For more than two decades, a particular kind of longing sat unanswered in the corner of one old game: the wish to conquer a galaxy alongside a friend rather than alone. Now a fan, working without a studio's budget or permission, has quietly built a bridge across that gap, letting two people share the slow, strategic work of the 2005 campaign over the internet. It is a small, imperfect act of devotion, and it reminds us how often communities keep alive what their makers have let fall away.
Free Mod Brings Online Galactic Conquest to Star Wars Battlefront II (2005), Two Decades Late
Twenty-five years, and a fan finally built the online mode
Mark
Why does a mod for a 2005 game matter this much?
Mimi
Galactic Conquest is the mode people remember most, and it never had online play. Not in 2005, and not in the 2024 Classic Collection either.
Luke
Worth saying the Classic Collection point comes from fan frustration and its Mostly Negative Steam rating. The rating has other causes too.
Mark
How does it actually play?
Mimi
In co-op, one person runs the galaxy map and the other sees the same screen. Then you both fight the battles together. Versus mode has each player controlling a faction and taking turns.
Mark
Is it easy to set up?
Mimi
Fairly. It uses Steam invites, so no server or port forwarding. It's free on Nexus Mods and ModDB.
Luke
But it's Steam 2005 version only, both players need the unofficial 1.3 patch, and the creator warns about crashes and sync problems.
Mark
What are fans asking for next?
Mimi
A higher player count. It's currently two, and the creator is looking into raising it.
Luke
Looking into it isn't a promise. Nothing here says it will happen.
Le Pouls
- A campaign mode fans loved for twenty years has never allowed two players to share it online, and the absence stung.
- A solo fan's free mod now lets one player run the strategy while a friend mirrors the map and joins the battles.
- Players can choose rival factions in versus mode, taking turns on the galaxy map and clashing in head-to-head fights.
- The mod only runs on the Steam release with an unofficial 1.3 patch, and crashes or sync errors remain a live risk.
- Fans are already pressing for a higher player cap, and the creator is weighing whether to expand beyond two.
For more than two decades, a particular kind of longing sat unanswered in the corner of one old game: the wish to conquer a galaxy alongside a friend rather than alone. Now a fan, working without a studio's budget or permission, has quietly built a bridge across that gap, letting two people share the slow, strategic work of the 2005 campaign over the internet. It is a small, imperfect act of devotion, and it reminds us how often communities keep alive what their makers have let fall away.
For twenty years, anyone who wanted to run a Galactic Conquest campaign over the internet with a friend in the 2005 Star Wars: Battlefront II was out of luck. The mode, which lets players move fleets, buy upgrades and fight for control of the galaxy, was one of the most cherished parts of the game, yet it never offered a shared online campaign. Even the 2024 Classic Collection left that gap open, and longtime players felt the omission keenly.
This week a fan called Trauntrow, who posts as u/Hunterbing on Reddit, released a free mod called Galactic Conquest Together. It adds two-player online co-op and versus modes to the PC original. In co-op, one player manages the strategy while the friend's screen mirrors the galaxy map, and both can then fight the battles side by side. Versus mode gives each player a faction, with turns on the map and direct battles against each other. Campaigns can be saved and reloaded, and connections run through Steam invites, so no dedicated server or port forwarding is needed.
The limits are real. The mod works only on the Steam release, not on EA's 2017 reboot or the Classic Collection, and both players need the unofficial 1.3 patch. Crashes and synchronisation problems are still possible, as the creator openly warned. The reaction shows how long fans have waited, with one user saying it was exactly what they had hoped for their whole life. Trauntrow's work may not be as polished as an official release, but for now it gives players the shared campaign the publisher never delivered, and the next question is whether the two-player cap will be raised.
A player who wanted to run a Galactic Conquest campaign over the internet with a friend, in the 2005 Star Wars: Battlefront II, could not do it for more than twenty years. This week that changed, thanks to a free mod from a fan.
Galactic Conquest has long been one of the most loved parts of the 2005 game. Players move fleets between planets, buy upgrades, and fight battles in a bid to control the galaxy. What the mode never officially offered was the chance to play a whole campaign online with someone else. Even the 2024 Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection left it out, which frustrated longtime players.
The mod is called Galactic Conquest Together, and it was created by Trauntrow, who posts on Reddit as u/Hunterbing. It adds two-player online co-op and versus matches to the original game on PC.
In co-op, one person handles the strategic side of the campaign. The friend's screen mirrors everything on the galaxy map, from fleet movements to purchases. Both players can then drop into the same battles and fight side by side.
Players who prefer competition can switch to versus mode. Each person controls a faction, they take turns on the galaxy map, and they face off in battles. Campaigns can be saved and loaded, so nobody has to finish everything in one sitting. The mod uses Steam invites, which means no dedicated server and no port forwarding. It can be downloaded for free from Nexus Mods and ModDB.
There are limits. The mod works only with the Steam release of Star Wars: Battlefront II (2005). It does not work with EA's 2017 reboot sequel of the same name, or with the Classic Collection. Both players also need the unofficial 1.3 patch. Trauntrow made clear when announcing the mod on Reddit that crashes or synchronisation problems are still possible.
The reaction suggests how long fans have waited. One user asked about the maximum player count, which is currently two, though raising it is being looked into. The same user wrote that this was exactly what they had been looking for their whole life. Another said they were surprised it took someone 25 years to build something like this.
The Classic Collection's missing online mode was a major sore point and one of several reasons it still carries a Mostly Negative rating on Steam. In a separate Reddit thread at the time, one disappointed player said it was all they had wanted from the title. They criticised developer Aspyr for choosing AI upscaling over finding a working fix.
Trauntrow's project may not run as smoothly as an officially built version could have. For now it gives fans something the publisher never did, and the next thing to watch is whether the creator manages to raise the two-player cap.
Citations marquantes
I'm honestly surprised it took someone 25 years to implement something like this. Awesome stuff.— Reddit user reacting to the mod
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