Star Wars Battlefront's Walker Assault Mode Is Now Easier for the Rebels

Star Wars Battlefront's Walker Assault mode has been adjusted to make it less difficult for those playing as the Rebels to win, DICE has revealed.

Walker Assault is a 20-on-20 mode that sees the Rebels attempting to stop an attack by the Empire--and specifically AT-ATs that are moving toward a base. During the beta, the odds heavily favored the Empire, something that--while not necessarily fair--arguably made sense within the context of the battle. DICE previously admitted the mode was unbalanced, and it's now said this wasn't ever its intention.

"The interesting thing that happened is that it was imbalanced and then people were like, 'It should be--it's about the Walkers assaulting Hoth!'" design Jamie Keen told Eurogamer. "That thematic story stuff you don't expect, but it is such an evocative franchise."

"It actually isn't supposed to be unbalanced," he said of Walker Assault. "It should be 50/50 in terms of success ratio; that's what we're gunning for. It's interesting, people's receptiveness that it would be unbalanced. It was fun to see people taking it that way!"

He went on to explain that the mode has been changed so that both sides have a fairer shot at winning. This was accomplished in several ways, including the addition of a weak point on the underside of AT-ATs that can be shot.

"We've got weak points on them now, so it's not a question of turning them into a bullet sponge," he said. "There have been general balancing tweaks like the damage levels from various weapons, different ion bursts and what they do to the walkers. It's not one specific area, it's across the board."

These aren't the only changes to be made, as you can see in the notes for patch 1.01.

Battlefront launches this coming Tuesday, November 17, though it's playable now on Xbox One if you're an EA Access member. While we don't yet have a review, you can read some of our early impressions here.