Even with EA Play taking place June 10 through 12, EA still has a strong presence at E3. And the publisher has to be banking on strong week for Star Wars Battlefront II, which looks to rebound from a disappointing first entry.
An Uphill Battle
As mentioned, the first Battlefront is generally regarded as a disappointing game. While it definitely felt like Star Wars, it didn't feel like a full game. Many of the maps were smaller sections of the biggest maps, there was no single-player, and the content that should have been there was trapped behind a paywall. As time went on, it filled out and started feeling like a complete game, but it wasn't enough to wash the initial tastes out of people's mouths.
This put Battlefront II behind the eight-ball from the start. Going into Star Wars Celebration, the game needed to have a strong debut to alleviate any concerns that were circling the game. Some of these included a possible single-player campaign and more variety in the multiplayer. When EA and DICE lifted the curtain on it, it definitely alleviated a lot of concerns. The caveat was that there was nothing playable on hand, instead just having a full trailer and a panel going into what the game will entail.
Going Into E3
It's safe to say that Battlefront II will be one of EA's tentpoles for EA Play and E3. DICE has made a history of having strong showings during the trade shows, given the team's history with Battlefield at E3. The question is, what will be shown on stage, single or multiplayer?
Since its DICE, multiplayer is the bread and butter of that studio. At several conferences and keynotes over the last few years, multiplayer has been used to show off just what the game in question is capable of. This was the same case for the first Battlefront, but that was more by necessity. Given the lack of single-player in the first title, this was the only option. That said, showing off the multiplayer for the sequel could still sell the game, since it will incorporate content from all three eras of the films.
The safer bet, though, might be single-player being shown off. The panel at Star Wars Celebration spent a lot of time focused on the single-player campaign, which will tell the story of Inferno Squad, an Imperial spec-ops team. Since this is serving as a big selling point for the game, EA will keep the focus on the campaign.
Either way, EA needs Star Wars Battlefront II to have a good week to further alleviate fears.
