Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection aimed to reignite nostalgia among fans of classic Star Wars games by offering remastered versions of the original Star Wars: Battlefront titles on contemporary platforms. However, the launch of Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection has stirred controversy due to significant multiplayer issues on the PC platform. This unexpected turn of events has transformed the much-anticipated release into a letdown for many Star Wars: Battlefront enthusiasts.
The original Star Wars: Battlefront made its debut in 2004 for PC, PlayStation 2, and Xbox, followed by a sequel the next year. Despite the soft reboot of the series with the 2015 and 2017 installments, many fans still regard the originals as superior in various aspects. The multiplayer modes of these classic titles, which allowed players to engage in large-scale faction-based battles, failed to meet the expectations of players in this new rendition.
The Array of Multiplayer Challenges in Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection on PC
The launch of Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection has been turbulent, particularly impacting PC players. Those eager to dive into online matches on the release day were greeted with the revelation that the game featured only three servers, each accommodating a maximum of 64 players. With a vast player base, the limited server capacity left many unable to join multiplayer matches.
Adding to the frustration, the three-server restriction was exclusive to Star Wars: Battlefront 2, a part of the complete Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection. The situation was graver for the original Star Wars: Battlefront, which appeared to lack any multiplayer servers. The discontent among fans anticipating a revisit to these classics led to the game receiving overwhelmingly negative reviews on Steam. Complaints extended beyond server shortage, highlighting issues like missing Star Wars: Battlefront 2 cutscenes, a locked 30fps frame rate, and a massive 60-70 GB download requirement.
Aspyr's Efforts to Pacify Players May Fall Short
In response to the launch backlash, Aspyr acknowledged launch-day errors that hindered server visibility in the game's browser. The developer vowed to rectify network stability problems and expand the online infrastructure to accommodate the high volume of players seeking multiplayer engagements. Although additional servers were deployed, they were insufficient to support the nearly 10,000 concurrent Steam players. Despite a chance for Aspyr to rectify the situation, the trust of the fan base may already be compromised.
Aspyr has a history with the Star Wars: Battlefront series, having collaborated with the original developer Pandemic to port the 2004 title to Mac systems. Fans may also recall Aspyr's involvement in the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake, a project later reassigned to Saber Interactive following reported dissatisfaction from Sony with Aspyr's work. However, Aspyr's success with the acclaimed Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered demonstrates their capability to revive classic games, offering hope for a positive turnaround for Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection.