Gamescom just wrapped up this weekend with a record 345,000 visitors attending, 10,000 up from last year. The Best of Gamescom Award went to Star Wars Battlefront. It also won best PlayStation, console, PC, and online multiplayer game.
The game’s devleoper, EA DICE unveiled a new Fighter Squadron mode for Star Wars Battlefront this weekend. The mode supports 40 combatants in total, but only 20 real life players—10 players on the Rebel side, 10 on the Galactic Empire side, and an extra 10 AI-controlled fighters for each. There are also a couple of special ships to shake things up. At one point a Rebel transport ship will come onto the battlefield, and the Rebels must try to protect their ship from the Imperials. Then the same thing will happen for the Imperial side. You can also get the Millennium Falcon or Boba Fett’s Slave I onto the field if you need a power up.
Polygon’s Michael McWhertor played the Fighter Squadron mode this weekend, mentioning that he found it a bit lackluster, but noting that the game is still in Alpha testing, with lots of opportunities for change to occur between now and its release date. For instance, theoretically, there will be a bunch of different fighters for the player to choose from—but only X-Wings and TIE Fighters were available at Gamescom.
Star Wars Battlefront will also set you down in familiar land-based combat situations on Tatooine, Hoth, and Endor, as well as a previously unexplored planet called Sullust. You’ll be able to drive speederbikes, snowspeeders, command AT-ATs, and fire blasters. Gear will be customizable. Perhaps even cooler, you’ll be able to play as some of the iconic Star Wars characters: Darth Vader, Boba Fett, Han Solo, Luke Skywalker. C3PO and R2D2 will be non-playable characters, but will appear in the game. (No word on Leia yet…)
Star Wars Battlefront is set to come out November 17 for PlayStation 4, PC, and Xbox One.
