Star Wars: Battlefront has 40-player cap, no campaign
UPDATE: The game engine footage trailer awakens. Switch between first-person and third-person at will.
UPDATE 17/04/2015 6.33pm: The first Star Wars: Battlefront game engine footage trailer is live. Check it out!
UPDATE 17/04/2015 5.04pm: Eurogamer's Aoife Wilson is in Anaheim, California, for the Star Wars Celebration event, and there has interviewed developer DICE about the upcoming shooter Star Wars: Battlefront.
DICE general manager Patrick Bach told Eurogamer Star Wars: Battlefront does not feature a campaign. Rather, it features "crafted missions" that are played solo, with a friend via split-screen offline or cooperatively online.
Elsewhere, Star Wars: Battlefront, due out in the UK on 20th November 2015 for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, has a maximum player count of 40. However, Bach told Eurogamer Battlefront will include a raft of modes that have different player caps.
During battles players can switch from a first-person perspective to a third-person perspective at will. DICE said you'll also be able to customise your characters, choosing gear, weapons and abilities - although don't expect to be able to put a pink cape on Darth Vader.
There's a two-player split-screen mode, and the Partner feature means two players can share experience and unlocks, and spawn at each other's location.
Meanwhile, if you pre-order Star Wars Battlefront you get the Battle of Jakku one week early starting on 1st December 2015. All other players get access to this free content on 8th December 2015.
Here's the official blurb on the Battle of Jakku:
ORIGINAL STORY: Upcoming shooter Star Wars: Battlefront has a 40-player cap, according to a report by the Associated Press.
The AP confirms the yesterday's release date leak of 17th November 2015 for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
Battles feature Rebel Alliance and Galactic Empire forces. A scene described by AP showed rebels fight on Endor against Stormtroopers on foot, on speeders and within AT-ATS.
Hoth, Tatooine and Sullust feature in the game. You can play as Boba Fett and Darth Vader, too, AP said.
Here's a quote from design director Niklas Fegraeus: "You can storm in as the Dark Lord himself.
"You can wield a lightsaber. You can Force choke the rebel scum, which is fun. Basically, you are the boss of the battle. This means that you, as Vader, can lead your team to victory - if you play well."
You can also pilot TIE Fighters, X-wings and the Millennium Falcon, although we're not sure how ship combat works in the context of ground battles.
Meanwhile, there's word on a free downloadable level available two weeks before Star Wars: The Force Awakens comes out in theatres in December. This is set on Jakku, which we see in the recent movie trailer.
The expansion is called Battle of Jakku and will explore the moment following Return of the Jedi when the New Republic confronted Imperial holdouts on the previously unseen Outer Rim enclave.
Battlefront is the first game in a 10-year deal between Disney and EA to make Star Wars games, AP added.
We'll have more information from 6.30pm UK time, when a new trailer will be released. While we wait, let's watch that movie trailer!
