8 Years Since the Battlefront II Alpha Stormed PC: Remember This?

gingetattoo Star Wars: Battlefront

Eight years ago, on June 29, 2017, a select group of lucky players got their first hands-on experience with Star Wars Battlefront II (2017) during its closed Alpha on PC. If you were part of that early wave, you probably still remember the sheer chaos of Naboo, the strangely OP Boba Fett builds, and the wildly mixed expectations hanging over EA DICE like a Death Star.

It wasn’t just a test—it was a statement. And depending on who you asked, it was either a teaser of greatness to come or a glimpse of the Battlefront’s brewing identity crisis.

What Was the Star Wars Battlefront II Alpha?

The Alpha was a tightly controlled early-access test that gave PC players a bite-sized preview of what DICE and EA had cooked up for their next-gen Star Wars shooter. Unlike the controversial 2015 reboot, Battlefront II promised more content at launch, more eras, and—most importantly—no paid season pass.

Players dropped into Theed on Naboo, battling across Clone Wars-era city streets in a 20v20 Galactic Assault mode. It featured:

  • Playable heroes like Darth Maul and Rey
  • Faction-based class systems
  • Vehicles like the AAT and LAAT
  • And early versions of the infamous Star Card system

Oh yes. The Star Cards. Even in Alpha, they were already raising eyebrows.

The Good, the Bad, and the Bugs

✅ What Worked

The visuals were—and still are—gorgeous. Naboo looked like it had been ripped straight from the film. The sound design was textbook Star Wars. The pacing felt tighter than the 2015 game, and the addition of multiple classes (Assault, Heavy, Officer, Specialist) brought much-needed variety.

❌ What Didn’t

Balance? Not great.
Progression? A mystery box.
Hero cost? All over the place.

And then there was the loot box economy, which hadn’t fully hit the fan yet, but was already trickling through the Alpha via Star Card perks and abilities that gave higher-level players noticeable advantages. It sparked the earliest murmurs of what would later become the Battlefront II monetization backlash.

Alpha Players: Guinea Pigs or Groundbreakers?

If you played the Alpha, congrats—you were part of history. A kind of weird, experimental, occasionally beautiful slice of gaming history. You stress-tested servers, fed forums with early opinions, and gave DICE a preview of just how unforgiving a hardcore Star Wars audience could be.

You also likely witnessed things that were later removed, reworked, or never made it past testing—like broken Wookiee animations, invincible heroes, or lobby bugs that flung you into spectator mode mid-match.

Some called it rough. Others called it promising.

Either way, it set the tone for everything that followed.

Why It Still Matters in 2025

Even with all its baggage, Battlefront II eventually turned into a solid multiplayer shooter—especially after EA revamped progression and opened the floodgates on free content updates. But the Alpha? That was the moment it all began.

In the esports and live-service era, closed alphas are more than just server checks—they’re where first impressions and community sentiment are forged. For Battlefront II, the PC Alpha was the pressure cooker that revealed both its potential and its pitfalls.

And honestly, we kind of miss that unpolished, chaotic sandbox sometimes.

Conclusion: From Naboo With Love

June 29, 2017 wasn’t just another Thursday. It was the day Theed became ground zero for one of the most polarizing—and ultimately redemptive—Star Wars games in modern history.

So if you were there in the trenches eight years ago—dodging thermal detonators and questioning why your Officer class couldn’t aim straight—salute yourself. You helped shape the game that followed.

And if you weren’t? Well, now you know what you missed.

Stay connected with the galaxy’s latest updates!

Follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest for exclusive content, mod guides, Star Wars gaming news, and more. Your support helps keep the Holonet alive—one click at a time!