Will Battlefront 2 continue to be maintained?

@quenaelin I am very much opposed to making this game pay-to-play. What about the people who can't afford to just throw money around, like me?

@TheGamerSeal You don't need to pay anything, there is enough content now and in the future EA should offer both payable and free content for this game. There are so many monetization methods, gamers could pay only for cosmetics/singleplayer content/heroes they want, I hope EA will figure out something except lootbox gambling to keep this game and franchise going in the future. Without money it isn't happening, you know that free-to-play games have also lootboxes or cosmetics to buy, they aren't excactly free to play games, unprofitable free-to-play game isn't any success.

@quenaelin Monetization is the shortest route to persecution.

@TheGamerSeal How it is persecution to pay for good content, you don't want to pay anything for good game? We don't live in that kind of world, there isn't free games here.

@quenaelin When companies introduce monetization into their games, a number of massive problems come with it.

Communities will be fractured - a problem that would not be good for Battlefront 2 in particular. This will lead to outrage from people who want access to content locked behind pay-walls. This game already had a terrible beginning due to the horrible design of progression - how people could essentially pay real money to instantly access the best content; why would you put effort towards earning the credits for Darth Vader (a mistake from Day 1, mind you) when you could just buy him? It leads to a really unbalanced community.

Besides, any form of monetization in a game that revolves around content has ALWAYS been a subject of mass hatred in the community. There are some games who know exactly what they're doing, and avoid the issues that will make their players angry. Consider Team Fortress 2. All of the content is free, but you have the option to support map creators, purchase fashionable attire, and deck out your weapons with all sorts of cosmetic looks - all of these are optional, though.

People who are a little more conservative with their money don't want to throw it towards extra content every time it comes out, and what ends up happening to them is they essentially get left behind as people move onto the new content.

Let me ask, how many people do you see using Han's "Captain" appearance that have a level greater than 20? How many people do you see using Palpatine's "Emperor" appearance now that he has "Sith Eternal"? Many people want to have access to the newest content, but put a price on that, and you run into problems.

@TheGamerSeal What is your solution to all this, free content, free games and free live service? Modern games can't be working anymore like you suggest like Team Fortress 2 pay if you like method, there need to be huge amount of developers for making new content each year and you will need money to maintain development and support. Are games like Fortnite or Overwatch mass hated games? Their monetization methods works just fine and where is hatred and fractured community? There needs to be monetization method that works otherwise support dies like it happened with this game. If other player have "Sith Eternal" or basic "Emperor" appearance how is that generating hatred if you put price on that, other player who has payable skin have payed to support this game, other player doesn't need to pay anything. Then some singleplayer content could be payable also, how that generates more hatred or fractures community if you like to pay for new singleplayer campaign or new singleplayer mode? That same thing will happen if you have to buy new game, with monetization service other players just don't need to buy that new game if they don't want to play new singleplayer campaign. Without anykind of monetization all players need to buy same game to be able to play it, you can't maintain live content and support service behind that for longer time like years. I don't know about future of this game maybe this game will be like Team Fortress 2, modders are making more content and you can pay if you like, I prefer official supported payable content for this game or then entirely new Star Wars Battlefront 3 game.

@quenaelin It struck me as funny that you asked if Fortnite had any hatred, but to avoid any argument on that, I'll assume you were referring to hatred specifically in the Fortnite community.

I believe that every game that works off a content update system should have a defined end of development, where the game has reached its full potential and can be put into the hands of the community. Despite EA's claim that Battlefront 2 has reached its full potential, I and many others would strongly agree that Battlefront 2 did not, in fact, reach its full potential; we are still missing key locations*, heroes**, and quality of life improvements. This is why I believe that EA should not spend time and resources on a third Battlefront installment, but rather have DICE return to Battlefront 2 when the time is right.

From my understanding, the latest Battlefield game was such a flop that EA pulled the company that worked on it, among other games, into focusing solely on the next installment so that it can be better. When the next Battlefield game releases, I would hope EA would be smart enough to allow DICE to return to Battlefront 2 so that it can finally reach its full potential. I'm certain that many of the Battlefront 2 developers would love to return - for example, Guillame Mroz (hero designer) expressed his regrets that Ahsoka could not make it into the game.

I assure you, no game that puts a price on new content will have a strong community that lasts a long time. Expecting your community to pay more than the initial price to experience the full game is, in my opinion, a marketing scheme born out of greed.

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I've got some other stuff to work on right now, and frankly, I don't know what else to say without seeming like I'm ranting, but I had some asterisks up there in paragraph two, referring to examples I'd like to discuss. They are as follows:

* Coruscant and Mustafar come to mind. Imagine Blast or Heroes vs. Villains on Mustafar, where the enemy team isn't your only threat - you would have to be cautious of lava, and potentially, collapsing sections of the map.

** Ahsoka Tano and Asajj Ventress, Jyn Erso and Director Krennic, Padme Amidala and maybe Cad Bane, Mace Windu and maybe Savage Oppress! Imagine Mace Windu having an ability that reflects his ability to channel his opponent's emotions against them. There's footwork in the game for Jyn Erso to use her melee ability from the first Battlefront, reflected in the Caphex Spy.

@TheGamerSeal All asterisk things you mentioned are great content for this game but I am afraid it won't happen without money, developers doesn't work without salary, they have to work for their living. Your assurements for weak community when game is payable doesn't help for billion dollar games like Fortnite. Isn't Fortnite community strong, most successful and most monetized game ever and you say their community isn't strong? Their community is strong but not that kind of modder community you are refering, their community is strong community with full of players, others pay and others don't. These are modern live service games where money is made and games are with full of content, yes it is greedy business but if you want everything free that is also greed. Of course there will be room for abandoned games and strong modder communites like with Team Fortress 2 or other modder supported games, but I will hope this game won't be among them, not just yet. Like you said there are so much content to be made and still work to do, but who is doing all that work, paid developers or modders, only future tells.