Star Wars: The Old Republic MMO unveiled
by Ross Miller 
{ Oct 21st 2008 at 5:20PM }
What we know so far: The project originated just after KOTOR II launched in 2005. SW:TOR is reportedly the reason Electronic Arts paid $860 million to purchase BioWare and Pandemic. The MMO takes place 300 years after the first KOTOR II, which puts it about 3,500 years before the film.
You can choose between two factions, the Galactic Republic or the re-energized Sith Empire. You can also align yourself as a Dark or Light Side character in either situation. Two classes have been revealed: Jedi and Sith, both of which can use lightsabers and the Force early on. No release date, and no word on console releases.
We also happened to see the name printed on t-shirts worn by BioWare's Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk. Meanwhile, the official press conference is about to begin. Here's hoping the game has better luck than Star Wars Galaxies!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Badger_badger_badger @ Oct 21st 2008 5:23PM
cool
Slayer @ Oct 21st 2008 5:25PM
DAMN IT . I want KOTOR 3
ShinkuEX @ Oct 21st 2008 5:36PM
Me, too.
Tiptup300 @ Oct 22nd 2008 2:18AM
Meatbag.
Conor @ Oct 22nd 2008 7:24AM
Couldn't agree more mate.
JustACasualReader @ Oct 21st 2008 5:25PM
ahhh shit
kyle @ Oct 21st 2008 5:27PM
o no... i will not have a life now!!! ugh hopefully a mac version! haha
Jake11 @ Oct 21st 2008 5:47PM
thats what i'm praying for
jaysins @ Oct 21st 2008 8:37PM
There's always boot camp guys.
hunt3r @ Oct 21st 2008 5:33PM
WTF why is this jedi shit early on? I mean come on do they want a 100% jedi population?! Seriously not even in fan faction is jedis so easily accesible. This better be balanced right or this will be another swg fiasco.
Avoli @ Oct 21st 2008 5:54PM
Couldn't agree more. SWG had such a great atmosphere with out Jedi, and then came NGE......attack of the Jedi clones.....
Dirty @ Oct 21st 2008 5:55PM
Im going to be a Sith. I also think the NPC companions are cool.
Mez Jr @ Oct 22nd 2008 1:11PM
Being a fan of the Star Wars universe, I can enjoy all the peripheral stuff and not have to be entitled to being a Jedi. However for a much larger segment of the population, being a Jedi would be the primary appeal of any Star Wars game.
BananaBoat @ Oct 21st 2008 5:33PM
I was hoping for a sequel to Kotor, and not an MMO that I'll never play. Oh well, here's hoping it DOES go the way of Galaxies, so that they can get back to doing single player RPG's.
finnith @ Oct 21st 2008 5:33PM
Well, I hope that it's good. I will be playing this game though.
Twitch131 @ Oct 21st 2008 5:35PM
Hell yes.
NicoloPicolo @ Oct 21st 2008 5:43PM
So "The wait is over" cool.
Release date ? "No release date"
Come on !
So now we will wait for a release date or not...
Stupid marketing...
Joshua @ Oct 21st 2008 5:45PM
MMO takes place 300 years after the first KOTOR II
as opposed to a 2nd or 3rd KOTOR II?
:D
J.Goodwin @ Oct 21st 2008 5:49PM
MMOs. Meh.
simpleblur @ Oct 21st 2008 5:49PM
I wonder what twist will it be this time? Graphics aren't everything but the jump from the KOTOR engine to what was in Mass Effect, so shiny.
Jakka @ Oct 21st 2008 5:52PM
It's an MMO, because EA-owned Bioware chose $$$ over fanbase.There's your fucking twist.
atrimus @ Oct 21st 2008 5:55PM
don't really do mmos. would've much rather had a single-player KOTOR 3. also, prequels have ruled Star Wars for the last 10 or so years. is it too much to ask for ANYthing Star Wars set in the Episode VI or post-Episode VI era?
john paul @ Oct 21st 2008 7:45PM
Not to sound clichéd but I really couldn't have said it any better myself.
iofthestorm @ Oct 22nd 2008 12:11AM
I guess in the prequel era it's easier to have a million jedi running around.
Avoli @ Oct 21st 2008 5:56PM
Wish I could say I was excited to hear this, but until there is more information, Ill assume it's a revamped NGE SWG.
