There’s no doubt that Star Wars: Battlefront 2 launched with more than its fair share of problems and controversies. From the pay-to-win mechanics, to terrible messaging from the developers, there were a lot of reasons to avoid this game. Fast forward a few years and somehow, to just about everyone’s surprise, the game was able to pull itself out of the hole it dug and transform itself into an actually enjoyable shooter. Thanks to some major alterations to how the game handles microtransactions and loot boxes, plus a consistent and substantial amount of new content, Battlefront 2 was able to make an admirable recovery.
But, no matter how much content and how many changes the developers are able to deliver, it can never compare to what a passionate community can do and there are few communities more passionate than Star Wars fans. Because the game has been out for several years at this point, modders have been able to put together and perfect dozens of fantastic mods. These are the best Battlefront 2 mods you can download today to make a galaxy far, far away just a little bit better.
Further Reading
Where to get these mods and how to use them
When looking for any of the mods listed below for Battlefront 2, or the majority of PC games in general, nexusmods is the easiest and most comprehensive source there is. If you’ve never modded a game before, the process is made very simple using this site. First off, you will want to download the Frosty Mod Manager to load up all the mods you download into the actual game. Once you have the Frosty download, create a folder inside your Battlefront 2 game directory and title it something like Frosty or FrostyMods so you can find it. Next extract the contents of the zip archive you just downloaded into the game’s folder.
Next you will pick out the mod you want and make sure to select the option to download manually. Once the download is complete, place it on your desktop for easier access and open up your Frosty Mod Manager. Use the Import Mod button on the toolbar and select the mod. The mod will now appear in the Applied Mods list with a checkbox. Here you can turn on and off any and all mods you choose to download. That’s all there is to it!
And for those of you who may be concerned, EA has stated on its forums that any mods in Battlefront 2 that are cosmetic only, or do not actually change how the game works, shouldn’t result in any bans. We have to say shouldn’t here, because you do still agree to the game’s terms of service when you first start which gives them the ability to ban you for any modifications if they want. Thankfully there have been very little, if any, people who have reported being banned for using any of these mods.
Pink Darth Vader, Battle Damaged Vader
As soon as EA’s CFO Blake Jorgensen was quoted as saying, “Not to mention you probably don’t want Darth Vader in pink. No offense to pink, but I don’t think that’s right in the canon.” he basically ensured this mod would be made. The Pink Vader mod is more of a statement than anything else, showing that Star Wars doesn’t always have to be taken so seriously. On the flip side, while we’re seeing Vader in new ways, the Battle Damaged Vader skin makes Vader the most terrifying he’s ever been. You can see parts of his scarred, burned, and robotic skin through rips in his suit, along with his mangled and discolored face and head depending on which variant you choose. It’s basically the complete opposite of Pink Vader, and yet neither one is a skin we would ever expect to see an official release.
Bettersabers X
When you think Star Wars, you immediately think of lightsabers. This iconic weapon is one of the most popular in all of fiction, and only through games are we able to live out our fantasies of swinging around a beam of pure energy. Battlefront 2 gives us plenty of Jedi and Sith heroes to control, but the visuals of their lightsabers left a lot to be desired. It might not seem so hard to just make different colored light beams, but it took a modder to actually give them the visual style they deserve. Along with more consistency, the mod reshapes and adds tips, better colors, more spark effects, and reduces the motion trails, among other improvements. When all is said and done, this mod makes the game’s lightsabers far more in line with how we see them in the films.
Baby Yoda
New content for Battlefront 2 might be done, but we’re still getting new Star Wars content fans want to play with in game. Case in point, we already have a mod to replace BB-8 with a model of Baby Yoda, or Grogu. This is more than just a model swap, though. Sure, to keep in line with the cosmetic only “rule” to stay safe he has the same moveset and abilities of BB-8, but that didn’t stop the creator from making brand new sound effects and a custom portrait. Move aside BB-8, there’s a new cute mascot in town.
Mace Windu, Qui Gon Jinn
Speaking of characters that never made it in the game, why not go backward to the prequels? Okay, yes, there’s a lot of reasons to try and forget the prequels, but Mace Windu and Qui Gon Jinn are not among them. Who wouldn’t want to play as the only Jedi to get a purple lightsaber? Finally you can slice your way through stormtroopers as Samuel L. Jackson himself, replacing your Obi-Wan character. Or, maybe Liam Neeson is more your style. If you felt Qui Gon Jinn never got the representation he deserved after Episode I, bring him back in Battlefront 2 to replace your Luke character model. Now you can rewrite history and pit Qui Gon against Darth Maul for a rematch.
