The Celebration Update

The Celebration Update was an update for DICE's Star Wars Battlefront II that was released Thursday, December 5, 2019. It was the first of two December 2019 updates, the other being The Rise of Skywalker Update. It was originally scheduled to release at the end of November, but was moved to the first week of December for an undisclosed reason.

Leading up to the update, new content and various bug fixes were teased on social media by Battlefront II community managers, and they are:
 * New Appearances for the ARC Trooper, Droideka, Clone Commando and Commando Droid Reinforcement units
 * Adjustments to in-game UI and new options to turn on/off UI elements
 * Heroes such as Bossk no longer lose health after jumping
 * The third swing of Captain Phasma's Staff Strikes ability will now correctly register a hit on enemies
 * The Repulsor Cannon Star Card will now more reliably knock back enemies

A Community Transmission leading up to the update was released on the 2nd of December. The release of the update coincided with the release of the Star Wars Battlefront II Celebration Edition, the namesake of the update.

Features

 * New appearances for the ARC Trooper, the Clone Commando, the Commando Droid and the Droideka are now available to unlock for Credits or Crystals.

Quality of Life
Damage Reduction Message
 * Reduced maximum size of Damage Reduction icon.
 * Scaled Damage Reduction icon size and opacity with range.
 * Included ON/OFF toggle for Damage Reduction Message in options menu under GAMEPLAY & CAMERA (default ON).

Kill Message
 * Moved Kill Message down from the game mode text area to below the crosshair to avoid over-messaging in this critical area.
 * Included ON/OFF toggle for Kill Message in options menu under GAMEPLAY & CAMERA (default ON)

Weapon Heat bar.
 * With the moving of the Kill Message as above, we needed to move the weapon heat bar UI to the same position as the stamina bar.
 * This creates consistency between weapon heat and stamina info, as they are now both displayed in the same area.

Player Bar
 * Redesigned the player bar with new outline visuals.
 * Thinner player/vehicle health bars.
 * Thinner XP and Shield bars. The shield bar is now also light blue.

Hero Changes
Darth Maul
 * Fixed an issue where the deflected blaster bolts from the Spin Attack ability would not damage enemies.

Kylo Ren
 * Added ability crosshair for Kylo Ren's Frenzy ability.

Boba Fett
 * Reduced the active ability time and increased the fire rate for Boba Fett's Rocket Barrage ability.
 * Boba Fett's Concussion Rocket ability description has been updated for accuracy. "Boba Fett fires a single concussion shot, dazing enemies caught in the blast. Dazed heroes using lightsabers cannot follow their target while performing their lightsaber attacks."

Darth Vader
 * Based on community feedback, we have added a 25% damage reduction during Choke.
 * Darth Vader's Choke is now able to be performed only when targeting an enemy. Players can now see the number of enemies targeted by the ability.

General Grievous
 * Changed the stamina reduction of the Sith Trained Star Card from 40% to 25%.

Luke Skywalker
 * Changed Star Card values for Luke Skywalker's Intensify from 20-30-40-50 to 18-24-30-36.

Emperor Palpatine
 * Fixed an issue that would allow the Emperor to maintain the effect of a basic attack, while using any of his abilities.
 * Fixed an issue that would cause the blinded animation of enemies to be on a continuous loop, when affected by Palpatine's Dark Aura ability.
 * Added ability crosshair for Palpatine's Chain Lighting ability.

Bossk
 * Fixed an issue that would cause Bossk to take damage by jumping and landing on the ground.

Captain Phasma
 * Fixed an issue where Captain Phasma could detonate the First Order Sentry Droid while picking it up without a cooldown requirement.
 * Increased the gap between the second and third strike, allowing Phasma's Staff Strikes combo to be completed easier.
 * Fixed an issue where Captain Phasma's rifle zoom would occasionally not highlight enemies.
 * Fixed a visual clipping issue at the end of Captain Phasma's "Not Easy" Emote.

Han Solo
 * Han Solo can now dodge while the Sharpshooter ability is active.
 * Fixed an issue where Han Solo could occasionally throw more than one grenade.

