LucasArts unveils Star Wars MMO

By Ellie Gibson Published 21 October, 2008

It's subtitled The Old Republic.

LucasArts and BioWare have officially announced that a new MMO set in the Star Wars universe is on the way.

It's titled Star Wars: The Old Republic and is in development for PC. They're telling us to expect "immersive storytelling" and "dynamic combat", somewhat predictably. More intriguing is the reference to "intelligent companion characters".

The game is set roughly 300 years after the events of Knights of the Old Republic, which is still thousands of years before Anakin Skywalker started getting up to mischief.

The war between the Old Republic and the Sith Empire divides the galaxy and you can choose to fight for either side, playing as a Jedi knight or Sith lord. There's also "a variety of other classic Star Wars roles" to choose from. Perhaps you can be that button that always starts the spaceship.

As the game unfolds you'll meet various companions who will fight at your side. They could end up betraying you, however, depending on your actions.

"Traditionally, massively multiplayer online games have been about three basic gameplay pillars - combat, exploration and character progression," observed BioWare boss Ray Muzyka. "In Star Wars: The Old Republic, we're fusing BioWare's heritage of critically-acclaimed storytelling with the amazing pedigree of Lucasfilm and LucasArts, and adding a brand-new fourth pillar to the equation - story."

And that's not all. Muzyka is promising we can expect "all the fun features and activities that fans have come to expect in a triple-A massively multiplayer online game.

"To top it all off, Star Wars: The Old Republic is set in a very exciting, dynamic period in the Star Wars universe," he continued. "BioWare has been able to add to the Star Wars history in developing the game's story and has created an overarching narrative that players can enjoy, regardless of their play style.

"Our goal is to offer players an emotionally rewarding experience that combines the traditional elements of MMO gameplay with innovations in story and character development."

LucasArts president Darrell Rodriguez had this to say: "Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is the most critically acclaimed Star Wars game in LucasArts history and a pre-eminent example of our company's interactive storytelling heritage.

"For a long time, we've wanted to return to the franchise in a grand way, and we felt that the best setting for it was an online world that would allow millions of people to participate in the experience together.

"We knew that the developer capable of working with us to deliver an engrossing story with a fully-realised online world was BioWare," he concluded.

LucasArts has yet to give any indication of when Star Wars: The Old Republic will be released. However, you can take a peek at the first screenshots of the game, and BioWare has also launched an official website with game info and a FAQ, among other things.

Look out for a full preview later this week.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (45) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Darkjinxter #1 3 years ago

    Good ol George.
    If anyone can do a decent job of a Star Wars MMO it's Bioware.
    Edited by 1 at 21/10/08 @ 22:22

  • spimmy #2 3 years ago

    woot about time

  • Lacero #3 3 years ago

    I am shocked, shocked I tell you.

  • Inigo #4 3 years ago

    As long as you can play a Twi'lek this will be the greatest game ever.

  • Razorus #5 3 years ago

    Xbox360 version or GTFO.

  • Hunam #6 3 years ago

    Hopes it's more like Guild Wars in that its a single player game as an MMO, with a story and such and you just grab people at hubs and then do the instanced missions. Much like The Agency really.

  • psychokitten #7 3 years ago

    Totally expected, but I'd still like to say:

    Heells yeah... Can't wait!

  • M83J01P97 #8 3 years ago

    Good ol George. ?

    He better leave this the fuck alone considering his recent work concerning the Star Wars universe.

  • hannibaldave #9 3 years ago

    Awwwwwwwwwwwww yeah

  • bad09 #10 3 years ago

    "LucasArts president Darrell Rodriguez had this to say: "Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is the most critically acclaimed Star Wars game in LucasArts history and a pre-eminent example of our company's interactive storytelling heritage. "

    And you go and ruin it all with a pay to play MMO as the next game :(

    / stomps off in a bad mood

  • qoobah #11 3 years ago

    Hmm well. It's all fine and dandy, but I don't know about the story focus there. For some reason I can't see how a storyline could work in an MMO, where you have thousands of "world saving heroes" running around you. AoC tried, and I found it very anti-immersive there. One way to do it is how WAR tacles it, and thats making you a part of a large army, so you're not the only one savind the world here, just doing your part. I imagine it could be so in Old Republic as well, but it's not perfect either, after all, everyone will be going through the same "epic and world changing" storyline, time and again. I guess I'll just have to wait for more details to see whether I like their approach or not.

