Star Wars Battlefront 2 physical sales down 60% on Battlefront 1
Never tell me the odds!
By
Tom Phillips Published 20/11/2017
Star Wars Battlefront 2 launched with 60 per cent fewer physical sales than Star Wars Battlefront 1.
Battlefront 2's big budget release was ruined by, arguably, the biggest controversy in gaming this year. The game's
in-game loot boxes and, to a lesser extent, the high requirements needed to
unlock the game's roster of heroes sparked an eruption of anger from fans which EA has been unable to contain. The publisher has U-turned on both fronts - but many fans still consider the game to include pay-to-win mechanics.
In a dramatic and unprecedented move last Friday,
EA temporarily switched off all in-game purchases just as Battlefront 2 went live - although it was
too late to reverse fan feeling towards the game.
It's impossible to know to what extent Battlefront 2's pre-launch issues hit sales, but with coverage of EA's woes on mainstream channels such as the BBC and CNN, it's hard to imagine the drama not having had an impact.
Back in 2015, Battlefront 1 was the biggest ever launch for a Star Wars game in the UK. It had an extra day on sale, and Battlefront 2 will have received more digital sales which are not counted by UK numbers company Chart-Track - but it's hard to see either of these facts accounting for the eye-opening plummet.