Star Wars Battlefront 2 developers won’t rule out Jar Jar Binks as a playable character - and offer new information on gameplay and story elements. Star Wars Battlefront 2 was officially unveiled at Star Wars Celebration with a compelling trailer that promised a single-player campaign and an expanded multiplayer component that would include all eras of the franchise. The trailer teased iconic prequel and original trilogy characters, as well as newcomers like Kylo Ren. Dice have since confirmed that lots more new characters will also appear in the Star Wars Battlefront sequel.
The creative team behind the game had a lot to make up for after Star Wars Battlefront received heavy criticism, but the team seem to be back in their stride after (potentially) joking about the inclusion of another prequel character.
In an extensive interview with Eurogamer, Lucasfilm creative executive Steve Blank was asked if Jar Jar Binks would be returning as a hero or villain. His simple, cryptic response was “only time will tell!” The team responded in a similar fashion when asked if original cast members would be returning to provide their voices for hero characters. They did clarify what had looked to be a continuity error in the trailer, in that it seemed as though the Emperor would feature after the events of Return of the Jedi. Blank said that this character is actually a contingent of the Emperor’s known as The Messenger who was lifted from the comic Shattered Empire.
Game director Mark Thompson also clarified the narrative length of the game’s single-player mode, confirming that the campaign would begin with the Battle of Endor and conclude at Starkiller Base. Unfortunately, however, the extremely popular Galactic Conquest mode of the early game franchise will not be making a comeback in Battlefront 2. Criterion’s Matt Webster did offer some hope that it could feature at some point in the future, claiming that the feature could be “one that we’ll leave for another day.” They went on to discuss other gameplay elements, suggesting that character customization has changed significantly and that there will be customization options for starships and heroes.
Star Wars Battlefront 2 certainly looks like it’s going to live up to Dice and EA’s promise of a bigger and more rewarding game, delivering both iconic and more obscure aspects of Star Wars lore. While Blank’s refusal to rule out the widely-loathed Jar Jar Binks’s might come to nothing, joking about bringing back one of the most despised Star Wars characters ever suggests that the game developers are steadily getting their confidence back after misfiring with the original game. Many of the Battlefront 2 announcements have seemed reactionary to specific criticisms of Battlefront 1, from the confirmation that there would be no season pass to the new game’s far wider scope.
Jar Jar Binks may or may not make it into the upcoming game, but the inclusion of new and old characters is already one of the most enticing elements of Battlefront 2, and the developers have proven just how deep they’re willing to dive into Star Wars lore to deliver a fully fleshed out gaming experience. Fans who were already hopeful of appearances from the likes of Rogue One’s Jyn Erso or members of the animated series Star Wars Rebels will be even more so now.
Next: Star Wars: Jar Jar Binks’ Fate Revealed in Empire’s End
Star Wars Battlefront 2 will release on November 17, 2017.
Source: Eurogamer
