Skip to main content

‘Star Wars Battlefront II’ patch introduces explosive new game mode

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Star Wars Battlefront II has had a rough go of it since launching last holiday season. From the loot box controversy saga to its disappointing sales, Battlefront II wasn’t the holiday juggernaut Star Wars fans hoped for. But if you have stuck with the game or are looking for a reason to jump back in, the game’s latest patch adds a slew of new features including a fresh game mode.

Jetpack Cargo turns Battlefront II‘s multiplayer into a particularly explosive endeavor. In the eight-versus mode, all players wield rocket launchers. To dodge the onslaught of rockets criss-crossing about the map, each player has the lift afforded by a jetpack. If you’re interested in checking out Jetpack Cargo, do so soon, as the new game mode will only be available for a limited time.

Recommended Videos

Also entering the game for a limited time are Hoth-skin versions of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Leia Organa. Though these heroes can be previewed in the character customization menu, they will have to be unlocked from in-game challenges that EA will introduce.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

On the permanent addition side of things, Custom Arcade has received an assortment of new locations. You can now play on Kashyyyk, Endor, Crait, Jakku, Death Star II, and Hoth.

Additionally, you no longer have to unlock the first couple Trooper emotes. Two default emotes will automatically be given to each Trooper.

Along with the new content, the patch brings an array of tweaks and balances for many of the game’s heroes, bug fixes, and milestone adjustments.

The new patch comes ahead of the return of microtransactions in Battlefront II. While EA has acknowledged that the conversation surrounding the game’s loot boxes contributed to its lackluster sales, the publisher will move ahead with its original plan of reinstating them in the next few months. At this time, it’s unclear what form those transactions will take. Before microtransactions were removed from the game, EA faced massive criticism for what many deemed a pay-to-win model. EA is expected to reveal more about the nature of its second attempt at microtransactions in March.

Star Wars Battlefront II is available now on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

Steven Petite
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Steven is a writer from Northeast Ohio currently based in Louisiana. He writes about video games and books, and consumes…
Ubisoft’s Star Wars Outlaws stars a cunning hero seeking a new life
Kay Vess looking through window with shadow over face

Ubisoft announced Star Wars Outlaws, a new Star Wars game, in collaboration with Lucasfilm Games at today's Xbox Showcase. The latest installment leaves behind Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Survivor protagonist Cal Kestis in favor of a new rebellious, rule-breaking hero called Kay Vess.

Star Wars Outlaws: Official World Premiere Trailer

Read more
The best Star Wars games of all time
Cal fighting the Ninth Sister in Jedi Fallen Order.

Star Wars has been a cultural touchstone since the original film debuted in theaters more than 45 years ago. Today, the Star Wars brand is still led by the ongoing movie series. Each Star Wars movie release stirs frantic buzz across the world, and with Disney+, that even extends to television now with series like The Mandalorian.

It seeps into video games, too, and although there are a lot of bad Star Wars games, recent ones like Star Wars Jedi: Survivor prove they can be good. Let's take a look at the best Star Wars games, ranging from third-person shooters to full-blown role-playing games.

Read more
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is the culmination of the series’ rocky gaming history
Jedi Cal Kestis.

I've played Star Wars Jedi: Survivor's Coruscant heist opening multiple times at this point, and every time I play it, I can't help but think about what could've been with Star Wars 1313, the franchise's most infamous canceled game. 
The idea of an Uncharted-like game about Boba Fett fighting throughout the Coruscant underworld is such an excellent pitch that I've grieved the loss of a game I never even had a chance to play for over a decade. Playing through Survivor's opening doesn't elicit feelings of disappointment about 1313, though. Instead, I feel happy that at least some fraction of that idea was able to be realized.

Survivor's Metroidanvia-like level design and Lightsaber-and-Force-based combat are much different than what was promised from 1313. However, the idea of cleverly climbing and fighting across a seedy-looking level of Coruscant during a heist was still realized. Reflecting on the lost project ahead of this year's Star Wars Day, I had a revelation about Respawn Entertainment's latest game. Despite technically being a sequel to just Fallen Order, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor feels like the culmination of over a decade of Star Wars games, both released and canceled, that came before.
A walk through Star Wars gaming history
Growing up, two of my favorite video games were the original Star Wars: Battlefront II and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. To this day, 2005's Battlefront II is my favorite game of all time, not only because of all the great memories that I had with it but also because it feels like an authentic Star Wars simulator where multiple eras, planets, and characters are preserved in incredible detail. Survivor feels like it has the same keen attention to detail.
Players may not visit as many planets as they do in Battlefront II, but each location in Survivor is densely packed with content and immaculately packed with detailed environments and characters that faithfully represent the High Republic, prequel, and Imperial eras. While the aesthetics feel as detailed as Battlefront, the gameplay fantasy pulls more from The Force Unleashed.

Read more