    Another thing, art on those screenshots looks very cartoonish. Is LA planning to turn SW into a cartoon franchise, with the new Clones movie and now this? Another thing I'm not quite sure I like here...

  • bdgr #12 3 years ago

    When will Lucasarts ever do something... you know.... original?!! Step away from Star Wars! The games you make are shit and you've only got a 50/50 rating on the films (the original 3... fantastic, the prequel 3... i'd rather lick the sweaty nuts of a rabid badger than watch them!).

  • Xerx3s #13 3 years ago

    It wasn't always like this you know. There used to be a time - long, long ago - when LA stood for innovation, quality, originality and variety. They used the be the best in the business. Oh far the mighty have fallen.

  • qoobah #14 3 years ago

    Well there is one good thing: this MMO isn't called KOTOR3, and there is plenty of space between the original KOTOR and this for the third game to take place. So I still have hope that at some point in the future we will get a true sequel to one of the best games out there...

    ... please?
    Edited by 1 at 21/10/08 @ 23:18

  • Penguinzoot #15 3 years ago

    It wasn't always like this you know. There used to be a time - long, long ago - when LA stood for innovation, quality, originality and variety.

    Ah yes, X-Wing, Tie Fighter, Monkey Island, Day of the Tentacle, Sam and Max .... I remembers them ;)

    /nods sagely, puffs on pipe and pats the dog
    Edited by 1 at 21/10/08 @ 23:34

  • udat #16 3 years ago

    And Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis!

  • philreeduk #17 3 years ago

    Crap well worst kept secret in gaming i was still hoping it would not be an mmo nevermind bring on mass effect 2!!!

  • Eraysor #18 3 years ago

    If you can go to Manaan I am sold. I love those fishy Selkath dudes. And I like the fact there should be lots of guns.
    Edited by 1 at 22/10/08 @ 00:22

  • SparkyDD #19 3 years ago

    All ive wanted is another KOTOR, so hallelujah. Bloody meat bags

  • shamblemonkee #20 3 years ago

    you can play as jedi and sith form the off? wha-? have they learnt nothing!

  • thesnowman #21 3 years ago

    I want KOTOR 3, couldn't give a monkeys about a MMO.

  • BastoJ #22 3 years ago

    Excellent, can't wait to grind my way through a generic MMO. FFS the great thing about KoTOR was the strong single player experience, the experiences that just won't work on an MMO.

    Oh well :(

  • RedSparrows #23 3 years ago

    BastoJ, way to preclude any possibility of enjoying what could be an excellent title...


    Bioware + MMO + Star Wars = me excited.

  • Gaol #24 3 years ago

    Third question down on the official faq:

    'Can I play alone?

    While there are some tasks that cannot be completed without the cooperation of others, the majority of the game can be accomplished by playing alone.'

    Bioware are going for the 'together alone' treadmill approach then, the polar opposite of pre-cu SWG.

  • stevetuck #25 3 years ago

    Star Wars Galaxies 2?

  • Lemming81 #26 3 years ago

    *Anakin99 was defeated by Obywankinobi*

    Anakin99: Rez pls

    *DarfSydioos has resurrected Anakin99*

    Anakin99: NoOoOoOoOoOoOo!

  • Charlie_Miso #27 3 years ago

    Fuck this.

    KotOR 3 please.

  • sirtacos #28 3 years ago

    FUCK YES.

    Yes to the fact that KotOR has finally been officially announced in some form.
    No to the fact that it's an MMO.

    Still, I keep a very open mind - it could be fantastic. Let's hope they don't screw up by letting stuff like this happen:

    "*Anakin99 was defeated by Obywankinobi*

    Anakin99: Rez pls

    *DarfSydioos has resurrected Anakin99*

    Anakin99: NoOoOoOoOoOoOo!"

    (Good stuff Lemming81)

  • 3william56 #29 3 years ago

    Hold on. Exactly what has events 1000 or 300 years prior got to do with Star Wars anyway? It's like having a Robin Hood game claim to be a prequel to WWII. How can there be "a variety of other classic Star Wars roles"? It's 300 f**king years away!!!

    Milking the teats of the original must be hurting by now.

  • Devil-dk #30 3 years ago

    I agree Aspic Lucasarts has forgotten how to make great games, their release are not what they used to be. And this game I just do not see it working, how will you mix a MMO with a storyline, will the story go on forever ?? I think they are trying to satisfy two different sort of players. The ones who like MMOs and exploring the online world getting a bad ass player and the ones who like playing a game with a good story which has a more limited timeline and does not take forever to play and there is an end to it. And I do not think you can combine these two, of course there are gamers who like both types of games, but for most gamers I just do not see it working, sorry ...

