EA Announces Open Beta For Star Wars Battlefront

In April at Star Wars Celebration, Star Wars Battlefront was announced. The frequently asked question that followed was if there would be a Beta. I am happy to announce that there is.

The Star Wars Battlefront Beta will be coming at the beginning of October and will be available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Origin for PC. The Beta is a technical test and will feature Walker Assault on Hoth, which is a 40-player multiplayer battle between the Rebels and the Empire. Walker Assault is also giving you the option of playing as two major characters in the Star Wars universe, Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker.

The beta will also feature a Survival Mission on Tatooine, in which you and a Rebel friend fight back waves of Imperial forces. This mode is reminiscent of other popular game modes, like Gears of War's Horde mode or Halo's Firefight, where you and a friend battle wave after wave of AI-controlled enemies.

On top of these two modes, there will be a new mode available for this Beta, called Drop Zone. There isn't a whole lot of information about Drop Zone yet but what we do know is that it will function similarly to Battlefield's Conquest mode. Two teams will fight for control and "capture vital pods and secure the battlefront" according to EA. Keep your eyes pealed on more details about this mode.

Another part of the Star Wars Battlefront Beta is the Star Wars Battlefront Companion experience and will be available during the Beta at www.StarWarsBattlefront.com. The Star Wars Battlefront Companion experience features the card game Base Command, which lets you earn in-game Credits for Star Wars Battlefront which unlock Star Cards, weapons, and more.

The Base Command allows the Rebels and Imperials alike to check game stats and progression, customize load-outs and appearances, connect with friends, and be notified when they're playing Star Wars Battlefront. You will also be able to gather intel on their stats and progression to compare how you match up. The Star Wars Battlefront Companion will be available on November 17, after Star Wars Battlefront is released. It will be available on the web and in the Apple App Store and Google Play.

If you're a Star Wars fan and a gamer then this is definitely the beta you are looking for. The beta releases on October 8th and ends on the 12th. PC players will be able to begin the download early on October 7th due to a larger download size. The beta is available for all players everywhere, just like the Good Lord intended.

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New Details Emerge About Star Wars: Battlefront

Star Wars Celebration recently wrapped up in Anaheim with the largest convention of all things Star Wars in the world pumping out a ton of details about all the Star Wars things coming out in the coming years, including the first big trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens and the first big trailer for EA and Dice's upcoming Star Wars: Battlefront. Information on Battlefront has been under wraps but Star Wars Celebration has finally pulled back the curtain on a lot of the games features, mechanics, maps and more.

The first thing you should know about Battlefront is that it will be playable first on Xbox One thanks to EA Access. Microsoft Game Marketing Lead Aaron Greenberg tweeted confirmation of the news on Twitter. There still isn't any information on how early the access will be for Xbox One users or if there will be a time limit on how long they can play it, as was the case with Battlefield Hardline.

Next, a release date for the game was leaked, stating that the game may be launching on November 17. salromano, a user over at NeoGAF spotted that the source code for Battlefront's website lists November 17, 2015 release date for the game on the Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC. The first gameplay trailer, which can be seen below, confirmed this release date at the end of the trailer.

Speaking of the trailer......wow. The trailer is made up entirely of game engine footage and man does it look amazing! The trailer shows rebel forces (both human and alien) fighting off stormtroopers on the jungle planet of Endor with AT-STs, AT-ATs, Y-Wings, rocket launchers, explosions and magnificence. We also get looks at planets like Hoth and what could be the planet Jakku, which is free DLC that is from The Force Awakens. In addition to that, we also get glimpses of some of the playable heroes in the game, Darth Vader and Boba Fett. Heroes will be playable characters much like they were in Battlefront 2. These characters will be seen as "boss" characters in the game and will be high priority targets.

One thing that many people were looking forward to, space battles, have been confirmed as not being a part of the game. However, that doesn't mean that players won't be able to hop in their favorite starfighters and engage in ship-to-ship combat. Players will still be able to jump into the cockpit of an X-Wing, Snowspeeder, Tie Fighter and, yes, even the Millennium Falcon herself and battle out planetside, similar to how jets worked in Battlefield 4.

Developers of the game also answered concerns from gamers that EA would only release a partially completed game, with more gameplay modes, maps, weapons, etc... saved for paid DLC. Talking to Reddit, Jesper Nielsen defended the team's commitment to releasing a game that expands on the strengths of past titles in terms of core gameplay and that there will be plenty of content available at launch.

