Star Wars Galaxies to get vehicle combat News

Christopher Field, producer of Sony Online Entertainment's Star Wars Galaxies MMO, has confirmed that vehicle combat is coming to the five-year-old game.

In a forum post Field - going by his online alias Dotanuki - said that vehicle combat will form part of the forthcoming Battle for Echo Base update.

Star Wars fans will know that Echo Base was the site of the famous Battle of Hoth sequence from the start of the Empire Strikes Back film, in which the Rebels' Snowspeeders take down Imperial AT-AT walkers. The scene's been recreated in videogames many times, but it's the kind of large-scale conflict that's been largely missing from Galaxies so far.

"The team has been working feverishly, reviewing the film every step of the way, to ensure as authentic experience as we can provide," said Field. "The environment is absolutely massive. The North Field alone is huge and will provide some exciting battle moments.The base itself is labyrinth of tunnels and rooms."

More information will be revealed at SOE's Fan Faire convention in Las Vegas in a week's time. "I was going to announce vehicle combat at Fan Faire, but it seems that that secret was too good to keep under wraps," said Field, perhaps referring to his boss John Smedley's slip of the tongue when talking to Massively at E3.

"Yes, we are including vehicle combat in The Battle of Echo Base. To find out what vehicles on Hoth are available for battle you'll need to attend the Galactic Assembly presentation at Fan Faire."

Field also mentioned some of the loot types being introduced with the Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game, Champions of the Force, and new interactive seasonal events, including one inspired by the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special.

Eurogamer MMO will be attending Fan Faire, so watch out for more information on Galaxies and the rest of SOE's bulging catalogue of MMOs around the 14th to the 17th August.