Eight years ago today, Star Wars Battlefront II players who picked up the Elite Trooper Edition stepped onto the battlefront three days before everyone else. November 2017 was a wild moment in gaming—equal parts hype, controversy, and sheer excitement—and the Elite Trooper Edition was right in the center of it all.
But for many fans, that early-access window wasn’t just three days of extra playtime… it was three days of pure bragging rights.
A Premium Edition Built for the Galaxy’s Most Dedicated Soldiers
When EA and DICE unveiled the Star Wars Battlefront II Elite Trooper Edition, it was pitched as the ultimate way to dive into the sequel’s ambitious scope. More maps. More heroes. A full single-player campaign. Space battles. A refined class system. And of course—cosmetic upgrades that made your trooper look like they meant business.
The Elite Trooper Edition bundled together:
- Three days early access to the full game
- Upgraded classes, including enhanced abilities for Assault, Heavy, Officer, and Specialist
- Epic-tier hero and starfighter upgrades for characters like Kylo Ren and Rey
- Exclusive cosmetics that immediately set players apart on the battlefield
- A premium-feeling steelbook-style presentation (for physical collectors)
For fans who lived and breathed galactic warfare, those three days of early access felt like a private invitation from the Empire itself.
Revisiting Launch Week: The Good, The Bad, and the Blasters
The early-access period for Elite Trooper Edition owners remains one of the most discussed launches in modern gaming—largely because Battlefront II’s progression system made headlines worldwide. While the controversy dominated the broader conversation, those who actually jumped in early got something different: a first glimpse at a game that looked and played like a Star Wars movie you could step inside.
Early players were among the first to:
- Experience Iden Versio and Inferno Squad in the brand-new campaign
- Jump into massive 40-player battles on Theed, Starkiller Base, Takodana, and Kamino
- Dogfight in space battles crafted by Criterion
- Explore the refined class and squad systems
- Die to a level-1 Wookiee Warrior (an Elite Trooper Edition tradition)
No matter how turbulent the wider launch got, those early-access days felt like discovering the future of Star Wars multiplayer.
The Legacy of Battlefront II’s Elite Trooper Edition
With eight years of hindsight, the Elite Trooper Edition occupies a very particular place in Star Wars gaming history.
It’s a reminder of:
- A massive game that grew into something beloved
- A launch that reshaped industry conversations
- A community that stuck around and helped transform Battlefront II into a fan-favorite
Because despite everything surrounding its release, Battlefront II earned a second life—new heroes, Clone Wars expansions, maps, capital supremacy, BB-units (yes, really), and a final update that turned the game into the best version of itself.
And the players who bought the Elite Trooper Edition?
They were there before it all began.
Why This Anniversary Still Matters
Anniversaries like this hit a special nostalgia button for Star Wars fans. They remind us of the midnight launches, the early-access adrenaline, and the sheer joy of spawning in as a freshly polished trooper with upgraded gear.
Eight years on, the Elite Trooper Edition stands as a symbol of a game that weathered the storm and carved out a legacy far bigger than its launch week headline drama.
Here’s to the troopers who dropped in early.
Here’s to the chaos of Theed.
Here’s to a game that became more than anyone expected.
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