Obi-Wan Kenobi
 * Fixes an issue where the All-out Push ability would not affect enemies, if the player was attacked while activating it.

Lando Calrissian
 * Lando can now dodge while the Sharp Shot ability is active.
 * Lando's Smoke Grenade ability description has been updated for accuracy. "Lando Calrissian throws a smoke grenade which obscures the view of his enemies, but not of his Night Sniper's thermal scope. Villains using lightsabers inside the smoke area cannot follow their target while performing their lightsaber attacks."
 * Fixed an issue where Lando's thermal scope would occasionally not highlight enemies.

Leia Organa
 * Leia's Flash Grenade ability description has been updated for accuracy. "Leia Organa throws a flash grenade which detonates on impact, blinding and confusing enemies in the blast area. Blinded villains using lightsabers cannot follow their target while performing their lightsaber attacks."

Iden Versio
 * Fixed an issue that would cause increased rifle recoil during Iden's Pulse Cannon while crouching.
 * Fixed an issue where Iden's weapon would still be overheating during super success cooling, when the Cooled Blaster Star Card was equipped.

Count Dooku
 * Count Dooku's Expose Weakness ability will now remove any active extra health on the target.
 * Fixed a visual clipping issue in the way Count Dooku holds his Lightsaber.
 * Added UI elements to show when Count Dooku has a critical strike available, while the Initiative Star Card is equipped.

Finn
 * Fixed a visual asset clipping issue at the end of Finn's "I Can Do This" Emote.

Game Mode and Map Changes

 * Added names to the Command Posts on Capital Supremacy and Instant Action
 * Health information of friendly AI in Co-Op and Instant Action has been adjusted.
 * Prevented the blue icons of friendly AI from being visible through walls.
 * Fixed an issue where AI Officers would occasionally show up with inconsistent Faction appearances on Co-Op and Instant Action.

Co-Op
 * Implemented improved player spawn points for the Defend scenarios of Co-Op.
 * Placed the Co-Op main menu tile between Single Player and Multiplayer.
 * Fixed an issue that could cause occasional frame rate drops when enemy AI is spawning on Co-Op.
 * Made additional Milestones visible under the Challenges tab during the End-Of-Round screen on Co-Op.
 * Adjusted one of the Command Post capturable areas, so that it doesn't overlap with Out-of-Bounds areas on the mini-map.

Instant Action
 * Made several improvements to AI behavior on Instant Action.
 * Fixed issues that caused the AI to not always play the objective.
 * AI characters can now spawn on Command Posts.
 * Fixed an issue with the difficulty setting on Instant Action not correctly applying in the game.
 * Fixed an issue with the selected number of AI on PC not correctly applying in the game.
 * Fixed an issue where the game could freeze if the user pressed "Quit Game", right after pressing "Play Again" during the End-Of-Round screen on Instant Action.
 * Fixed an issue where the phase of the Clone armor in the Spawn screen and in-game would be inconsistent.

Capital Supremacy
 * The "Gaining / Losing Reinforcements" message is now shown only once per ground phase.

Starfighter Assault
 * Fixed an issue where the objective UI text would occasionally show up distorted.

Campaign
 * Pass on the Campaign's Explorer difficulty to address balancing issues
 * Fixed an issue that could cause color degradation during the end cinematic of the Discoveries mission on the campaign.

Heroes vs. Villains
 * Fixed an issue that would cause the Star Card equip menu to remain on screen after respawning, if the player pressed the "Equip Cards" button while respawning.

Strike/Extraction
 * Fixed an issue where the description on the loading screen for Kessel or Kamino would occasionally not show up.

Arcade - Tutorial
 * Fixed a visual issue where an AI Trooper could be seen exiting the initial transport ship through a wall.

