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Star Wars Galaxies Shutdown after 7 years...


adamqd

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Although not a SWTOR announcement as such, after 7 years as THE Star Wars MMO, Sony online entertainment, and the powers that be at Lucus Licensing/arts, have finally decided to Sunset the often reviled Star Wars Galaxies.

 

Although it has had a sketchy history, SWG has maintained a reasonably large Player-base, and obviously made a profit, But on the 24th of June I received this email...

 

"Dear Star Wars Galaxies™ Community Member,

We write to you today to inform you that on December 15, 2011, Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) and LucasArts will end all services (MMO and Trading Card Game) for Star Wars Galaxies (SWG). The shutdown of SWG is a very difficult decision, but SOE and LucasArts have mutually agreed that the end of 2011 is the appropriate time to end the game.

We are extremely grateful to all of the SWG fans. We have had the rare opportunity to host one of the most dedicated and passionate online gaming communities and we truly appreciate the support we've received from each and every one of you over the course of the past eight years.

In recognition of your incredible loyalty, we are extending special Fan Appreciation offers to the current SWG community. We also plan to go out with a bang with a galaxy-ending in-game event in December and hope to see you all there. The details relating to these offers and events as well as the timeline and specifics regarding the discontinuation of the service, are provided below.

Again, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to our player community for making SWG one of the best online communities in gaming history.

Sincerely,

Sony Online Entertainment & LucasArts

The Fine Details:

Discontinuation of Services:

As of September 15, 2011, the SWG MMO and Trading Card Game will no longer be available for sale or subscription at both retail and all online digital retailers. All billing for active subscribers with accounts in good standing, except for Station Access subscribers, will end on October 15, 2011."

 

I'm guessing the reason for this Shock news (Shock to active members at least) is that they want to make the most of SWTOR's release, and they hope all the disgruntled SWG players will just flock to SWTOR. That, and of course the end of SOE's contract with Lucus in Decemeber could mean a late 2011 release date?

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I'm guessing the reason for this Shock news (Shock to active members at least) is that they want to make the most of SWTOR's release, and they hope all the disgruntled SWG players will just flock to SWTOR.

 

That won't happen with me.

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I find more appealing the timeline on SWG and the sandbox style of game, so it's a shame to see it go because of TOR.
It was on its way down for a long time already. I don't think it was going to live much longer even if TOR was around. Still, I've read 7 years isn't bad for an MMO. It's certainly an MMO people will remember.
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I don't think so. It had a solid player base. And many new (and old) players have been coming into the game over the last couple of years. It was far from dead.
Shows how much I know. I just had the impression it was fading away, but I guess some people keep coming back, which is nice, of course.
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SWG= Star Wars Galaxies

 

SWG:EMU= Player run emulator server, uses client side game files to create a Pre 2005 galaxies, Free to play.

 

Pre-CU= Pre combat upgrade version of the game (Many more diverse professions, had to grind as many as 31 professions+ collections etc to attain Jedi)

 

NGE= New game enhancements. Worrying the game was too niche and not making money, the powers that be simplified and basically re made the entire game to get more subs and made Jedi a starter profession.(Nerd-rage ensued).

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Kinda bummed. While I wasn't actively playing, I did like to drop back into it every now and again. It was not too bad honestly. It still has the best crafting of any game out there(as far as I'm concerned anyway). And while I was infinitely more excited about TOR than playing SWG, that was still the only MMO I really enjoyed. But the writing was on the walls for a long time. Most people knew that when TOR came out SWG was not long for this world. Most assumed it would be gone earlier. The game itself might have been seeing more players as of late, but how much was from transfers and server merges.

 

I wonder if this will cause the EMU to see a huge influx. And if SOE will give them any assistance lol.

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I've played on and off since 05, pretty much constantly from 07-10, but never really admitted to playing it lol, but this announcement has really brought it home at how immense the game is, even now. The amount of Items, History and events... Had some Fun on this game over the years.

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I'm pretty sure legally Sony can't help the emulator...I believe I read that SOE's license with LucasArts runs out at the end of this year.

 

I'm not shocked that Sony is allowing SWG to die. They probably don't want to have to shell out the cash to renew the license to try and compete with SWTOR a competition they likely would lose.

 

I myself haven't played SWG in about a year or so but I might come back for the end. It would be the second MMO that I've been on at end of service with EA's Earth and Beyond being the first.

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Fortunately unlike Earth and Beyond, there's already a semifunctional emulator running.

 

Though it is missing a great deal of the content that SOE has added since 06. As well as my favorite part... SPACE

 

Honestly I never saw the two games as competing for players... I mean sure it's set in the same universe, but they are completely different types of games.

 

SWG is an open sandbox world with most of the content being player driven.

TOR is a story driven thematic adventure game.

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Honestly I never saw the two games as competing for players... I mean sure it's set in the same universe, but they are completely different types of games.

 

SWG is an open sandbox world with most of the content being player driven.

TOR is a story driven thematic adventure game.

Unfortunately, both are SW and on the devs point of view competitors because a MMO demands so much time that most players can only play one at a time.

 

They could give some bonus to those who played SWG constantly or something like that, to encourage migration. Like having playing for a few months for free

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Fortunately unlike Earth and Beyond, there's already a semifunctional emulator running.

 

Though it is missing a great deal of the content that SOE has added since 06. As well as my favorite part... SPACE

 

Honestly I never saw the two games as competing for players... I mean sure it's set in the same universe, but they are completely different types of games.

 

SWG is an open sandbox world with most of the content being player driven.

TOR is a story driven thematic adventure game.

 

Whilst slightly irrelevant in case anyone cares Earth and Beyond does have an emulator running: http://forum.enb-emulator.com/

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It feels like a part of my soul is dying. SWG was my first MMO. Like adamqd said, it's so huge. Knowing I'll never see my items, my houses, my ships, my clothes, those specific planets, my characters...it hurts. Hell I'm even bummed that we'll see never the planet Tanaab that has been in the game files since launch. A significant part of me, the part of me that plays ANY MMOs, since SWG was my first, is very hurt by this. With the Trading Card Game I had hoped it'd go Free-2-Play and give some new life to it(everyone else is doing it, and the TCG was microtransactions in all but name), but it seems it isn't so. I'd like to know just how expensive the license for renewal would be, since LucasArts seems to think it isn't worth it. Could it really be more expensive than the amount of money SWG still makes?

 

We can't ignore the elephant in the room(see the very board this topic is on), which makes it easy to demonize EA/LucasArts/TOR as having something to do with this to ensure TOR reigns on top without another SW MMO leeching attention away from their new baby. I love TOR, but the idea that TOR could've had a hand in killing SWG just hurts, like a betrayal. It's like hearing my new girlfriend ran over my ex so I'd devote all my attention to the new girl.

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