LucasArts Says Star Wars Galaxies Isn't Going Anywhere

The excitement of the new baby has taken all the attention away from the firstborn, but not to worry: LucasArts says Star Wars Galaxies will continue to be fully supported.

Star Wars: The Old Republic, the upcoming MMOG set in the Knights of the Old Republic era of the Star Wars universe, is one of the most anticipated games in recent memory, leveraging both the Star Wars name and the reputation of developer BioWare for creating top-notch, epic RPGs. All but lost in the hullabaloo of the game's recent unveiling, however, is Star Wars Galaxies, the original Star Wars-based MMOG created by Sony Online Entertainment and launched in 2003.

Despite a rocky start, the turmoil of the New Game Enhancements (NGE) and reportedly low subscription numbers, Star Wars Galaxies continues to operate, and Tom Nichols of LucasArts says that won't be changing anytime soon. "We have many other features planned to support Star Wars Galaxies," he told Eurogamer. "We see no reason why the two games can't exist together."

He added that LucasArts has learned many lessons from its experience with Galaxies, particularly with regards to what players want from a Star Wars game. "We've learned how important it is to listen to your community and act on that feedback," he said. "We also realized what players expect from an online Star Wars game - they expect to be that iconic Star Wars hero as soon as possible. They don't want to play for hundreds of hours just to become a Jedi." As a result, unlike Star Wars Galaxies, players in Star Wars: The Old Republic will be able to begin the game as a full-fledged Jedi or Sith.

Nichols also said that Star Wars mastermind George Lucas is "very excited" about the new game. "He knows how important this project is for LucasArts and that it represents our re-entrance into the MMO space," he said. "He's very much involved with the project, obviously at a high level, but he's very enthusiastic about it."

Whether or not Lucas believes that Star Wars: The Old Republic will ever challenge MMOG behemoth World of Warcraft for dominance of the genre is impossible to say, however: Nichols revealed that George has never actually played it.

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No, that's not what we want. What we want is the sandbox, we want to have a fun time in the Starwars setting. Not be hand fed theme park garbage and brain dead class structures. Obviously they haven't learned anything.

I can't think of anything more horrible then the thought that Lucas is involved in Old Republic. Great, we'll have standard brainless love interest, pointless bad acted romance story, kiddy style side kick and .. .well just look at everything else he touches. The fact they think that Lucas being apart of the project is a good thing, goes to show how far out of touch with the actual fans they are.

I don't know why they're continuing to support Galaxies, it sucks.

LucasArts Says Star Wars Galaxies Isn't Going Anywhere

Certainly not forward.

they expect to be that iconic Star Wars hero as soon as possible

Do they? I don't. Does my brother? *asks* Nope. Neither does he.

We've learned how important it is to listen to your community and act on that feedback

I highly, highly doubt it.

That's what you get for dumbing down a superb game.

SGent:
No, that's not what we want. What we want is the sandbox, we want to have a fun time in the Starwars setting. Not be hand fed theme park garbage and brain dead class structures. Obviously they haven't learned anything.

I can't think of anything more horrible then the thought that Lucas is involved in Old Republic. Great, we'll have standard brainless love interest, pointless bad acted romance story, kiddy style side kick and .. .well just look at everything else he touches. The fact they think that Lucas being apart of the project is a good thing, goes to show how far out of touch with the actual fans they are.

my thoughts exactly. if they had learned ANYTHING, its that people want to have their own experience in the Star Wars universe, not play some iconic roll. Galaxies used to be such a GREAT game, then came the combat upgrade. sure, that was kinda lame, but it was still a wonderful game. it was after lucas got involved with the game, that the NGE came, and now look at it. i'm already losing excitement for the old republic faster and faster, the last thing I want is a cartoony game where everyone is a damn jedi.

Didn't their community manager leave earlier this month?

uppitycracker:

the last thing I want is a cartoony game where everyone is a damn jedi.

My thoughts exactly, the lack of jedi somewhat made galaxies, it made it like the real star wars universe, ie no jedi and those that did exist were hiding under a rock somewhere for fear that bounty hunters were going to come out. Now look at it! Apart from a select few, the game is no entirely populated by people who joined after the NGE, never knew the good times and are convinced they are the best jedi ever. *sigh*

What players who played galaxies and are going to buy this want is to do what they want, where they want, when and how they want in the galaxy a long time ago far far away.

Malygris:
"We see no reason why the two games can't exist together."

He added that LucasArts has learned many lessons from its experience with Galaxies, particularly with regards to what players want from a Star Wars game. "We've learned how important it is to listen to your community and act on that feedback," he said. "We also realized what players expect from an online Star Wars game - they expect to be that iconic Star Wars hero as soon as possible. They don't want to play for hundreds of hours just to become a Jedi." As a result, unlike Star Wars Galaxies, players in Star Wars: The Old Republic will be able to begin the game as a full-fledged Jedi or Sith.