Jedi Leia
Leia is technically in Battlefront 2 already, however not in the Jedi form we got just a hint of in the last film. The Jedi roster in general is kind of a boy’s club already, with Rey essentially being the only woman force user, so getting some more female representation is more than welcome. Plus, isn’t it time Leia got her time to shine, too? Sure, she’s deadly with her blaster, but she’s just as strong in the force as Luke and, with this mod, can swing a lightsaber with the best of them.
Darth Malgus
A deep cut, but one that is sure to please fans of the extended universe, Darth Malgus is an ancient Sith Lord from the Great Galactic War. Or, if you’re not super into the extended universe stuff, a really cool looking evil Sith Lord you can swap out Vader for. This mod is clearly a labor of love, too. Not only was the model tweaked from the Old Republic game he was taken from, but they managed to add cloth physics, custom text for the UI in multiple languages, a unique lightsaber hilt, and even his own Starcards and Starfighter. Of all the “new” characters modders have added, this is one of the most impressive.
The 501st and more troops
While all those new force users are cool, most of the time you’re playing the game you’ll be a basic grunt rather than a hero, at least outside of specific game modes. So, why not spruce up your troops with some more skins? The 501st seemed like an obvious skin to have officially included in Battlefront 2, considering how popular they got in the Clone Wars, but it took a mod to finally bring them into active duty. But there are tons of other troop skins out there besides this one, such as the crimson Sith Troopers, old school Rebel Commandos, and even deep picks like the Coruscant Guards and Orthos Imperial Units. Basically, if there’s a uniform or outfit from Star Wars, there’s probably a mod for it.
Sly’s Cinematic Lighting Overhaul
Controversies aside, no one could argue that Battlefront 2 was an amazing looking game at launch. Even now the game holds up quite well, but over three years on it is starting to show its age when put up against brand new games running on new hardware. Improving graphics is a major task, but Sly’s Cinematic Lighting does a great job in bringing this title back into the spotlight with completely updated lighting. Every map has been given enhanced post-processing, bloom, shaders, and more. If you don’t know how much lighting can impact how a game looks, this mod will make you a believer.
Splitscreen
What used to be a standard in console games, but never really a thing for PC players, finally comes to Battlefront 2 thanks to this splitscreen mod. Taken as a challenge by the developers, this modder claims to have implemented a fully functional splitscreen mode into the PC version just to prove it could be done and done well. It makes everything possible on console splitscreen and gives it to the entire PC playerbase. Grab a friend and relive the glory days of some couch co-op action!
Minimalistic UI
Now that you’ve gotten your brand-new lighting and custom characters, you want to be able to enjoy them, right? Well, thanks to a cluttered UI that can be a bit of a challenge, and even a hindrance in the heat of battle. Wipe away all the excess lights and symbols with this UI overhaul and really appreciate the action. This mod removes borders and lines from your radar, blends in your ability icons, removes unnecessary info like distance numbers and objective statuses but keeps color statuses, gets rid of obvious text like “Defeat the Separatists,” removes the squad list, and more. You might not realize just how much junk is shoved in your face while playing, but once you clear it away it will be like night and day.
AI Arcade Overhaul
Last up we have one made specifically for the arcade mode, so not one you will be taking online. If you pick this mod up, remember to disable it before playing online. The arcade mode is really just the multiplayer game against A.I. bots for when you can’t, or just don’t want to, play online against other people. From the start this mode left a lot to be desired from the A.I. combatants. If you watched them, you’ll notice they lack a lot of basic common sense. For example, this mod allows the A.I. to sprint, use abilities, and all the weapons and gadgets in the game. Or, you know, things you would expect them to be able to do. The mod doesn’t stop there, either. It also includes the option to up the player count to 25 VS 25, increased loadouts for you and the A.I., the A.I. can equip Starcards, and use Hero Starfighters. While bots can never match the true chaos and excitement of facing off against human opponents, this mod will at least give you a fun challenge.
