The short answer is yes, you can play Battlefront 2 offline against AI bots. However, the offline content is limited compared to the full multiplayer experience. I‘ll analyze both the offline and online modes to help you decide if Battlefront 2 is worth playing solo or multiplayer in 2024.
Star Wars Battlefront 2 is a first-person shooter developed by DICE and published by Electronic Arts in 2017. It features both single player and multiplayer modes spanning the Star Wars prequel, classic, and sequel trilogy eras.
Here‘s a quick rundown of the main Battlefront 2 game modes available:
| Game Mode | Description | Offline vs Online |
|---|---|---|
| Campaign | Story-driven co-op spanning Return of the Jedi era | Offline co-op or solo |
| Arcade | Missions battling AI bots solo or in splitscreen | Offline only |
| Multiplayer | Competitive and cooperative PvP and PvE battles | Online only |
| Instant Action | Multiplayer maps played offline with customized battles vs bots | Offline only |
Battlefront 2 provides several enjoyable ways to experience its Star Wars combat offline against AI bots. The 6 hour campaign, 25+ arcade missions, and instant action mode with customized battles offer plenty of content without ever going online.
However, offline play does lack the full progression, hero/class mastery, and competitive satisfaction of Battlefront 2‘s online multiplayer modes. You‘ll be missing out on the heart of the experience playing solo constantly.
Let‘s dive deeper into both the offline and online modes to see if Battlefront 2 is worth it for you as primarily a solo or multiplayer gamer in 2024.
Evaluating Battlefront 2‘s Offline Modes and Content
For players looking to get Battlefront 2 strictly for offline solo and splitscreen play against AI bots, here is the breadth of content available across the various modes:
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Campaign – The 6-7 hour cinematic story campaign supports full two player cooperative play offline via splitscreen. It provides an authentic Star Wars experience spanning the Battle of Endor and beyond. The campaign serves as a fun introduction to hero mechanics against bots before taking them online.
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Arcade – This mode includes over 25 offline missions across all eras to complete solo or in splitscreen co-op. You defend locations against escalating waves of AI enemies or battle bots in customized team deathmatch. It‘s a great low-pressure way to learn basics when starting out.
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Instant Action – Added in 2020, this mode opens up every multiplayer level for conquering against AI bots. You can customize factions, heroes, unit count, difficulty, and other options. Instant Action brings the full scale multiplayer battles to offline players.
Adding up all playable content across the campaign, arcade, and instant action, Battlefront 2 contains:
- 25+ Maps
- 14 Playable Hero Characters
- 39 Trooper Classes like Assault and Heavy
- 16 Reinforcements like rocket droids
- 7 Ground Vehicles such as AT-ST‘s
- 14 Starfighters and Spacecraft
This totals over 100 playable units and vehicles. For comparison, the recent blockbuster shooter Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 launched with less than half as much weapon and vehicle variety across all modes.
There is certainly enough depth and variety just within the offline modes to keep players engaged for dozens of hours mastering all the content against AI bots. The tactical team-based gunplay the series is known for also shines against intelligent offline foes.
However, as fun and extensive as the offline experience is, Battlefront 2 was designed first and foremost as an online multiplayer shooter. Playing solo constantly does remove the satisfaction of skill progression, mastering heroes against real opponents, and competing in epic online battles.
If you plan to play offline only, I‘d recommend waiting for a sale under $20 to get the most value. The online is truly where the full Battlefront 2 experience lies.
How Battlefront 2‘s Multiplayer Holds Up In 2023
For those planning to focus on Battlefront 2‘s competitive and cooperative online modes, how does it hold up 6 years post-launch?
Firstly, EA has continued supporting the game with new content and updates far longer than expected. Highlights include:
| Date | Multiplayer Update |
|---|---|
| Nov 2017 | Launch |
| Mar 2018 | Progression Revamp |
| Jun 2018 | Solo Season |
| Nov 2018 | Obi Wan Kenobi Update |
| Feb 2019 | Anakin Skywalker Update |
| Sep 2019 | Felucia Map, Co-op Mode |
| Dec 2019 | Rise of Skywalker Update |
| Feb 2020 | BB-8 Hero, Instant Action |
| 2021-Present | Continued Maintenance Updates |
This lengthy post-launch support has kept the gameplay feeling fresh in 2024. All heroes and classes remain viable and balanced against one another. Even new players have a fair shot with base troopers while unlocking abilities.
Despite launching in 2017, Battlefront 2 has maintained a large active multiplayer community:
- EA reported "millions" of monthly players as of June 2022
- Steam Charts estimates 1,500 – 6,000 daily concurrent players on PC
- Anecdotally, matchmaking takes under a minute for all major modes
Finding full matches and squad mates, even during off-peak hours, has not been an issue in my experience. The major modes like 20v20 Supremacy, large-scale Co-op, and 4v4 Heroes vs Villains remain highly populated. Niche modes take a bit longer to fill lobbies.
By comparison, high profile shooters of similar age like Call of Duty WW2 or Battlefield 1 have significantly smaller player bases according to Steam Charts. Battlefront 2 has impressively retained an active community after 6 years.
Based on current player population trends, it‘s reasonable to expect at least 2 more years of healthy online activity if EA‘s support continues. Given the smaller development scale required today compared to launch, I expect maintenance updates to carry on as well.
For online multiplayer fans, Battlefront 2 offers a complete experience that has withstood the test of time. The satisfying gunplay enhanced by iconic abilities and vehicles remains as enjoyable today as in 2017. I‘ve yet to find a shooter that captures the feeling of Star Wars battles as well.
Final Verdict – Buy Battlefront 2 for Online Multiplayer
To directly answer the question – you can play Battlefront 2 multiplayer offline against AI bots, but the experience is limited compared to the full online modes. The offline campaign, arcade, and instant action provide solid solo and splitscreen content. However, multiplayer is really where you‘ll spend most of your time.
Here is my conclusion based on 60+ hours playing Battlefront 2 both offline and online:
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For offline solo/co-op play, Battlefront 2 has great depth across its modes to keep you busy for dozens of hours controlling iconic heroes, troops, and vehicles in large-scale battles against bots. I‘d suggest getting it on sale under $20.
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For online multiplayer fans, it remains one of the best value shooters available. The community is still surprisingly active with fast matchmaking, balanced gameplay, and ongoing support from EA. At $20-30 on sale, it‘s absolutely worth buying for online play in 2024.
So while you can certainly play offline, Battlefront 2 shines brightest as a multiplayer experience. The online battles capture the feeling of Star Wars like nothing else. I highly recommend picking it up on sale in 2024 if you want exciting online shooter action spanning all eras of the galaxy far, far away. Let me know if you have any other questions!