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How about, because the entire galaxies fan base will either see this as a better game and quit? Or not discluding the possibilty that SWTOR might fall flat on its face like many MMORPGs

IF you've listened to feedback, youve listened to wrong kind (directed at Tom). The people who played galaxies and who made the game good and bought in tenfold the subscription you've got today hated this- they want to themselves in star wars, no some 'iconic hero'. People want thier own star wars experience, are you really so blind as to not give that to them

Calming down, i know i will be buying SWTOR, as a new star wars mmorpg thrills me. Im just praying it wont make the same mistakes as galaxies

Best way to support SW:G.

Remove the NGE and leave it the hell alone.

"We've learned how important it is to listen to your community and act on that feedback," he said. "We also realized what players expect from an online Star Wars game - they expect to be that iconic Star Wars hero as soon as possible. They don't want to play for hundreds of hours just to become a Jedi."

No NO NO you dumbass, that's exactly what killed SW:G in the fucking first place. Oh god, I've got a rant in my gut that's about to do an Alien over this.

Remember Luke Skywalker? ganky little kid at the start? Remember how well that movie went?

LEARN THE BLOODY LESSON YOU POMPOUS SMEG-BAGS. DREAMS ARE BUILT FROM THE BOTTOM UP. WE WANT TO GROW INTO HEROES, NOT HAVE SOME CORPORATE CORN-FED ARCHETYPE SHOVELLED INTO OUR FACE LIKE FECKHAM.

GAMES ARE NO FUN IF YOU'RE INVULNERABLE FROM THE START, YOU DIPSHITS. LOOK AT BLOODY CAPTAIN SCARLET!!!! YOU CAN'T HAVE ANY SENSE OF ACHIEVEMENT OR ADVENTURE IF YOU START OFF BEING ABLE TO DO THE KESSEL RUN IN 12 PARSECS.

(Apologies for the capitals but I've had a 58 hour week already.)

I'm always leery of MMO's, tried SW Galaxies and WOW and I couldn't get into either one. I'll probably give SWTOR a shot though, on account of that I LOVED both KOTOR games.

'they expect to be that iconic Star Wars hero as soon as possible. They don't want to play for hundreds of hours just to become a Jedi." As a result, unlike Star Wars Galaxies, players in Star Wars: The Old Republic will be able to begin the game as a full-fledged Jedi or Sith.'

Oh, great. So, as with all MMORPGs, we are going to have alot of immature players rushing around fighting each other with low levels, rubbish weapons and stupid force powers, who will then beg you to give them better stuff or suffer, which will most likely result in never ending begging until you log off.

'George Lucas is "very excited" about the new game.'

Well I would say he would be. He seems to have a break between filling his wallet with his star wars cash, and this year he has had the release of Clone Wars and Force Unleashed. Next an MMORPG which will be constant cash flow. He must be dizzy with excitement.

is one of the most anticipated games in recent memory,

Really? Everytime I see this game mentioned I see nothing but a dust cloud as gamers run for the hills, fearful of whatever new abortion Lucasarts is about to spawn.

"We've learned how important it is to listen to your community and act on that feedback,"

And the award for best comedic performance goes to...

"We also realized what players expect from an online Star Wars game - they expect to be that iconic Star Wars hero as soon as possible. They don't want to play for hundreds of hours just to become a Jedi."

the turmoil of the New Game Enhancements (NGE) and reportedly low subscription numbers

*cue Price Is Right fail music*

Lucasarts: Getting dumber every day.

Bioware is involved, and they at least know to make a good game. I have yet to play KOTOR2, but KOTOR does start you off with a period of time when you are just a 'normal' class prior to graduating to Jedi.

KOTOR takes place when Jedi were fairly common, so I certainly don't think they should go back to a pre-NGE Galaxies 'play for hundreds of hours and unlock your lightsaber' type of mentality. But they should make it so there are a wide variety of types of Jedi, and maybe make the non-Jedi classes competitive and compelling enough to interest people away from being Jedi, so that there are a variety of gameplay types and group compositions - which, I think, is a key element to WoW's success, and something to be emulated.

I'm looking forward to this game not because of Lucasarts but because of Bioware, a company with a long history of great game-making and a demonstrated ability to withstand the 'corruption' of Lucasarts' Dark Side.

I have yet to play KOTOR2, but KOTOR does start you off with a period of time when you are just a 'normal' class prior to graduating to Jedi.

KotOR2 starts with you as a Jedi, though someone who lost her powers.

KOTOR takes place when Jedi were fairly common

Again, not so much with KotOR2. You were out searching for the last of the Jedi (to either save them or kill them, depending on your alignment choices).

Correct me if im wrong but isnt this mmo supposed to be based after kotor II? If so then millions of Jedi make (no) sense as most were hunted down and murdered by assasins (the exile is believed the "last") and the sith were once again in ascendency. Fair enough after a few years they might start finding ancient teachings or self-teaching or something but i'm sure there would still be only a few beginning to show their faces?

