We’re almost eight years removed from Battlefront II‘s launch, and despite dropping to mostly mixed reviews in 2017, the DICE-developed sci-fi shooter is faring better than ever before.
Unsurprisingly, Electronic Arts’ multitudinous microtransactions and subsequently convoluted player progression sullied the otherwise slick shooter. Costly cosmetics and loot crates aside, however, ultra-competitive matches made Battlefront II‘s multiplayer offerings among its most salvageable, far overshadowing the title’s hollow single-player campaign.
Now, eight years removed from launch, new and seasoned fans of the Skywalker saga-centered shooter are celebrating the game’s biggest day yet. According to the latest figures from Steam data aggregator SteamDB, more than 28,000 concurrent players headed back to Hoth yesterday, June 21 — the game’s best day since it first arrived on Steam on June 11, 2020. Before this sudden bump in interest, Battlefront II averaged around 1,000 daily concurrent users throughout the first half of 2025.
But why the resurgence?
Thanks to a circumstantial “perfect storm” — Star Wars Day, lower prices, content improvements, and commercially successful franchise tie-ins — Battlefront II has blasted its way back into the limelight.
Additional data from SteamDB reveals Star Wars Battlefront II traffic first picked up on Star Wars Day 2025; Steam user interest stayed stagnant from the start of the year until May the Fourth festivities.
While it pales in comparison to today’s figures, Battlefront II welcomed around 5,500 concurrent players on May 4, 2025 — thousands more than were playing just 48 hours earlier. From April to now, game playership has risen a resounding 1,083%.
The prevalence of tangential media can’t hurt, either. The science-fiction IP achieved a headline-worthy moment with its Fortnite implementation, largely due to its AI-generated Darth Vader dialogue mirroring the unmistakable sound of original Vader actor James Earl Jones. Mix in the commercial and critical success of dystopian thriller Andor, special cinematic re-releases, and some viral Battlefront-focused TikTok fan edits, and baby, you’ve got a space opera stew goin’.
Additionally, Battlefront II‘s recent appearance in the Xbox Game Pass is drawing fans in droves. The subscription-based service from the Microsoft subsidiary allows players to download rotating titles for one flat monthly fee. In February 2025, Xbox confirmed that its Game Pass program boasts 34 million unique subscribers. Forgetting about my personal feelings about physical copies and consumer game ownership, a fixed rate offering in-home rental-like downloads is among the more cost-conscious ways to play AAA titles or fresh releases, especially as more recent releases steadily approach triple-digit price points.
Game content has undergone some changes, too. In the years since the sequel’s release, fervent fan criticism pushed EA to pull its pay-to-win loot crates. At launch, player progression largely hinged upon parties’ willingness to purchase premium weapons and cosmetics like victory poses using in-game credits. In an attempt to re-establish fan interest and otherwise save face, EA discontinued the game’s use of microtransactions via a series of post-launch updates and patches.
Star Wars Battlefront II was among my favorite multiplayer titles of the 2010s, but despite fast-paced competitive matches, its ultra-grindy player progression ultimately soured my social circle.
Still, at just $3.99, my library’s got room for one more. Hopefully my friend’s does, too, because I’m about to make it her problem — again.
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A lifelong gamer raised on classic titles like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, and Croc, Stephanie brings her expertise of gaming and pop culture to deliver unique, refreshing views on the world of video games, complete with references to absurd and obscure media.
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