Loot crates in video games have always been a risky feature. A poor balance between accessibility of the crate to the average player and powerful items in the actual contents lead to quick controversy as players accuse the game of being "pay-to-win" (P2W), and a fractured fan base usually follows. Some developers however, like those behind the loot crate system in Overwatch, reach such a good balance that legislation may be drafted to combat the addictive nature of the crates in foreign countries. No, I'm not kidding.
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Either way it's usually a profitable venture for the development team, which no doubt factors into the decision by DICE Interactive to introduce loot crates in Star Wars: Battlefront 2. A recent video from a Star Wars YouTube fan channel provided some insight into how the mechanics will function. Take a look:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnk2h2JLf6s
The video is worth watching for those following Battlefront 2's development. It outlines the game's general progression system, which awards players as they rank up with credits that can themselves be used to purchase crates, which contain star cards, which contain items, crafting supplies, etc. It's a little complicated and will likely tie into some kind of microtransaction system in the future, but for now it seems like a relatively good content reward mechanic for an otherwise simple-yet-entertaining shooter.
Star Wars: Battlefront 2 will launch on November 17 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. Stay up to date on it by following Electronic Arts' official Twitter account, or by visiting the website for Battlefront 2 for access to future media content and news.
