There is something the video game industry has created for itself, unintentionally, in the past few years, that indicates not just how much the industry is adjusting to modern times, but also how drastically it is changing in its own terms.
The redemption narrative isn’t exactly something that exists in the same way for movies, TV shows, songs, and other media. The poor Blu-Ray release of 2014’s Godzilla, for example, was fixed by its 4K UHD release, but the movie itself remains the same.
For video games, when CD Projekt RED set about to fix Cyberpunk 2077, the final product they came up with, bundled with the Phantom Liberty expansion, is a completely different experience than when it was first released. At its core, the game is changed, and it is worthwhile playing through it again, to treat it like it was brand new again.
Star Wars Battlefront Classic Collection is currently facing two ongoing controversies; one with the botched release, and then the accusations of using a modder’s work without permission or compensation. Aspyr is a far distance from resolving the issues with their product, but it looks like they have taken the first right step.
As shared by BattlefrontUpdates on Twitter:
“A new really solid patch just dropped by Aspyr:
* MP fixes
* Inverted control options fixed
* 501st journals cutscenes restored
* Loading screen sound fixed
Tons of audio, graphical and crashing issues fixed
I’m positively surprised!”
You can read the full patch notes here. Now, it is clear that Aspyr has not yet fixed the biggest problem facing players; the dearth of lobbies for online play. Given that Aspyr promised to double the number of players in a game from 32 to 64, on all platforms, this is extremely disappointing.
So, Star Wars Battlefront Classic Collection is still fundamentally broken. It may take a while until Aspyr sorts out their problems with the lobbies, and by then the original batch of players may have quit playing it.
But if Aspyr can turn Star Wars Battlefront Classic Collection around, the same way Cyberpunk 2077, Halo Infinite, Final Fantasy XIV, and many others did, they can win those fans back. If it will not bring back everyone, there will still be a significant number of returning players and new players that will make it worthwhile.
So that’s Aspyr’s task now. For those people who not only bought the game, but those who want a real return to playing their favorite old online game, we hope that Aspyr can right the ship.
