EA drops paid loot boxes from Star Wars Battlefront II

Electronic Arts is revamping the controversial loot boxes of Star Wars Battlefront II. The publisher today announced a game update that will go live March 21 and remove paid loot boxes from the game.

Loot boxes will remain in Battlefront II (the game refers to them as "crates"), but players won't be able to purchase them. Instead, they will be earned by logging in every day, reaching milestones, and completing timed challenged. Additionally, the loot boxes will no longer include Star Cards or any other items impacting gameplay. Instead, they will give players in-game credits or purely cosmetic perks like emotes or victory poses.

Additionally, one of the most desirable type of cosmetic items, new costumes, will be available for players to purchase directly beginning in April. Those will be available for purchase using in-game credits (only earned through gameplay) or crystals (a premium currency that can be purchased with real-world money).

"These changes are a major step as we continue to improve the core of the game and add new content," the company said. "And there's a lot more to come. In addition to continued balance patches, we will also add a number of modes to Star Wars Battlefront II in the coming months, offering several standout, brand-new ways to play."

The implementation of loot boxes in Battlefront II has been a point of contention for some players since before the game launched. Pushback against the game's original monetization scheme grew so loud that EA temporarily pulled microtransactions from the game on the eve of its release.