Ron Del Rosario

Ahhhhhh! This is to good to be true! Bioware and Lucasarts are teaming up yet again to make my nerdy dreams come true! Rumored to be released next year, the Star Wars: The Old Republic (SWTOR) Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) game is set 300 years after the original Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR) game also from Bioware and LucasArts.

Rich Class/faction-Based Content!

Similar to most MMOs available today, you get to choose your faction, class, and race. But not just any faction, race or class! This is Star Wars fantasy and Massively Multiplayer baby! But the key difference is that each class of each faction will have a different story! So each new game would be a different experience (assuming that you do change faction/race of course)! Like the original KOTOR, you will also be joined by a Non-Player Character (NPCs) who will serve as your companion throughout your adventure and can also alter the story just just by being there! How’s that for great content?

Some Fluff and Screenshots to get you going!

Here’s LucasArt’s The Old Republic setting Fluff to poke at your imagination:

The Galactic Republic stood for generations as a bastion of peace in a galaxy of warring star systems. Protected by its stalwart Jedi guardians, the Republic held the greatest hope for the progress of civilization and galactic unity.

Deep in unknown space, however, a mighty Sith Empire was forged, led by dark Sith Lords who dreamt of galactic domination and vengeance against their ancient Jedi enemies. After centuries of preparation, the time came for the Sith to make their return.

With a massive fleet and an awe-inspiring army of fearless troops, the Sith Emperor launched a surprise assault, quickly capturing dozens of worlds in the Outer Rim, and sparking a war unlike any other in the galaxy’s history.

From the frozen wastes of Ilum to the desert plains of Dathomir, violent battles killed untold millions. Despite its avowed neutrality, surface structures on the water-covered world of Manaan were completely destroyed, forcing the Selkath to retreat to their ocean underworld. Other star systems fared worse—some destroyed, others left uninhabitable. The carnage concluded with the Sith Empire sacking the Republic’s capital planet of Coruscant and forcing the Republic Senate into the controversial Treaty of Coruscant.

In the years since the treaty, fear and uncertainty have gripped the galaxy, enabling the Sith Emperor to pursue his own mysterious purposes while the Republic has made efforts to rebuild its infrastructure and adjust military priorities to the new galactic landscape.

Now, tensions between the Republic and the Empire are running high, and a series of border skirmishes and proxy wars have broken out, even on planets as historically peaceful as Alderaan. The uneasy truce established by the Treaty of Coruscant is quickly tearing apart at the seams, and a return to all-out war has begun in all but official terms.

A new generation of heroes, both light and dark, emerges to face the difficulties of these chaotic times, and fight for the fate of the galaxy in this most desperate age.

Pricing and fees still unknown

The details on how Bioware and LucasArts will market SWTOR are still sketchy and since these are big time developers and publishers, I have a very strong feeling that the game would impose monthly fees on its gamers. Doh! If the monthly fee stays below $10, I just might make the investment!

Copyright Notices:

LucasArts and the LucasArts logo are registered trademarks of Lucasfilm Ltd.

© 2008 Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd. or Lucasfilm Ltd. & ® or ™ as indicated. All rights reserved

The BioWare logo, BioWare, the BioWare hands logo, the BW logo and The BioWare Infinity Engine, are all registered trademarks of EA International (Studio and Publishing) Ltd..