Loot boxes. I still feel like I don't fully understand the ins and outs of this system to give a full critique, but I'll just say this: a lot here will just see this as the lesser of two evils (the other evil being map packs, which I agree do split the online community up, it's just less of an issue on multi-million selling titles like this one), because in theory all items can be earned in game (assuming enough time in-game to harvest enough space bucks to buy more crates, and having pot luck to get the item you're after) making them an optional purchase.
Of course that presumes that they are the only two choices to create a post launch revenue stream for the publisher- loot boxes or map packs (and some cheeky companies use both...even Battlefield does this). There will be other options, it's just that they haven't been invented yet/become common place, and in this case, EA knows its a safe choice to use a loot crate system if paid map packs are not going to be a thing anymore (people will buy them in droves, and the system is well known from many other titles), as it requires limited innovation and risk for them as a company, just slap Star Wars items in each crate.
I can't help but agree with Jim Sterling: the loot crate system as concept is gambling, and does rely on the so-called whales to buy oodles of crates (and as he pointed out, its an unregulated market which let's face it, will be seen and utilised by children). You are able to earn everything in game sure, but how long will I have to wait for a particular card/emote/powerup/etc? I could be lucky enough to open up something fantastic day 1, or it could be dozens or hundreds of hours of gameplay to recieve it. That itself incentivises people to start buying crates to just speed up this dull process. Some of these cards will doubtless have fantastic effects in-game, that will really help out, further incentivising cracking crates to get them. It would be mitigated ever so slightly if we find out that unwanted cards etc can be cashed in at a decent rate, that a trading system exists between players for cards of the same rarity, and that items could be purchased directly with space bucks (I think this was announced right?). Even Battlefield only keeps skins and optional melee weapons behind its crate system IIRC. By gaining free map packs, I'm not so how 'costly' the loot crate system will be to my enjoyment of the game, because gameplay effects and mechanics are locked behind it.
As said I'll hold my full judgement until I've seen the final system, but this being EA, and a 2017 game, currently I'd rather just pay for a set of DLC maps.
