‘Star Wars Battlefront’ Challenging ‘Fallout 4’ for Holiday Gaming Supremacy
Star Wars Battlefront and Fallout 4 were announced at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in June. Since then, gamers have been counting the days until November, when both games are scheduled for release. The hype for Battlefront and Fallout 4 has been steadily increasing, ready to take a shot with firepower greater than half the star fleet at each other to win gamer’s playtime this winter. With slightly less than a month remaining for Battlefront (Nov 17) and Fallout 4 (Nov 10) to hit store shelves, here is a look at the adventure and excitement each game holds for gamers who crave such things.
Both Star Wars Battlefront and Fallout 4 led the Game Critics Awards nominees at E3, announced on June 30, with five and four, respectively. Battlefront won nominations for Best of Show, Best Console Game, Best PC Game, Best Action Game, and Best Online Multiplayer. Fallout 4 won nominations in the Best RPG, Best PC Game, Best Console Game, and Best of Show categories.
The publishers of Battlefront and Fallout 4 also fared well, with Electronic Arts (Battlefront) winning 11 nominations and Bethesda (Fallout 4) winning seven.
Star Wars Battlefront and Fallout 4 have been battling for gamers’ attention online and offline on an almost weekly basis since E3. Battlefront recently broadcast its Official PlayStation Holiday 2015 television commercial, tugging nostalgically at heartstrings with the full power of the Force. And there’s the matter of the recent Star Wars Battlefront beta test that ended with over nine million players trying the game out. There are many MMORPGs that have been online for years that have never seen so many players in a week or have as many subscribers in their lifetime. EA stated it was their biggest beta test in history, and there is no reason yet to think Battlefront won’t be their largest game launch ever.
https://youtu.be/mByznNYCWTY
Not to be outdone, Fallout 4 is publishing a S.P.E.C.I.A.L. video series on Youtube, explaining to new and veteran Fallout players the benefits of their upcoming character’s stats, done in that classic 1950s-era TV style that is its trademark. Bethesda also recently released a minute-long Fallout 4 live-action trailer, with musical guest Dion singing his 1961 hit “The Wanderer.” This video also hit on nostalgia for Fallout gamers with its mention of the Wanderer, who was the main character players came to know in the first Fallout game. On the mobile gaming front, Fallout has had gamers captivated since E3 with Fallout Shelter, initially available only on iOS, and later available on Android.
Both franchises are on target in using nostalgia as a marketing tool. Battlefront and Fallout games have an outstanding history with gamers, dating back to 2004 for Battlefront, and 1997 for Fallout. The last Battlefront game was released in 2009, marking a six-year hiatus that gamers are eager to put behind them. Fallout: New Vegas is the latest game in that series, released in 2010. However, a multitude of DLCs and mods have kept it (and Fallout 3) on many gamers’ computers to this day. A simple search on YouTube and Twitch will turn up videos of gamers still playing all the previous Fallout games. With Fallout being the oldest video game franchise between these two, the only thing missing is it being ported over to the silver screen, which Battlefront kind of has going for it by way of the highly anticipated Star Wars: The Force Awakens, set to hit theaters this December.
Star Wars Battlefront and Fallout 4 are also set to battle it out in the upcoming gift-giving season. Both have impressive collector’s editions that seem to be well worth it, if you have the money to spare. The Star Wars Battlefront Ultimate Edition comes with all the in-game items available in the Deluxe Edition (Han Solo’s DL-44 Blaster, Ion Grenade, Ion Torpedo, Ion Shock (exclusive emote), Victory (exclusive emote), and includes the Star Wars Battlefront Season Pass. The Ultimate Edition is priced at $119.98 on the Origin store.
The $120 Fallout 4 Pip-Boy Edition has sold out twice already this year, with no more set to be made. However, there is still the Ultimate Vault Dweller’s Survival Guide Bundle, packed with beautifully crafted Fallout items, minus the actual game, and priced at $130.
The winners of this battle of video game franchises may well be gamers. Which game are you most looking forward to: Star Wars Battlefront, Fallout 4, or both?
[Images via starwars.ea.com and bethsoft.com]
