14 DAY TRIAL // Video game developer DICE is in charge of one of the most successful first-person shooter franchises in the world, but the creators of the Battlefield series are confident that they will be able to offer a new type of experience with their new Star Wars Battlefront.
Karl-Magnus Troedsson, the general manager of the studio, wants gamers to be confident that the team working on the title based on the movie series will bring a very different type of game, with a unique identity.
He tells CVG that, “We approach this the same way with every game: how it is going to fit inside our portfolio? How is it going to sit with different types of gamers? Basically, we do our analysis and think about if for different demographics. We don't just compare it to Battlefield.”
Star Wars is one of the most revered science fiction franchises in the world and any game based on it needs to use its unique style and iconic characters and vehicles.
But the mechanics of the series have often been compared to those of Battlefield, something that Troedsson is willing to acknowledge.
He adds, “This is a different game, but historically going back the two games also share a lot of mechanics, because the original Battlefront games took some cues from Battlefield, I think we can say in a nice way. So naturally there are some nice overlaps of functionality and technology, with open landscapes etc. But from what the game is and the core mechanic, that doesn't worry me that they're going to be close.”
Star Wars Battlefront is created using the Frostbite 3 game engine and will benefit from its expanded physics system, which can power destructible terrain.
So far, DICE has not offered any sort of clear details about the core mechanics of the game or about the exact setting it will use.
It’s unclear whether the company is aiming to use levels or to include characters that are based on the upcoming Star Wars movie or if they are aiming to only use elements taken from the history of the series.
The development team has already said that it enjoys a very close relationship with Lucasfilm.
Star Wars Battlefront will be launched on the PC, the Xbox One from Microsoft and the PlayStation 4 and Electronic Arts says that the current launch window is set for the second or third quarter of next year.