Star Wars Battlefront: What you need to know

The Force Awakens is just around the corner, but Star Wars also has a game out this year

(EA)

Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens launches this December, and excitement for the long-awaited sequel has already reached fever pitch. But another long-awaited Star Wars sequel is also right around the corner, in the form of Star Wars Battlefront. Here’s a list of 7 things you need to know about the game before it’s out on PS4, Xbox One and PC.

What Star Wars Battlefront's release date?

Star Wars Battlefront launches on November 17 on PS4, Xbox One and PC. It marks the start of a 10-year partnership between EA and Disney. It is being developed by DICE, a studio famed for producing the acclaimed Battlefield series.

There is no single player campaign in Star Wars Battlefront

Star Wars Battlefront will not include a single player campaign. But there is a Mission mode which which can be played either alone or co-operatively with a friend online or via split-screen. These Missions have players take on waves of enemies to complete certain tasks.

In an interview with GameSpot, DICE senior producer Sigurlina Ingvarsdottir explained the reasoning behind the decision to omit a single player campaign:

"As we concepted the game and thought about the legacy of the previous Battlefront games--they didn't really have campaigns, they've always been predominately a multiplayer franchise,” she explained. “That's what we wanted to do. We wanted to focus on the multiplayer."

How many players can take part in Star Wars Battlefront Multiplayer and what are the modes?

Battlefront supports up to 40 players in online multiplayer with ten modes, but certain modes will be focused on smaller skirmishes for as few as eight players. ‘Fighter Squadron’ is a mode dedicated to Star Wars’ space ships, with players jumping into X-Wings, TIE Fighters and even the iconic Millennium Falcon to take part in air skirmishes.

‘Supremacy’ is a huge 40-player battle in a fight for control of five key locations. ‘Walker Assault’ is another 40-player which recreates the Battle of Hoth, only this time you have the ability to make the rebels maintain control of the station and take out the enormous AT-ATs.

‘Cargo’ is Battlefront’s alternative to Capture-the-Flag, with players required to take valuable resources from the opposing team. Other modes include ‘Droid Run’, ‘Blast’, ‘Drop Zone’ and more.

You can play as Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader in Star Wars Battlefront

In certain modes, it is possible to play as some of the iconic characters from Star Wars. Labelled ‘Heroes’ and ‘Villains’, players will be able to take control of characters including Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader and Bobba Fett. By picking up a power-up in the terrain, you’ll be granted the chance to control these legends for a limited amount of time.

Unlike other multiplayer shooters, where perks such as these are often linked to performance, Battlefront has has made it possible for any and all players to take the reins as some of the most powerful players in the galaxy.

There are also modes dedicated to these characters. ‘Hero Hunt’, for example, sees seven players try to take down a Hero or Villain.

Star Wars Battlefront has a Season Pass

EA has announced a season pass for Star Wars Battlefront. It will cost £40, and while details remain scarce at the moment, the publisher has said that the pass will include four expansion packs, with two-week early access to each, along with an exclusive “Shoot First” emote.

However, there will be no microtransactions in the game.

The multiplayer maps will primarily be from the original trilogy

The multiplayer maps will be primarily from the original trilogy, however, players who pre-order the game will also receive early access to the Battle of Jakku DLC, which is from the forthcoming The Force Awakens. The Battle of Jakku map will launch on December 1 for those who pre-order and a week later for all other players for free.

At launch, the game will feature 12 multiplayer maps, including Sullust and the battle of Hoth from The Empire Strikes Back.

What is the framerate and resolution of Star Wars Battlefront?

While DICE has yet to confirm the framerate or resolution of the game on any platform, the recent beta ran at 900p/60 frames per second on PS4 and 720p/60 frames per second on Xbox One, according to Digital Foundry.

Star Wars Battlefront is available for pre-order via Amazon on PS4, Xbox One and PC.