After a ten year hiatus, EA and DICE are bringing the popular Star Wars Battlefront franchise back later this year with a brand new entry in the series. Known for their work on the popular Battlefield franchise, DICE is promising a different experience with Battlefront to help convince people that it's more than a simple re-skinned version of their other popular shooter series.

To help further sell people on the different systems at work in Star Wars Battlefront and to prevent an online launch day disaster like what happened to Battlefield 4, DICE is preparing a beta test to allow players to not only get a feel for the game but to hopefully push the servers as well. Previously, the developer has been silent on when players will be able to access the beta, in addition to what players can expect during the test. Thankfully, the wait has ended, as the official beta launch day has been revealed.

In an announcement on the official Star Wars Battlefront website, EA and DICE have confirmed that the previously announced beta period will kick off on October 8 and run through to October 12. The better news is that the beta will be completely open, allowing everyone to download and check out the game before its release.

Starting on October 8, players will have three different modes available, including Drop Zone on the planet Sullest, Walker Assault on Hoth, and the solo/co-op mode Survival on Tatooine. No hero characters were specifically announced for the beta, but it's entirely possible that DICE is planning to let players discover previously announced characters like Darth Vader or Luke Skywalker for themselves.

During the beta period, a browser based companion app for the game will also be available for players to test out. In addition to displaying player stats, progression, and customization options, the app features a strategic card game known as Base Command. Through this mode, players can earn credits for use in game, and by spending credits, players can unlock new things in the main game including weapons, gear, and items known as Star Cards.

Even though Star Wars Battlefront is a long running fan favorite franchise, DICE is making a few feature cuts which may disappoint longtime fans. Outside of a dedicated single player campaign being left out, DICE has also recently confirmed that Battlefront won't feature a server browser and will instead utilize a skill-based matchmaking system. Being able to browse a server list is a very popular component of the Battlefield series, so it's moderately surprising that DICE opted to not bring this feature over to Battlefront out of the gate. While it won't be there at launch, there's always a possibility that it can be added through an update down the road.

What aspect of the beta are you going to jump into first? Let us know in the comments below.

Star Wars Battlefront launches on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC on November 17, 2015.

Source: Star Wars Battlefront Website