Aaron @ Oct 21st 2008 5:56PM
Why don't we find out more about the game before judging BioWare's intentions? It sounds like the game might play just like the old KOTOR games, but in an MMO setting. I'd be happy with that.
Avoli @ Oct 21st 2008 6:00PM
Considering what happened to SWG, many are hesitant including myself. Especially when all they say is:
It'll have Jedi and Sith from the start!
Aaron @ Oct 21st 2008 6:12PM
Understandable about SWG, but that was SOE's fault. BioWare has a fantastic reputation so I don't think that should be a concern here until we have evidence to believe otherwise.
Screw the Jedi, I'm all about the Sith!
Dirty @ Oct 21st 2008 5:57PM
As much as I hate this.... I must play it.
Really sucks that Bioware fell into this, but the cash cow that is WoW has lured many to the dark side.
ChekhovsGun @ Oct 21st 2008 5:59PM
Guys, an MMO can mean a lot of things. Until we see gameplay it's entirely possible that things will stick very close to KOTOR, like the combat. Fingers crossed it's a frequently updated KOTOR with co-op.
Avoli @ Oct 21st 2008 5:59PM
One thing I forgot to mention:
Keep Smedley the fuck away from this!!!
Sidebuster @ Oct 21st 2008 6:03PM
I have a feeling I'm gonna not like this game. If they only have jedi/sith, my returning dream as a lone smuggler selling spice and slicing weapons on dantooine are not gonna happen at all. And that my friends SUCKS...
Titanium_Orchid @ Oct 21st 2008 6:05PM
pshhhhhheww
vmmmm vmmmm
mmmmm
vmmmmm
pew pew pew
kshhh kshhh
vmm
arrghh! my arm!
Osman @ Oct 21st 2008 7:50PM
I love the internet :D
Colin @ Oct 21st 2008 6:09PM
The real question... will it come to consoles?
Hyams @ Oct 21st 2008 6:11PM
Man, I'm really not digging the game's art style. It looks kind of like the Clone Wars film, only even more vibrant and cartoony.
Hyams @ Oct 21st 2008 6:15PM
http://www.massively.com/photos/star-wars-the-old-republic-1/1111062/full/
It just doesn't look right to me...
Titanium_Orchid @ Oct 21st 2008 6:23PM
The light saber is freakishly large
JoeTheBlow @ Oct 22nd 2008 3:37AM
Looks like a goddamn Wii game.
Jawmuncher @ Oct 21st 2008 6:12PM
Wow Huge Disappointment, worst news of the year so far.
RiccochetJ @ Oct 21st 2008 6:12PM
It's as if millions of voices cried out, "Meh"
Farseer (GDI) @ Oct 21st 2008 11:35PM
...and suddenly went silent. Because they don't give a shit.
theturtle363 @ Oct 21st 2008 6:39PM
YESSSSSS!!! I can only hope there will be a Mandalorian class
Tez (PSN: Tezasaurus) @ Oct 21st 2008 6:45PM
There's only one thing that'll get me to play this game: Ithorian jedi.
Tony Bowman @ Oct 21st 2008 6:47PM
so we're basically getting "World of StarWarsCraft" right down to the over-saturated/cartoony, or Clone Wars look?
blargh.
jay @ Oct 21st 2008 7:31PM
I just hope its better than Star Wars Galaxies..
Bomberman65 @ Oct 21st 2008 8:40PM
I for one am looking forward to this. I've always been a big fan of Biowares games this looks very promising. If its like KotOR 1 and 2 I'll be pleased.
I like the look of this art style. I mean it looks good enough that you wont get sick of looking at it and it also looks like it wont take much to render or whatever meaning more content. I tried SWG and I never really liked it or got into it. But this looks like a game I'd invest alot of hours in.
Cant wait till they release a trailer or some gameplay footage.
Bring on the Old Republic.
turkeybaster @ Oct 21st 2008 9:20PM
I seriously never understood this game's timeline--I mean, how does KOTOR take place 3,500 years before the Star Wars movies? The technology and locations all look the same. It's like they made no progress at all in 35 centuries.
Jordan @ Oct 21st 2008 9:54PM
lord of the rings stayed the same for about that long too... no progress from sauron's first defeat to his second.
theturtle363 @ Oct 21st 2008 10:07PM
how much more progress is to be made when you have laser swords, laser guns, hyperdrives, and giant space factories?