For the second year on the trot, Electronic Arts is planning to host its own EA Play event in favor of a traditional E3 press conference, and we now have the first details of what to expect from the publisher’s Star Wars Battlefront II showcase.
Courting players back to the prequel era, an official blog post reveals that EA Play 2017 will host a live 40-player session of a battle set during the Assault on Theed. Expect to catch a glimpse of Naboo, then, along with playable characters in the vein of Rey (Star Wars: The Last Jedi) and the iconic Darth Maul. It’s part of DICE and EA’s masterplan to incorporate content from all three eras of the Star Wars universe, and the result is a sequel that purportedly includes “three times the content” of its predecessor on day one.
Meanwhile, a 20 v 20 battle will undoubtedly provide a detailed overview of Battlefront II‘s multiplayer component, with EA’s blog post providing some intel on the mission that awaits:
Clone Troopers will mount a desperate defense against the invading forces of the Separatist Battle Droids. Can the Republic forces stop the relentless crawl of the massive Multi-Troop Transport as it lumbers toward the palace doors?
Set to be broadcast live on Saturday, June 10th from 12:30 pm PT, the core conflict between Darth Maul and Rey – between the Dark Side and the Light – will certainly generate a ton of buzz among the Star Wars faithful, but at least based on EA’s description, the Assault on Theed is a battle that will be fought on many fronts.
Sleek N-1 Starfighters and Vulture Droids scream overhead spewing light and fire. Nimble AT-RT Walkers race around corners, pursued by roaring AATs. Agile Clone Jet Troopers hop from rooftop to rooftop, while rampaging B2 Super Battle Droids level everything in their path. Armies of Clones and Droids sprint across cover, their blazing weapons shattering the tranquility of the once-peaceful capital of Naboo. And at the center of the swirling melee the lightsabers and Darth Maul and Rey cut swaths through the ranks of the battling troopers.
Featuring a fully-fledged single-player campaign built by Motive Studios – DICE primarily focused on multiplayer, it seems – Star Wars Battlefront II will deploy for PS4, Xbox One and PC on November 17th.