KOTOR
Latest
BioWare CEO also wishing for a one console world
We've heard this one before, folks, that classic vision of a one-console world. Apparently, BioWare CEO Ray Muzyka shares in this big publisher/developer fever dream, and who could blame him? The idea of developing one game on a single console with a massive install base on a closed platform is quite obviously a great deal for a developer, and also for publishers having to put up the cash. But ultimately there's no reason for competition in a world like that, which a large part of the reason console gaming thrives as it does now.At least it looks like BioWare has a strong affinity for consoles yet. So maybe there's a console version of Star Wars: The Old Republic in our future, although whether or not it's going to be on the one console to rule them all or not is still up in the air, we guess. BioWare has finally unveiled Star Wars: The Old Republic, their new MMO! Massively's got you covered on all the details. Check out our comprehensive guide on everything we know so far about the game, or just peruse our screenshot/concept art galleries. Join us in the Galaxy far, far away!
What does BioWare have planned for SWTOR?
In a recent interview with GameSpy, BioWare's co-founders (affectionately referred to as The Doctors) explain a bit more about the origins of the upcoming Star Wars: The Old Republic MMO and what went into its creation process so far.This interview is full of useful info to any fan of BioWare or their Knights of the Old Republic games, yet one question grabbed our attention more than the others. Considering the fact that the game has been so heavily advertised as big on story, GameSpy asked about the decision to make the game 300 years after KotOR. "Setting the game three centuries after KotOR arose from sitting down and writing out a timeline of events that took place after the fall of Darth Malak, during and after the events of KotOR 2. We had always alluded to a great darkness in Deep Space which Revan had sought to confront after KotOR, and we decided that great darkness would be a massive Sith Empire in exile, biding its time and waiting to come back for vengeance against the Jedi and the Republic."Check out the full interview for more on the strong player-driven storyline, combat and what MMO BioWare considered making before SWTOR came along. BioWare has finally unveiled Star Wars: The Old Republic, their new MMO! Massively's got you covered on all the details. Check out our comprehensive guide on everything we know so far about the game, or just peruse our screenshot/concept art galleries. Join us in the Galaxy far, far away!
Picking apart the first Star Wars: The Old Republic video piece by piece
var digg_url = 'digg.com/pc_games/Examining_the_very_first_Star_Wars_The_Old_Republic_footage'; The first video for Star Wars: The Old Republic is out now, and with its release comes the first of many posts and features wherein we look at every possible angle or detail in the new information and try to discern what it could all really mean. So let's take a look at the list we've put together for the very first in-game footage: Kel'dor are playable. (possible) Bounty Hunter is a player class. (possible) Companions fight with you in combat. (confirmed) The art style picked by BioWare works much better in motion than in screens. (confirmed) BioWare is holding back on a big game feature yet to be revealed. (speculation) Combat similar to KOTOR, but much faster-paced and with a lot more "Whoa" attacks and effects. (confirmed/possible) Players who go extreme lightside or darkside may not be able to play with each other. (speculation) BioWare is totally psyched to be working with LucasArts on making another Star Wars game. (confirmed, like totally) We're anxiously awaiting the next video so that we may once again devour it with a geeky hunger like no other. BioWare has finally unveiled Star Wars: The Old Republic, their new MMO! Massively's got you covered on all the details. Check out our comprehensive guide on everything we know so far about the game, or just peruse our screenshot/concept art galleries. Join us in the Galaxy far, far away!
Speculating on combat in Star Wars: The Old Republic
Even though Star Wars: The Old Republic is now officially a real game, we still know very little about it aside from slivers of information BioWare has been able to share with us. What we know even less about is the combat system, which has simply been described as "choreographed" much like the battles featured in the Star Wars films. Thankfully, this little nugget of information gives us a springboard into what combat in the online Old Republic could be like, and while it's not much, it's definitely a start.
Star Wars: The Old Republic interview reveals shiny new information bits
IncGamers had the opportunity to ask Star Wars: The Old Republic's lead designer James Ohlen some questions regarding the newly announced title. The most interesting of responses from Ohlen have him making very strong hints that while 300 years have passed since the first two titles, everyone's favorite assassin droid will make a return -- among other possibly alien species. We also learn that even though certain characters obviously won't have lived that long, quest will make plenty of allusions and references to legacies of past characters.Another interesting reveal is that more than 100 people are currently working on Star Wars: The Old Republic. That's a fairly reasonable number for an MMO, but it gives us a good idea for how much effort is being put into a game that's apparently in a pre-alpha stage. BioWare has finally unveiled Star Wars: The Old Republic, their new MMO! Massively's got you covered on all the details -- from liveblogging the announcement to screenshot galleries and more. Join us in the Galaxy far, far away!