Only thing i can say to this is "They are going to rape my friend and i am not doing anything" /cry

I'd be happier if they'd just turn back the clock on SWG to when it was fun (Pre-Combat Update)

Scorched_Cascade:
Correct me if im wrong but isnt this mmo supposed to be based after kotor II? If so then millions of Jedi make (no) sense as most were hunted down and murdered by assasins (the exile is believed the "last") and the sith were once again in ascendency. Fair enough after a few years they might start finding ancient teachings or self-teaching or something but i'm sure there would still be only a few beginning to show their faces?

SWTOR takes place 300 years after KOTOR does. The Jedi Order has been rebuilt, but it took a pretty bad beating during the Sith incursion and the sacking of Coruscant. Jedi are still pretty common, though.

Epictank of Wintown:

Scorched_Cascade:
Correct me if im wrong but isnt this mmo supposed to be based after kotor II? If so then millions of Jedi make (no) sense as most were hunted down and murdered by assasins (the exile is believed the "last") and the sith were once again in ascendency. Fair enough after a few years they might start finding ancient teachings or self-teaching or something but i'm sure there would still be only a few beginning to show their faces?

SWTOR takes place 300 years after KOTOR does. The Jedi Order has been rebuilt, but it took a pretty bad beating during the Sith incursion and the sacking of Coruscant. Jedi are still pretty common, though.

Jedi are fairly common but most of them would be padawans or inexperianced since i'm sure all the powerful knights were killed during the war and the sacking of Coruscant. That there COULD legitimatly be alot of jedi during this time is not in question, whats in question is how this will effect gameplay. Then again there are a variety of ways to kill a Jedi, just ask HK-47!

...people still play it?

Star Trek Online all the way. RAMMING SPEED!

Malygris:

He added that LucasArts has learned many lessons from its experience with Galaxies, particularly with regards to what players want from a Star Wars game. "We've learned how important it is to listen to your community and act on that feedback," he said. "We also realized what players expect from an online Star Wars game - they expect to be that iconic Star Wars hero as soon as possible. They don't want to play for hundreds of hours just to become a Jedi." As a result, unlike Star Wars Galaxies, players in Star Wars: The Old Republic will be able to begin the game as a full-fledged Jedi or Sith.

NO.

That's not what we want at all! That's one of the main reason you lost subscriptions when you changed SWG you dumb f*cks!

Theo Samaritan:

Malygris:

He added that LucasArts has learned many lessons from its experience with Galaxies, particularly with regards to what players want from a Star Wars game. "We've learned how important it is to listen to your community and act on that feedback," he said. "We also realized what players expect from an online Star Wars game - they expect to be that iconic Star Wars hero as soon as possible. They don't want to play for hundreds of hours just to become a Jedi." As a result, unlike Star Wars Galaxies, players in Star Wars: The Old Republic will be able to begin the game as a full-fledged Jedi or Sith.

NO.

That's not what we want at all! That's one of the main reason you lost subscriptions when you changed SWG you dumb f*cks!

Well my hopes Bioware could pull this out of the fire have gone up in smoke..

Star Wars Galaxies was fucking fantastic upon release, but then the NGE came and fucked everything up.

All I need is:
A bounty hunter avatar.
A ship that can get me to Naboo.
Different ways to torture a Gungan.

Make that game and I will happily buy it.

good, no moar star wars

Lucas is doing what Ninento (i might of possibly spelt that wrong) is doing, and they already bastardized mario, link, and samus although she doesn't have as many games as the other two

Actually, what I want is a real sequel to KOTOR 2. A well written, finished, single player RPG with character development and interesting NPCs. Not some cartoonish MMO where everyone is a jedi.

Everyone's said it already, but I'll say it again. They totally got it wrong. We made original characters, wrote our own story, had our own adventures. the grind was miserable, but we carved our own sense of self. the Jedi and Sith (um, they're mostly extinct supposidally) were the thing of talk and rumor.)

When they caved to the few people whining on the forums and made it possible to be a Jedi, that was fine. They were crazy powerful, just as they should be, but they were a sort of prestige class. The path of a Jedi was never easy, and it definitally wasn't easy here. But damn could you clean house. =)

Then they redid everything. Suddenly you had Jedi everywhere, everyone was some "savior" rescued in the same op by Han Solo and Co. Must make you feel really special when you're running around a room with a thousand other people hacking away at things with lightsabers while Han is repeating over and over again to a line of n00bs "You're the one who will save the Republic!" or some nonsense.

The Old Republic era can do much to correct this alone, but if they're going to have Jedi classes running alongside joe-schmo pistol characters, then they'll be stamping a big "mediocre" label over the whole class, and they'll be right back where they started with: a half-baked mmo that follows the lore and mythos in title only.

I thought LA were considering dropping support for the game, since SOE run it and fudged it up royally with the game engine, watch the subscriptions dwindle down to nothing when TOR hits the shelves.