Similarly to how the Battlefront of 2015 featured downloadable content based on Gareth Edwards’ Rogue One, in a neat usage of synergy, DICE’s upcoming Star Wars Battlefront II will include characters from The Last Jedi as part of the sequel’s ambitious plans to encompass all three eras of Disney’s galaxy far, far away.
One pre-order incentive for the licensed shooter allows early adopters to unlock exclusive themed looks and abilities upgrades for select Heroes, and thanks to a leaked image unearthed by Reddit, today heralds a peek at Rey and an unmasked Kylo Ren as they’ll appear in Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
On the light side of the Force, Daisy Ridley’s protagonist is seen wielding a blue Lightsaber. Prepped and ready for combat, her attire is slightly different to the outfit we seen in The Force Awakens, and online commenters are already beginning to draw parallels between Rey’s new look and the Star Wars prequel era. Kylo Ren, on the other hand, has his trusty crossguard Lightsaber in hand. And though it’s impossible to tell from this image alone, Adam Driver’s mercurial villain will actually be sporting a facial scar in Rian Johnson’s upcoming sequel, one that has been tweaked ever so slightly following his duel with Rey on Starkiller Base.
Both characters will feature heavily in Battlefront II‘s multiplayer component, with DICE’s official description also confirming Yoda and Darth Maul as playable characters.
Join up to 40 players in massive multiplayer fights in authentic locations across all eras. Revel in deep class-based online gameplay, pilot a wide variety of land and air vehicles, and control iconic characters with distinct abilities that can turn the tide of battle.
However, the crux of Battlefront II‘s single-player orbits around Iden Versio, who watches helplessly from the lush forests of Endor as Death Star 2 is blown to kingdom come – with her father still on board, no less. EA and DICE have since revealed that that story takes place immediately after Return of the Jedi, and is therefore considered canon.
Star Wars Battlefront II is on course to hit PS4, Xbox One and PC on November 17th, and will serve as perhaps the perfect primer for The Last Jedi. Rian Johnson’s long-anticipated sequel is booked in for December 15th and, despite reports to the contrary, the filmmaker isn’t involved in 2019’s Episode IX whatsoever.