EA have noticed the bad press they received for the Star Wars Battlefront 2 loot crate mechanics during the game’s beta, and have made changes. The specific alterations are spelled out in this post on the Battlefront 2 site.
‘Epic Star Cards’ will not be found in crates when the game launches next month. Those are the highest tier of Star Cards available (at least, at launch), and will now primarily be acquired through “crafting”. Certain ‘special’ Epic Star Cards are exceptions, as they are only available through “pre-order, deluxe, and starter packs.”
In Battlefront 2 you will need to obtain a certain rank before you can craft upgraded Star Cards. It won’t be possible to just dump some real money on crates, convert everything to crafting materials, and churn out some amazing Star Cards. You’ll have to actually play the game enough to upgrade your crafting skills.
A “select few” weapons will still be found in crates, but most are now going to be locked behind specific (play) milestones. If you want to unlock a new weapon for a Heavy, then play as the Heavy for a bit.
Finally, class-specific crates will be given as rewards for playing as that class in Battlefront 2. They’ll include “a mix of Star Cards and Crafting Parts” relevant to your preferred class.
That’s probably not the end of the changes, as EA and DICE add that the crate and progression systems will be “continually iterated on”. They also drop a reminder that “All upcoming weapons, maps, heroes, and vehicles introduced in Star Wars Battlefront 2’s post-release content will be free.”