Blizzard exec: I wouldn't bet against BioWare
Blizzard executive Paul Sams has a lot of things to say about BioWare and Star Wars: The Old Republic in an interview with Eurogamer. And while he starts off with, "I wouldn't bet against them, that's for sure." Sams doesn't stop there. He goes on to point out his reasons, stating that not many MMOs have both the strength in IP and development team that BioWare possess. He also points out the deep wallets of Electronic Arts, which will most certainly play an important role in getting Star Wars: The Old Republic just right via BioWare's "It's done when it's done" approach.Still, Sams is quick to point out that building, running and maintaining an MMORPG is a very difficult task and that "time will tell" if the house that built KOTOR is able to react to the various situations that can erupt. A perfect example of this would be the server issues World of Warcraft has been facing for the past couple of days. Will BioWare be up to a job of that magnitude? Well, Sams is right, only time will tell.
First look at Star Wars: The Old Republic in PC Gamer magazine
If ever there was a thing to go all googly-eyed over, it's the first look a Star Wars: The Old Republic. While it's a shame that such information isn't being released onto the web, at least we've got it earlier than most people were expecting. PC Gamer magazine has gotten an exclusive first look at BioWare's incubating MMO, including interviews with creative director James Ohlen, principal lead writer Daniel Erickson, and BioWare co-founders Dr. Ray Muzyka and Dr. Greg Zeschuk.The issue also apparently has exclusive screenshots for anyone brave enough to look. We're sure that what we've seen so far are very early conceptual designs, but it still pains us to see log-sized lightsabers -- even if BioWare is willing to laugh at themselves over it.
LucasArts: Star Wars MMO will be bigger than WoW
You may have missed this story last week (we wouldn't blame you if you were busy fighting off the living dead), but there was a big announcement in the world of MMO games. BioWare, makers of Neverwinter Nights, Baldur's Gate, and last year's terrific Mass Effect, announced in conjunction with EA and LucasArts that they were going to make their first MMO, set in the same universe as their critically acclaimed Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic game. Massively's got tons of news about it if you're interested (and even though we won't see it for years and years, I definitely am).But LucasArts didn't stop there -- years before the game is even scheduled to come out, they're ready to say the game will be bigger than WoW. Now, we get it -- WoW's the 800 lb. gorilla of MMOs, and thus they make the biggest target you'll find. But please, can we see some actual gameplay before the hype machine gets rolling?If they don't actually release the game until WoW's servers are turned off, then sure, they'll be bigger than WoW, and hey, maybe if BioWare is able to make their game casual and accessible enough (we're looking at you, Mass Effect inventory system), they'll be able to come close to WoW's current peak of almost 11 million players. But LucasArts, let's get the game working before we start bragging about how big it's going to be.
The Digital Continuum: Is the force strong with The Old Republic?
Lightsabers, Jedi and Sith; all things that come to mind the moment someone says Star Wars: The Old Republic. BioWare probably pops up into most of our minds as well. It hasn't even been a week yet, but I'm already starting to see the potential greatness lying within BioWare's Austin, Texax studio's walls.It's not surprising that Lucas Arts and Electronic Arts both think that this particular MMO could be bigger than World of Warcraft -- they've got invested interest in seeing that come true. My reasoning is a bit less financially induced ( In fact, I'll probably end up buying the super-limited edition and of course there's the monthly fees) and instead a matter of desire to see one of my favorite franchises both succeed in and expand upon one of my favorite genres.%Gallery-35033%
Check out the Star Wars: The Old Republic wiki
Just like with any highly-anticipated MMO, Star Wars: The Old Republic now has an unofficial wiki for fans to go and obsess over during the multiple years' wait for the BioWare KotOR-based MMO to be released. There's already a bevy of information to sift through on the wiki, although most of it is from the official website or the waves of information that's likely already washed over everyone in the past couple of days -- you can even check out the first developer interview via the site. However, if you missed the features the hit the web during the deluge that was Star Wars: The Old Republic announcement day, then this wiki is the perfect way to catch up.
The Lore of Star Wars: The Old Republic
The hotly anticipated MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic (SWTOR) from BioWare has only just been announced, but they've already given us a clear picture of the game's setting and a bit of the lore as well. From what we can tell, you won't need to be a die-hard fan of Star Wars to appreciate the title, which is good news as there's a daunting amount of Star Wars canon out there. That said, it'll certainly help to have at least some grounding in what's going on in Star Wars: The Old Republic. To that end, Massively's put together a brief primer on the lore of SWTOR.Who is this written for? People who've seen the films but may not necessarily have played Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (KotOR) on PC or console, and especially those who haven't read the novels or various comic book lines released over the years. Read on, and we'll introduce you to the backdrop and factions of Star Wars: The Old Republic. Get Educated, Padawan >>
BioWare's KotOR MMO to have companion characters
The moment 2pm hit, a tidal flood of information for Star Wars: The Old Republic came gushing out of every news facet. In the video being featured on Gamespot, people working on the newly announced -- but long rumored -- KotOR MMO mention something incredibly cool about the title: companions. Apparently, while playing Star Wars: The Old Republic players can meet, recruit, speak to and even be betrayed by companions just like in the first two singleplayer experiences. This seemingly ties into BioWare's addition of story as a "fourth pillar" to combat, exploration and character development.%Gallery-35033% Bioware has finally unveiled Star Wars: The Old Republic, their new MMO! Massively's got you covered on all the details -- from liveblogging the announcement to screenshot galleries and more. Join us in the Galaxy far, far away!
