Space combat confirmed for SWTOR

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 26 July, 2010

An "alternative gameplay experience".

Space combat will be in upcoming massively multiplayer online role-playing game Star Wars: The Old Republic, developer BioWare has confirmed.

The news came out of a San Diego Comic-Con panel that took place over the weekend, and was later confirmed by BioWare on its forum.

"Space combat is an alternative gameplay experience to the primary game of storytelling, questing, and ground-based combat," explained community manager Sean Dahlberg.

"In space combat, you fly your personal ship to various 'hot spots' on your galaxy map. From there, you will blast your way through asteroid fields, enemy fighters, frigates, destroyers, and a variety of other obstacles that will evoke memories of some of the great Star Wars space battles.' STAY ON TARGET!

Jon Blyth went hands on for Eurogamer in May. Publisher EA's released loads of stirring trailers for the game, one of which you can see below.

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

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Comments (14) Latest comment 2 years ago

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

  • Harlequeen #1 2 years ago

    Ok, now that sounds like fun. I miss space sims.

  • Negotiator #2 2 years ago

    Another one to copy Halo, oh dear.

  • Redeye #3 2 years ago

    Negotiator: Nope, just Bioware looking back at titles such as X-Wing/TIE Fighter/Rogue Squadron/Starfighter etc. etc.

  • Caimbeul #4 2 years ago

    @ Negotiator: I think you will find that many Star Wars games have done it before Halo...

    @ Everyone else: I can't quite fathom - is this playable single player without the MMO bit?
    Edited by 1 at 26/07/10 @ 10:02

  • bad09 #5 2 years ago

    Monthly subs mean it is an automatic non-starter for me but I would kill for a non-sub space sim, especially another SW one. Gimme X-wing/TIE Fighter Lucasarts!

  • Negotiator #6 2 years ago

    It was a joke people.

  • bodypopper #7 2 years ago

    I'd be excited if I still played games using a PC.
    A next gen console X Wing or Tie Fighter (eg based on the original trilogy) would be, as the current vernacular has it, 'awesome' . Shame they axed Battlefront 3.
    Edited by 2 at 26/07/10 @ 10:21

  • Macross #8 2 years ago

    ok that just sold it to me.

    my fave part of SWG was the space combat, i hardly ever touched the ground apart from to RE and manufacture starship parts to pimp my rides. would probably still be playing it until the NGE hit and turned my maxxed skills as a shipwright into fucking politician skills (wtf?).

    I probably had some of the best fit ships on the server at one point.

    Wow im all moist just remembering it all.

  • Ged42 #9 2 years ago

    Hopes Bioware don't have a burn out.

  • Turrican #10 2 years ago

    Note that PVP is not mentioned in that info for Space Combat. Hope they go the X-Wing route as Lucasarts have singularly failed over a decade to provide an obvious market niche with a sequel they so desperately seek.

    Given the investment they're making in this game I have high hopes, even if I hate the normal MMO setup, however it could come down to the main design decisions they've made as to whether this succeeds.

  • sneetch #11 2 years ago

    I'm interested in seeing more about this, I hope this is real-time, space combat experienced from the cockpit of your ship and not the third person, click to target then auto attack and use hot key abilities style that is standard in MMOs.

  • Quixz #12 2 years ago

    I failed to play Aion and got bored with Lineage 2 this is the MMO i want!!

  • Lawlost #13 2 years ago

    Is it just me or was the trailer absolutely nothing to do with space combat, looked more like an action/adventure to me. I would love a decent space combat on the xbox, xwing vs tie fighter or if you recall Freespace and the even better Freespace 2.

  • Unclebaby #14 2 years ago

    Yes please?!