Neilsen wrote: "I cannot stress this enough; there will be more than 8 maps! Also, the amount of content in the game has absolutely zero to do with DLC. I can say that with all honesty. As for expanding on strengths of the previous games; I think most people will find that it does expand on the strengths of the previous games, when it comes to core gameplay and what the feeling of a Battlefront game is. Just my two cents. Please don't make me break what I can and cannot say, but if you think there's anything we're not including in the game to save it for DLC, I can tell you you're 100% wrong. In this project, I've never heard anyone say 'Let's not do this for launch so we can do it as DLC instead. Ever."

Nielsen also noted that there are a lot of things about the game that haven't been revealed yet and that this game isn't a Battlefield re-skin. Yes it uses the Frostbite engine but it doesn't use a lot of Battlefield code. The game won't feature classes, like most first-person shooters. Instead there will be something different that will allow players to choose their own paths instead of "cookie-cutter roles", Nielsen added.

I, for one, am extremely excited for this game. I absolutely loved the Battlefield series when they debuted on the PS2 and Xbox and it's been far too long since a sequel has been made. The fact that it ties into the new movie is absolutely awesome and if the game looks anything remotely close to the trailer (which it should) it's going to be one of the most beautiful games coming out this year.

You can pre-order the game now, which has two versions available, the original version and the deluxe edition. The deluxe edition comes with instant access to the DL-44 blaster pistol (made famous by Han Solo), ion detonator, MPL ion torpedo, ion shock (exclusive emote) and victory (exclusive emote). Don't be surprised of a special collector's edition pops up when the game gets closer to launch. Check out the reveal trailer for the game below and, just because it's amazing, the second trailer for The Force Awakens.

Star Wars: The Old Republic Legacy Update 1.2 Now Live!

The highly anticipated game update 1.2 has finally gone live for Star Wars: The Old Republic making available new Operations, Flashpoints, PvP Warzones, gear and the all new Legacy System. Game update 1.2 is by far the largest update to hit BioWare's insanely popular MMO since the game launched back in December 2011.

One of the biggest updates to the game is the new Legacy system. The Legacy system in The Old Republic allows you to link together all of your characters on a particular server in a sort of family tree scenario. The first character you get to complete the game's first chapter (for my Jedia Sage it was around level 35) becaomes the "head of the family". From here every other character on your server can be linked to your main character via the Legacy system.



You can make all of your other characters related by making them siblings, children, adopted children, spouses, allies or rivals, allowing all those gamers out there who really want to make their own unique story to do it. However, you do get different unlocks through the Legacy system as well. One of the coolest unlocks you get is species unlocks. For every character you rank to level 50, that species then becomes available to every single class in the game.

For instance, the Sith Pureblood race is restricted to the Sith Inquisitor and Sith Warrior classes but if you rank up a level 50 Pureblood Inquisitor, then on your next playthrough, you can run as a Pureblood Smuggler or Pureblood Trooper. This feature was designed to make players want to create another character and go through the whole ranking process again and again. Although, if ranking one character was all you wanted to do, you can always buy the other species unlocks with in-game currency.

Also added with the Legacy system is Legacy gear. As your Legacy rank increases, you can get special Legacy gear specific to your Legacy. If you're running through as a Jedi Sentinel and you are rewarded with some Legacy gear that would be perfect for your Bounty Hunter character, you can always mail it to that character via the in-game mailing system. BioWare is planning on doing big things with the Legacy system in the future, which is hinted at in the game's new Legacy window, giving you something to look forward to.

A new operation, Operation Explosive Conflict, and a new PvP Warzone, Novare Coast, have also been added with update 1.2. I've yet to play Operation Explosive Conflict but here's a little snippet about the Operation from The Old Republic's website:

In Explosive Conflict, the legendary warlord Kephess has united two warring armies under his flag, declaring Denova's independence and proclaiming himself its ruler. Now the Republic and the Empire, each battling for control over the planet's vital resources, send their most powerful heroes to battle through the warlord's army of soldiers and mercenaries before facing off against Kephess himself for control of Denova.

I have played the new PvP Warzone Novare Coast. Novare Coast plays like the Alderaan Warzone with three massive turrets that each team will be vying for control of. According to the website:

In the Novare Coast player-vs-player Warzone, opposing forces battle for control of three mortar turrets that overlook a strategically vital beachhead. Control of the turrets means control of the beach, which very well may decide who takes control of the contested world of Denova!

Teams will need to control two turrets to win, just like Alderaan, which means a combination of offense, defense and teamwork is key. Of all the PvP Warzones this is by far my favorite one. The bright, outdoor beach scenario is fresh and entertaining and the ability for multiple teammates to take control of the turrets simultaneously to speed up the process adds extra tactics to the game.

