It’ll Take More Than Just Bug Fixes To Save Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection

Being a big fan of Star Wars, I was super excited about the release of the Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection. I couldn’t wait to relive the epic battles from the OG Star Wars multiplayer titles. But when the bundle finally came out, it was a major letdown. As I played more and more, it became obvious that just fixing some bugs wouldn’t be enough to fix its existing issues. It needs a lot more work to be enjoyable.

The Promise Of Remastering Classics

Aspyr Media is a company known for updating old games to work on new systems. As such, I was glad to hear that it was chosen to improve the Battlefront series. They’ve successfully updated games like the original Tomb Raider trilogy before. So, obviously, I had high hopes for what they could do with Battlefront. But, when the Classic Collection finally came out, it didn’t quite meet those hopes. And That’s putting it lightly.

Now I admit, Aspyr’s list of changes and fixes included in the first update does look impressive. They’ve fixed many of the game’s issues, over 40 things fixed to be precise. They even managed to fix a bug a bug that’s been around for 19 years ever since the original game came out. However, the big problems with the collection are still there. The fact of the matter is, that updating old games is tough, especially ones that people love so much.

Fans have strong memories of the old games. So naturally they want the new versions to bring back that same feeling of excitement. While also looking better and playing smoother at that. Sadly, the Battlefront Classic Collection doesn’t quite manage to do that. Instead of feeling like an exciting step forward, it leaves players feeling like something’s missing. As such, they end up wishing they were playing the old versions instead.

Thank you battlefront classic collection for WASTING MY TIME pic.twitter.com/saduWB0PC1

— Rickjohnson 🇭🇳 INFINITEKAISEN2024 (@Santosthegantos) March 14, 2024

The Unforgiving Nature Of Online Multiplayer

The Battlefront series has always been known for its exciting multiplayer battles set in the Star Wars universe. Many fans were drawn to the franchise because of the thrilling experiences it offered. Intense battles on famous planets and epic showdowns between heroes and villains are enough to make any fan hyped. However, the multiplayer mode in the current version of the Classic Collection just isn’t meeting anyone’s expectations.

There were only three servers available at launch, each with a capacity of 64 players. That’s barely enough room for 200 players in a game eagerly awaited by tens of thousands. Despite Aspyr’s attempts to fix server issues and make the network more stable, there are still big problems with hit detection, game balancing, and map design. These issues don’t just make the game less fun; they point to bigger problems with the collection as a whole.

In today’s world of online gaming, keeping players interested is really important. Having a multiplayer mode that doesn’t work well can be, and evidently is, a disaster. Players want to be able to connect easily, play fairly, and have fun experiences that keep them coming back. Sadly, the Battlefront Classic Collection isn’t delivering on these things. Instead, many fans are feeling disappointed and annoyed.

-10,000 people playing on launch night.
-Only has 3 servers that have 64 slots for a total of ~200 players.
-Multiplayer doesn't work otherwise.
-Price Tag of 35 USD

Jesus Christ I am so disappointed this is robbery, don't buy Star Wars Battlefront Classic Collection pic.twitter.com/JB7oCTHzgh

— seb 🦝📕 (@sebBaku) March 14, 2024

The Dilemma Of Player Trust

The problem here is about trust from the players. Aspyr’s launch of the Battlefront Classic Collection has made fans who were excited about revisiting the Star Wars battles lose trust in the company. Even though the first patch made some things better, it’s clear that more needs to be done to make players trust again. In the gaming world, what players think, and a company’s reputation matter a lot.

Messing up a big release like this can cause big problems. Bad reviews, players feeling annoyed, and fewer people playing the game all show how important it is to keep promises and meet player expectations. If nothing is done to fix the real problems and make players feel good about the game again, it’s hard to say what will happen next with the Battlefront Classic Collection.

And let’s not even mention how the devs used content from a mod and didn’t even credit the guy who made it. What makes it worse is that they specifically stated that they weren’t using any code or content from “uncredited sources”. Though they were quick to patch out all of the stolen content, the clips that were recorded before the patch proved that Aspyr did indeed use the modder’s work without their permission.

Seriously, @AspyrMedia I’m beginning to feel insulted.
Nintendo Switch launched with just straight up all my hero stuff from my mod. Same glitches and bugs. We’ve datamined it and it’s the exact same files just using the proper lightsaber attack anims.
(This is before patch) pic.twitter.com/3tWGgc8MzI

— iamashaymin (@iamashaymin) March 16, 2024

A New Hope

As a die-hard Star Wars fan, I’m not ready to give up on the Battlefront Classic Collection. Despite its rough start and ongoing issues, I still believe it has a chance to turn things around. But fixing bugs isn’t enough; there are deeper problems that need attention. We need the devs to focus on improving how the game plays, communicating better with us players, and delivering the true Star Wars experience we’ve been hoping for.

We deserve more than what the Battlefront Classic Collection has given us so far. We want a game that respects the Battlefront series’ legacy while taking advantage of today’s gaming technology. With the right effort from the developers, I’m cautiously hopeful that the Battlefront Classic Collection can make a comeback and be as great as it should be. The franchise has a lot of potential, but it’ll take more than just hoping for things to get better. 

At the end of the day though, we didn’t get the Battlefront remaster that we wanted. And how the tech geniuses over at Aspyr managed to turn a 2GB game into a 90GB game will forever be a mystery to both software engineers and us regular folk. Only time can tell whether we’ll get a functioning game out of all of this. Things don’t look good for the Knights of the Old Republic either. But until then, may the force be with you.