The recently launched Star Wars Battlefront Classic Collection is under scrutiny for potentially incorporating a fan mod for its additional content, according to claims made by the original creator. The excitement among fans soared when it was announced that Asypr, a veteran Star Wars PC port developer, would be reviving the first two Battlefront titles in the Star Wars Battlefront Classic Collection. The anticipation grew further with the revelation that the collection would include the Xbox-exclusive DLC for Star Wars Battlefront 2, enabling players to command beloved characters from the Clone Wars era like Asajj Ventress and Kit Fisto.
However, it came to light that Asypr appeared to have utilized an old mod to introduce Ventress and Fisto to the Star Wars Battlefront Classic Collection. This mod essentially transformed two existing heroes from Star Wars Battlefront 2 into the DLC characters, with Ventress wielding a different weapon as a consequence. Following this discovery, Asypr issued an apology, clarifying that the showcased content in the Battlefront Classic Collection was mistakenly using the mod as a placeholder, and assured that the final product would not contain any code from uncredited sources.
Nevertheless, the original Star Wars Battlefront 2 modder, iamashaymin, recently provided evidence suggesting that their DLC mod continues to be present in Star Wars Battlefront Classic Collection. In a series of tweets (via IGN), iamashaymin highlighted that prior to a patch, the Nintendo Switch version of the game exhibited identical bugs and glitches as their Kit Fisto mod, with a data mine confirming that the files were indeed the same, albeit with updated lightsaber attack animations. Subsequently, iamashaymin substantiated their claims with screenshots of Fisto's Force Orb attack, demonstrating the identical bubble effect featured in the 2020 mod.
Controversy Surrounds Star Wars Battlefront Classic Collection
Iamashaymin asserts that despite the Star Wars Battlefront Classic Collection allegedly utilizing their mod for the Xbox-exclusive Battlefront 2 DLC, they have not been credited. They emphasize that they had no objections to Aspyr using their mod but emphasize that the lack of acknowledgment is unfair to players and raises doubts about the developer's integrity.
True to expectation, the Battlefront Classic Collection has been embroiled in controversy since its recent launch, primarily concerning network stability for its online multiplayer mode, frame rate inconsistencies, and an unexpectedly large download size for what essentially amounts to two titles from the mid-2000s being optimized for modern hardware. The ongoing issue of Asypr potentially incorporating iamashaymin's Battlefront 2 mods without proper credit only adds to the negative publicity surrounding the Star Wars Battlefront Classic Collection, which is already considered one of the most polarizing releases of 2024 thus far.