Battlefront's Campaign Was Cut so it Could Launch With Episode VII

Steven Bogos

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Jan 17, 2013
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Battlefront's Campaign Was Cut so it Could Launch With Episode VII

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Something a lot of us already suspected: Star Wars Battlefront was rushed out the door to meet The Force Awaken's release date.

So most of us agree that Star Wars Battlefront [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/tag/view/star%20wars%20battlefront] was kind of bare-bones - especially with its distinct lack of any sort of singleplayer campaign. Well today publisher EA games has confirmed something we all sort of suspected: the game originally did have a campaign mode planned, but it was scrapped so they could get the game out the door in time for The Force Awakens theatrical release.

"We made [the choice] due to time and being able to launch the game side-by-side with the movie that came out to get the strongest possible impact," Patrick Soderlund, EA Studios boss, explained in an investor broadcast [http://edge.media-server.com/m/p/9gxpxwa7].

Soderlund's confirmation certainly explains a lot, and it really makes you wonder just how much more of the game was cut in order for it to make launch with the movie.

Battlefront is currently sitting on a 75 rating at Metacritic, something Soderlund hopes to remedy with the game's impending sequel [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/167409-Star-Wars-Battlefront-2-Will-Release-in-2017].

"I think the team created a really good game based on the premise that we had. I would say the game has done very well for us and reached a very different demographic than a traditional EA game.

"So from that perspective, it's a success. Are we happy with the 75 rating? No. Is that something we're going to cure going forward? Absolutely."

Unless, of course, Battlefront 2 has features cut in order to release with Episode VIII...

Source: Eurogamer [http://edge.media-server.com/m/p/9gxpxwa7]

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Kreett

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Nov 20, 2009
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I can't fault them for this to be truly honest, I mean having EA breathe down your neck about releasing your game already because money, to have Disney join them behind you for a creepy stalker neckbreathing bonanza while at the same time making a watered down version of Battlefront with a fancy engine you probably have no idea how it actually works seeing the states Battlefield games come out in. I'd probably leave Dice to work at IKEA instead.
 

The Rogue Wolf

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"We deliberately cut content for a full-price game in order to rush it for the sake of hype- so please buy the sequel on release; we promise we won't do it again!"

Pull the other leg, Patrick. It's got bells on!
 
Sep 14, 2009
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The Rogue Wolf said:
"We deliberately cut content for a full-price game in order to rush it for the sake of hype- so please buy the sequel on release; we promise we won't do it again!"

Pull the other leg, Patrick. It's got bells on!
my thoughts as well. so you admit to scrapping a campaign, but the price sure as hell didn't reflect that, nor did the DLC, those fuckers.

yeah it might've been EA, but I'm not letting dice off easy for it either.
 

Saelune

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Why don't they...I dunno...finish the game then? I mean, sure they probably would sell it as DLC (like Destiny did) but I mean, its not like we don't live in a time where you can just update games post launch.

Kreett said:
I can't fault them for this to be truly honest, I mean having EA breathe down your neck about releasing your game already because money, to have Disney join them behind you for a creepy stalker neckbreathing bonanza while at the same time making a watered down version of Battlefront with a fancy engine you probably have no idea how it actually works seeing the states Battlefield games come out in. I'd probably leave Dice to work at IKEA instead.
I can. If DICE want to live under EA's shitty roof, they will suffer the blame too. Sure, I generally blame EA more than I do DICE (or Bioware) but they also let themselves be crappy developers who fault under EA's thumb.
 

The_Great_Galendo

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Saelune said:
Why don't they...I dunno...finish the game then? I mean, sure they probably would sell it as DLC (like Destiny did) but I mean, its not like we don't live in a time where you can just update games post launch.
Because finishing the game would make less money than pumping out a sequel, presumably.
 

Bob_McMillan

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I actually don't care if they have a singleplayer, I just want more content, and improvements to the gameplay. On console this game is a mess.
 

RJ 17

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The_Great_Galendo said:
Saelune said:
Why don't they...I dunno...finish the game then? I mean, sure they probably would sell it as DLC (like Destiny did) but I mean, its not like we don't live in a time where you can just update games post launch.
Because finishing the game would make less money than pumping out a sequel, presumably.
That's what I'd imagine. I'm guessing that by "we scrapped the campaign" they really meant "we put it on the back-burner with a post-it saying 'to be completed for the sequel'."