  • BastoJ #31 3 years ago

    @RedSparrows

    I've gotten excited about MMOs that promised to be different and 'innovative' before, I'll avoid getting excited this time unless it really does prove different. Sadly MMOs are all based on getting as much money as possible out of people who enjoy repetitive grinding so I doubt they're going to break that. Meh, good for anyone that likes MMOs and also likes Star Wars though :)

    ~~

    Of course I will buy it, it is KoTOR. I'll probably enjoy it for a few days as well, then get iritated by the 'Kill Random Raid Sith and bring back holocron' or 'kill 20 [generic_creature]' style missions. Meh maybe I'm being to cynical and this is actually an attempt to make an even better KoTOR.
    Edited by 1 at 22/10/08 @ 07:47

  • zoch #32 3 years ago

    I want a kotor 3 game with revan! not MMO how going work anway!

  • GamesConnoisseur #33 3 years ago

    Re 3william56: 'what has events 1000 or 300 years prior got to do with Star Wars anyway?'

    Saying that I presumed you have not played KOTOR I or II then?! As if you have done so then you know its the storyline re the time when Sith and Jedi were very numerous and several big battles to wipe each other out, whilst the technology and fashions in this universe is pretty much static despite numbers of years in between KOTOR and Star Wars period.

    MMO, I have never got into this despite occasion attempts, only can say best of luck and hope they can make it work. Far better to have MMO in KOTOR period than Star Wars, as there are plenty Sith and Jedi around anyway and thus not spoiling the 'lone jedi hero type'!

  • Hamflank #34 3 years ago

    More whining about how this is not single player please, oh wait Bioware doesn't give a crap and rightfully so.

    If there's one company that can pull of the WoW thing, it's Bioware backed up by the marketing and publishing power of Electronic Arts.

  • Bleh #35 3 years ago

    Busy times coming for SF mmo fans with Star Trek and Star Wars.

  • PearOfAnguish #36 3 years ago

    Story driven MMO? No, I'm sorry, that isn't going to work.

  • Evolution #37 3 years ago

    @Hamflank

    Maybe it's because replacing a story driven single player game you pay monthly to grind monsters isn't that appealing?

    Also, 300 years after the original games? Great. So they are basically relegating anything from there to cameo references?

  • rudedudejude #38 3 years ago

    sabers. online.

    yawn.

  • hiddenranbir #39 3 years ago

    Story? Ouch that just makes it even more traditional with the fact of, less procedural content. The fact an "endgame" would exist and be constantly pushed back with expansion packs.

  • Schiraman #40 3 years ago

    Much as I'd like a single player KotOR 3, it'd be foolish to write this off until we know more. If anyone can make a decent SW MMO it's Bioware. Here's hoping they can force some innovation in the tired MMORPG genre.

  • node #41 3 years ago

    I love how they've got a stupid number of writers on this and are doing full stories for each class, that could be very, very interesting. You just know some stories are going to end up better than others though.

    Also, nice enough level/area design, but the manga jedi and oversized light sabers look utterly stupid IMO. GAH.

  • prolific8 #42 3 years ago

    Do not want.

  • sifujames #43 3 years ago

    The recent South Park episode showing George Lucas raping Indiana Jones is becoming more and more accurate. Once again, Lucas has taken a winning formula (KOTOR) and f*cked it up. George - we don't want to grind and level up by slaughtering womprats and banthas. We want a compelling story where our choices affect how the lead character develops and how the other characters react to him/her. We want a single player experience, not one where we have to arrange a time with others to go and raid the Sith or whatever. Really George, what we want is for you to stay the f*ck away from Star Wars, stop milking it for cash and let Bioware do what they do best.

  • trooper6 #44 3 years ago

    I hope it is mac compatible...

    *crosses fingers*

  • Silvervein #45 3 years ago

    Anyone remembers that bioware belongs to EA now? The same ea that turned games of westwood into travesty, destroyed bullfrog (of the Syndicate and Dungeon Keeper fame)? Look at what bioware released recently. Mass Effect: the first ever story driven game that had more shooting than story. If EA makes anything, you can expect them to go after highest possible profit. Kotor mmo, heh. Ingame advertising, boring and mindless grind and microtransactions, and all in star wars universe. Horray. Not.
    Edited by 2 at 22/10/08 @ 17:03