Nearly eight years after its launch, Star Wars Battlefront 2 is experiencing an unexpected renaissance. Thanks to the critically acclaimed second season of Andor and the annual May the 4th Star Wars celebrations, interest in the multiplayer shooter has surged—highlighting its lasting appeal and reigniting fan demand for a sequel.
Originally released in 2017 by EA and DICE, Battlefront 2 weathered a storm of controversy due to its loot box mechanics, which were widely criticized as pay-to-win. The backlash was severe enough to spark global conversations about in-game monetization, even prompting government scrutiny. However, over time, the developers stripped out the offending systems and poured years of post-launch content into the game, covering characters and environments from every era of the Star Wars saga.
Despite official updates ending in 2020, the game’s community has remained vibrant. On Steam, Battlefront 2 recently hit nearly 8,000 concurrent players—its highest total since arriving on the platform. It also ranked 22nd on Xbox’s most-played list, outperforming modern live-service staples like Destiny 2. Although PlayStation data wasn't made public, cross-platform interest appears to be on the rise across the board.
Much of this revival is credited to the recent success of Andor Season 2, which continues to garner praise for its gritty storytelling and political depth. The Disney+ series has not only bolstered engagement in the broader Star Wars universe, but also reinvigorated fans' appetite for content that explores the Rebellion era—perfectly mirrored in Battlefront 2’s large-scale skirmishes and character-driven gameplay.
While the game has not seen new content in over five years, its legacy endures on social media platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. There, fans share cinematic clips, customized hero loadouts, and nostalgic tributes. This ongoing engagement underscores the vacuum left in the genre: aside from LEGO entries and narrative-heavy experiences like Jedi: Survivor, there's no other major multiplayer Star Wars title currently active.
Calls for Battlefront 3 have intensified in light of the game’s renewed popularity. Yet, fans remain divided on whether EA or DICE should helm the sequel. While some applaud DICE’s technical prowess, others still hold grudges from the monetization missteps that marred the launch of Battlefront 2.
“Battlefront II was good after the pay-to-win elements were fixed,” one Reddit user noted. “But support was cut before we got the Mustafar map. We never saw its full potential.”
Another Redditor added: “A Battlefront game is 99.9% guaranteed in the future, but by EA? Hopefully not. It’s proven it can’t handle the IP.”
Development on Battlefield 6 is reportedly DICE’s current priority, making a return to the galaxy far, far away unlikely in the immediate future. Nonetheless, the community’s loyalty has kept Battlefront 2 alive and thriving—even when newer titles like the Battlefront Classic Collection floundered due to technical issues and lackluster reception.
This isn’t the first time hope for a third installment has surfaced. A separate Battlefront 3 was in the works during the mid-2000s under a different publisher but was ultimately scrapped. Now, as momentum grows behind the latest resurgence, some wonder if EA—or perhaps another studio—might finally revisit the long-shelved sequel.
For now, Star Wars Battlefront 2 remains the most accessible and beloved large-scale Star Wars multiplayer experience available. Its comeback is a testament to the community’s passion and the timeless allure of the franchise. The only question left is: will EA listen?