I mean it's not like they'd need to come up with an entirely new campaign since they never gave us one in the first place.
 

Shoggoth2588

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These are the assholes with exclusive rights to Star Wars video games! Which only matters if you want to play new Star Wars games on a Nintendo Console...Anyway, Battlefront...Sounds like the kind of thing EA would do. They knew the MP was functional and they knew you people would shell out for the rest of the MP maps piece-by-piece so here we are. Crunch-time was probably a huge factor too since we had the movie release and Holiday shopping...time. Maybe EA Presents Star Wars Battlefront 2 (no, not the good one) will launch as a complete game but I'm going to just assume the worse and see if a pattern doesn't emerge.
 

Worgen

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Whatever, just wash your hands.
It's fraken starwars, no part of it needs to launch with a movie. Its a big enough name to sell well no matter what.
 

Sniper Team 4

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See, that's funny, because I seem to recall that they said, outside of Jakku, NOTHING from Episode VII was going to be in this game. So...rushing it to meet a movie that you're not even allowed to touch? Probably not the best idea.

Refreshing to see that he flat acknowledges that they need to do better, but this was also a pretty solid hit to the face of people who did buy this game. "Yeah...we cut that thing that all of you wanted. Our bad." Which is a shame, because I did like playing Battlefront, but now that I have the platinum, I don't really feel the need to go back to it.

I will keep an eye on Battlefront II--because Star Wars--but it's going to need to learn pretty much ALL THE LESSONS that this game is trying to teach it. If not, pass.
 

Recusant

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"...launch the game side-by-side with the movie that came out to get the strongest possible impact", eh? Well, that makes sense. Like how that popular, well-made Ghostbusters game came out in 1984 and just sat on shelves for the next quarter century until machines were powerful enough to run it.

Okay, that was obviously sarcasm, but I do see EA's point here; it's not like Star Wars has a massive media empire behind it, such that a game could succeed without a simultaneous movie release.
 
Sep 24, 2008
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I'm sorry.

I didn't buy the game because no single player and all that.

... But other than hype, what exactly does Battlefront have to do with any of the new characters of The Force Awakens?

Any missions? Anything? If I am hyped by a movie and would like to play an experience tied to it... the game better have something tied to it.

The new Power Rangers is coming out soon! It's going to be a massive Reboot! Better come out with a video game strictly faithful and only referencing the old 90's series...
 

MeatMachine

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May 31, 2011
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*stab*
"I'm sorry."

*stab stab*
"so, so sorry..."

*stab stab stab*
"I feel really bad about this..."

*stab*
"...but I promise I won't do it again..."
*twist twist*
 

Nazulu

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Worgen said:
It's fraken starwars, no part of it needs to launch with a movie. Its a big enough name to sell well no matter what.
Exactly. The bloody movie made a killing before it was even out!

Also, why the hell do people look to Metacritic or Rotten Tomatoes or whatever like they're based on facts? Fuck 75! I'd drop it down to 5 or less! The game is as shallow as a pool for baby's.
 

chadachada123

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I can't say I'm surprised, but that doesn't make it much less infuriating. Great thing I saw the writing on the walls and didn't buy it, as it ended up being nothing like the games before it, and nothing like the sequel that was in the works years prior.

Good luck getting more money after shafting your userbase, DICE/EA.
 

Something Amyss

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The Rogue Wolf said:
"We deliberately cut content for a full-price game in order to rush it for the sake of hype- so please buy the sequel on release; we promise we won't do it again!"

Pull the other leg, Patrick. It's got bells on!
In fairness,t his game is so lackluster I don't thin it could have been saved by a campaign mode.
 

Something Amyss

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ObsidianJones said:
... But other than hype, what exactly does Battlefront have to do with any of the new characters of The Force Awakens?

Any missions? Anything?
Jakku.

As a DLC planet.

...I'm pretty sure that's it.
 

Metalrocks

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well, i didnt get this one, so i might as well skip out on the second one. i guess EA forgot how big star wars is in general. yes, epi 7 was hyped as hell and the most anticipated movie of the year but have been getting so many games as well. some sucked, some were really good and sold millions. but as always with EA, its about money. i guess it did had its effect for many because people are blind and accept anything as long their favorite title is there.