Electronic Arts has announced the Star Wars Battlefront open beta will begin on October 8 and run until October 12. The beta will offer players three different game modes, as well as access to the web-based Star Wars Battlefront Companion, which includes the strategic card game Base Command plus game stats, customization options, and unlockable Star Cards, weapons, and other pieces of in-game equipment.
The beta will feature the 40-player Walker Assault on Hoth, in which players can join the Rebels to fend off an Imperial assault, or side with the Imperial effort to bring law and order to the land; the 8v8 Drop Zone on Sullust, which as the name suggests will finally let Star Wars fans go someplace that isn't Tattoine, Hoth, or Wookie Treehouseland; and Survival Mission on Tattoine, a solo or two-player co-op battle against overwhelming odds.
Specific start and end times haven't been revealed, but the Star Wars Battlefront FAQ says preloading will begin on Origin at 1 am PT on October 7. It's an open beta, remember, so anyone can take part, but the download weighs in at around 11GB so you might want to take advantage of that head-start if you're working with an iffy connection. Star Wars Battlefront comes out for real on November 17.