MAP CHANGES
 * Fixed an issue where the player would get spawned in Out-Of-Bounds area, when selecting to spawn on Objective B while being contested by the enemy team.
 * Fixed an issue where the Hailfire Droid on Geonosis - Galactic Assault would occasionally disappear when looking at it from a certain angle.
 * Fixed a collision issue that would allow players to capture Command Post D from an unintended area on Felucia - Capital Supremacy.
 * Fixed an issue that would allow players to reach an unintended area by exploiting the Out-of-Bounds zone on the Republic Attack Cruiser - Heroes Vs Villains.
 * Fixed various collision and visual bugs on Felucia and Jabba's Palace.

Changes to Classes and Special Units

 * Appearances options now show up for all Reinforcement characters of the same class.
 * Updated Main Menu animations for the Jet Trooper, ARC Trooper, Resistance Rocket-Jumper, First Order Flametrooper.
 * Fixed an issue where Troopers would get stuck in abnormal animation poses, if they were melee attacking or dodging while mounting a stationary weapon.
 * Fixed minor visual issues with the models of the B1 Battle Droid (Officer and Specialist) when inspecting them in the Spawn screen.
 * Fixed an issue where a Trooper's character model would occasionally start staggering after being affected by Ewok abilities or Flash Grenades.
 * Fixed a visual issue that would cause the scorch mark from the final blaster bolt on an enemy to show up inaccurately.

Officer
 * Fixed an issue where the Officer's Flash Grenade would not impact the Officer who cast it.

Heavy
 * Fixed an issue where the where the Heavy´s Barrage micro-grenades would visibly disappear too soon.

Specialist
 * Fixed an issue where the Specialist's Repulsor Cannon would not always knock an enemy down.

Jet Trooper
 * Fixed an asset clipping issue in the default pose.

Droideka
 * Fixed an issue where the Droideka would automatically fire a shot upon being deployed on the map.

Bomber
 * Fixed an issue where the damage multiplier of the Bomber Weapon Systems Star Card would not apply at all ranks.
 * Fixed a typo in the description of the Bomber Weapon Systems Star Card.

AT-ST
 * Reduced direct damage of the AT-ST Anti-Vehicle Missile and related Star Cards.

Commando Droid
 * Improved enemy visibility for the Commando Droid's Thermal Vision ability.
 * Fixed an issue that allowed the Commando Droid to close up to their target by using their Vibrosword, even under the effect of Leia's Flash Grenade or Lando's Smoke Grenade.
 * Fixed a visual animation issue where the Commando Droid's leg would be seen sliding when standing up after crouching.

General Changes/Misc

 * Fixed an issue where the footstep sound would not always be consistent with the footstep animation of Troopers and Heroes.
 * Fixed an audio issue with the weapon zoom sound occasionally not being audible.
 * Tweaked the audio feedback when hitting an enemy that has reduced damage abilities activated.
 * Made improvements to the animation of characters when being Force pushed.
 * Fixed an issue that prevented text from properly showing up on main menu pop-up windows.
 * Multiple performance improvements in the Main Menu and Spawn screens.
 * The Ability Overlay screen now displays equipped Star Cards and Character names for Starfighters as well.
 * Made minor visual improvements to the Ability Overlay screen.
 * Fixed an issue that would cause players to get occasionally stuck on the End-Of-Round screen, when transitioning to a different map.
 * Fixed an issue where the VO lines would occasionally lag behind when being activated with the VO wheel.
 * Fixed an issue where the "Preview Emote" button was wrongly showing up when previewing the appearances of the Jet Trooper.
 * Fixed an issue where Lightsaber decals on objects would not fade.

Unlisted changes

 * Changed game splash screen to the Celebration Edition cover art.
 * AI-controlled heroes in Instant Action now play one of their hero emotes after eliminating the player.
 * Captain Phasma's All For Myself Star Card has been renamed to "Laser Wall Durability".

Known issues

 * Fixed an issue where blaster heroes would be faster than intended while crouching forwards and backwards. The issue still remains when moving left or right.
 * There is a known issue where the emotes "Rock, Paper, Scissors" and "Lightsaber Fight" are locked. This issue was fixed in The Rise of Skywalker Update.
 * While in first-person view the character model's hand clips through the weapon. This issue was fixed in The Rise of Skywalker Update.