Along with update 1.2 there are a lot of bug fixes and tweaks as well as the addition of some new mini pets, one of which you get just as a reward for playing. As a special gift, players will receive the Legacy Tauntaun Ram Pet, which is both cute and terrifying at the same time. You will receive your pet via in-game mail by April 25th so keep checking your inbox for that. In addition to that, Level 50 players and players with a Legacy Level of 6 will also receive 30 days of playtime for free! Not a bad deal if I do say so myself. There are also Guild Banks and the addition of UI customization, something fans have been waiting for since launch.

Legacy update 1.2 is now live and will download automatically the next time you launch the game so jump back on The Old Republic and start living out your Legacy!

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Pro-Family Group Outraged by Addition of Homosexuality to Star Wars Game

The pro-family group Family Research Council (FRC) is in an uproar over the addition of gay relationships to the massive multi-player game Star Wars: The Old Republic.

FRC is a nonprofit organization based in Washington D.C. that claims that it is "the leading voice for the family in our nation's halls of power." Recently, the group released a statement concerning their concern about Bioware’s addition of homosexuality into its Star Wars game.

Although the addition has not yet been made to the game, Bioware has announced that the ability to have a homosexual relationship with NPC characters in the game, not relationships with other game users, will be coming soon.

"In a galaxy not so far far away, Star Wars gamers have already gone to the dark side. The new video game, Star Wars: The Old Republic, has added a special feature: gay relationships," says Tony Perkins, FRC president, in a statement.

"Since the announcement, homosexuals have been celebrating the news, but parents sure aren't. On the game's website, there are more than 300 pages of comments - a lot of them expressing anger that their kids will be exposed to this Star Warped way of thinking. You can join them by logging on and speaking up. It's time to show companies who the Force is really with," adds Perkins.

There were some issues surrounding homosexuality in The Old Republic that came up in 2009. Users that posted on Bioware’s online forum noticed that words such as “gay,” “lesbian” and “homosexual” were censored any time that they were posted on the forum. When questioned about the censorship, Sean Dahlberg, the Bioware community manager, stated in an April 2009 post, "[Gay and lesbian] are terms that do not exist in Star Wars. Thread closed."

I guess that Bioware has changed its mind slightly about this issue because as of right now, the Old Republic gamers will soon be able to pursue relationships with NPC characters of either gender. According to Bioware, the reason that this ability was not simply included when the game was launched is due to a logistics issue.

"Due to the design constraints of a fully voiced MMO of this scale and size, many choices had to be made as to the launch and post-launch feature set. Same gender romances with companion characters in Star Wars: The Old Republic will be a post-launch feature," reads a statement on Bioware's forums.

"Because The Old Republic is an MMO, the game will live on through content expansions which allow us to include content and features that could not be included at launch, including the addition of more companion characters who will have additional romance options."

Sources: Family Research Council - Washington Watch Daily Radio Commentary and PCMag - Pro-Family Group Speaks Out Against Star Wars Game's Gay Relationships

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Star Wars: The Old Republic Early Access Has Commenced!

This is the moment fans have been waiting for for nearly three years now, the chance to play the actual, completed version of Star Wars: The Old Republic, EA and BioWare's Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game that puts players in the shoes of their very own Star Wars hero as he or she embarks on a quest to join the Republic and bring peace to the galaxy or side with the Sith and make every inhabitant of the galaxy bow and tremble before them.

BioWare initially asserted that anybody who pre-ordered the game would get early game access as early as December 15, a full five days before the game's December 20 release date. However, the company kicked it up a notch allowing players to get in as early as today, December 13, one full week before the game's launch. I was one of the lucky ones to get in today and you should be thankful I am taking time out of my day to write this piece.

Early access was given out in waves. The process involved inviting players based on when they redeemed their pre-order code for the game, so the earlier you redeemed, the earlier you go in. BioWare decided to insert players into the game in waves for many reasons. The main reason was so the game's servers didn't completely explode on opening day from the millions of players trying to log on simultaneously. The other reason was to reward players' devotion and enthusiasm in wanting to play the game.

Having played the game enough already today to rank my Jedi Consular up to level 6 and also having participated in three beta tests, I can assure you that this game is one of the most fun I have played in a while. I'm not big into MMOs and, to be honest, SWTOR is my first foray into the genre. But I can definitely tell you that I am having loads of fun with this game and I can hardly put it down. I will be writing a more expansive review on the game in the coming days, probably around the time of the actual release of the game so check back here around December 20th to get all the details on what is sure to be one of the biggest games in history!

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