (and maybe costumes / different era skins) as you play.

Star Wars Battlefront 2 vehicles - what can you pilot?

Most of the vehicles from the first game will make a comeback. We already know - again from the pre-order bonuses - that the Millennium Falcon is returning as a Hero ship. Given that this game adds prequel-era stuff, you can expect a bunch of vehicles from those movies, along with a handful of craft from the Force Awakens, like New Order Tie-Fighters. AT-ATs are virtually guaranteed, hopefully with Rogue One-style variants, and you’re likely to see much more varied spacecraft to accompany the new Space Battles mode. U-Wings? Maybe - we got those in the Rogue One DLC for the original Battlefront. B-Wings and Y-Wings? Let’s hope so.

Star Wars Battlefront 2 multiplayer classes - how do they work?

Playing as a regular trooper in Battlefront 2 will be more enjoyable, according to DICE, thanks to deeper customization options and actual class options. This means you can choose specific classes and tailor them to your playstyle, a little like in EA's own Battlefield 1. Basic troopers will have different loadouts and some small-impact abilities too, so you’ll be able to tinker around and make them more ‘your style’. There will be Elite classes too, which you'll likely be able to play as in limited numbers, much like in the original. Pre-order bonuses tell us that some of these Elite classes are: Elite Officer, Heavy Metal, Armored Assault, and Master Specialist. You’ll also be able to form squads, and have basic combat tactics - the aim here is to make it easier for a bunch of regular Joes to take down a hero, if they’re properly coordinated.

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Star Wars Battlefront 2 Beta - when is it and how do you get in?

According to reports, we’re getting a Star Wars Battlefront 2 multiplayer beta at some point this Fall / Autumn. It’s likely to be around October, as that’s the trend for DICE’s multiplayer shooters, although don’t rule out a surprise ‘play it this month’ reveal at E3. How do you access it? Anyone who pre-orders any edition of the game will get an access key, and it’s likely to run on both PS4 and Xbox One. What maps and modes will be playable? We’ll add this info when we get it.

Which movie trilogy eras will Star Wars Battlefront 2 span?

All of them. That’s Phantom Menace, right up through The Last Jedi. Yes, Rogue One is included in that list, as is The Force Awakens. Will it feature the Han Solo movie as DLC in 2018? No official word on that yet, but we’d bet our own personal hunk’o’junk on it happening. From what we’ve seen so far, multiplayer maps seem evenly distributed across eras, and there’s even a new planet - Vardos - which probably appears in the single-player story. There’s going to be… a hell of a lot of stuff in this game.

Star Wars Battlefront 2 pre-order - where can I get one, and what’s in it?

It’s all about the pre-order nowadays, right? For grabbing the Star Wars Battlefront 2 standard edition or the Elite Trooper Deluxe Edition, you get the following:

Yoda's Epic Lightsaber Mastery Star Card
6 Hero and Starfighter Epic Star Cards
Star Wars: The Last Jedi outfits for Kylo Ren and Rey
Star Wars: The Last Jedi appearance and sounds for the Millennium Falcon

Snagging the Deluxe Edition will also get you three days of early access to the game, and upgraded versions of all four classes. Want to spend your money now? Well, here you go:

Star Wars Battlefront 2 standard edition on Amazon

Star Wars Battlefront 2: Deluxe Edition on Amazon

Star Wars Battlefront 2 VR - will it happen?

Given that Criterion - who made the ace Star Wars VR experience - is involved in making Battlefront 2's story, the answer is… very likely. We spoke to the studio during the creation of X-Wing VR, and the team admitted they were looking into other ways to use the tech in forthcoming projects. Could be we’ll see some kind of VR speederbike chase, or a virtual tour of some of the franchise’s most iconic locations. Don’t expect it to be a core part of Battlefront 2, though, either in single- or multiplayer.