Rumors have circulated this year about BioWare and LucasArts collaborating on a joint project to produce a new Star Wars MMO. It wasn’t a matter of if it would happen as much as when it would happen. Today, the official word has come in; the game is called Star Wars: The Old Republic.
The game’s setting will take place about 300 years after the events of the Knights of the Old Republic. The MMO will give players the option to join the Old Republic or fight on the side of the Sith Empire.
Ray Muzyka, head of BioWare commented:
"Traditionally, massively multiplayer online games have been about three basic gameplay pillars – combat, exploration and character progression. 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.
"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."
Darrell Rodriguez, president of LucasArts enthusiastically praised the game.
"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."
For more info on Star Wars: The Old Republic, go to the official website here.
[via eurogamer]