Star Wars MMO announced as The Old Republic
We've waited for it for a long time, we knew it was coming: BioWare has announced the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic-inspired MMO at last: the title is Star Wars: The Old Republic! Commence rejoicing with Ewoks and Gungans in the streets!A huge amount of information is SWTOR is already hitting the internet like a tsunami -- there's a preview at IGN, a video interview with Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk at GameSpot, screenshots at Eurogamer -- this is just the beginning, folks! We're in for a fine, fine day for Sci-Fi nerds! Check out the GameSpot vid behind the jump!%Gallery-35034%%Gallery-35033%%Gallery-35036% Bioware has finally unveiled Star Wars: The Old Republic, their new MMO! Massively's got you covered on all the details -- from liveblogging the announcement to screenshot galleries and more. Join us in the Galaxy far, far away!
Joystiq live from LucasArts/BioWare press conference
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/LucasArts_BioWare_press_conference_liveblog'; 4:57PM ET – We're live from the Letterman Digital Arts Center in San Francisco! Event should get under way in just minutes.5:04PM ET – We're still in the holding pen outside the theater. There's a life-size Boba Fett staring at us!5:18PM ET – Phew! Made it inside. SPOILER: Game's called Star Wars: The Old Republic -- we spotted it on BioWare bosses Greg and Ray's shirts. (Also: No photography allowed -- BOO!)
Star Wars: The Old Republic MMO unveiled
Looks like someone snuck in ahead of everyone else! Don't even pretend you're surprised. Before today's LucasArts and BioWare press conference, IGN and Gamespot let slip Star Wars: The Old Republic -- you know, the MMO based on BioWare's massively successful Knights of the Old Republic series whose name was trademarked back in July. What we know so far: The project originated just after KOTOR II launched in 2005. SW:TOR is reportedly the reason Electronic Arts paid $860 million to purchase BioWare and Pandemic. The MMO takes place 300 years after the first KOTOR II, which puts it about 3,500 years before the film. You can choose between two factions, the Galactic Republic or the re-energized Sith Empire. You can also align yourself as a Dark or Light Side character in either situation. Two classes have been revealed: Jedi and Sith, both of which can use lightsabers and the Force early on. No release date, and no word on console releases.We also happened to see the name printed on t-shirts worn by BioWare's Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk. Meanwhile, the official press conference is about to begin. Here's hoping the game has better luck than Star Wars Galaxies! Gallery: Star Wars: The Old Republic
The Star Wars / BioWare announcement is just hours away
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/LucasArts_BioWare_press_conference_liveblog'; We're just hours away from the highly anticipated announcement of the BioWare/LucasArts project most gamers expect to be a Knights of the Old Republic MMO. We here at Massively has been waiting for this day ... oh, for years. More recently, though, we've had some more concrete elements to talk about. Ever since the July confirmation of the project by EA's head, we've been very busy thinking, plotting, and planning. Our own Kyle Horner has explored theorycrafting, wondering about planets that might appear in the game and ways that non-Jedi might counter their force-using fellow players. Craig Withers explored the game's possibilities as well, talking about what he wants to see.We've also heard quite a bit from you! We've asked you what class you want to play, and what game design components you want to see. We'll finish this quickie wrapup with IGN's "Top Ten Things We All Want to See in a KOTOR MMO", and ask that you come back in about six hours to follow along with Massively's coverage of this fantastic event!
LucasArts and BioWare confirm impending announcement
LucasArts and BioWare have invited members of the press to attend an event later this month at which the two companies will finally officially announce the game they've been working on together. They did not say what the game is, of course -- then how could they officially announce it at the event? Obviously we're suspicious that it will be the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic MMO (or just Star Wars: The Old Republic, as the rumored title goes).EA's John Riccitiello already confirmed the existence of that game under the table way back at E3, and other tidbits of news have only supported it since then. But hey, we suppose it could be something else. It was suggested in the Massively offices that maybe LucasArts bought the rights to He-Man, and it is in fact a He-Man MMO. Or maybe GI Joe. Yeah, we're a-stretchin'. More likely: a Willow game.According to Worlds in Motion, the invitation says it's "the game that's been rumored about for years." Uh-huh. The announcement will come October 21st, so hold your horses. Or your speeders. Whatever.
Rumor: KOTOR MMO to be formally announced soon
Before beginning this post, we have a number of important announcements to make: It is currently October. Sandwiches, when prepared correctly, are delicious. Salt is salty. There are five items in this list. You are currently reading Joystiq. What's that? You're not sure why we're announcing things you already know? Perhaps you'll be equally flabbergasted by a rumor that LucasArts and Bioware will likely soon reveal the Knights of the Old Republic MMO that EA CEO John Riccitiello already totally confirmed. The rumor originates from a blurb in UK newspaper Daily Star, the author of which claims he's coming stateside to check the title out at LucasArts HQ. If the author is on the level, we certainly expect one of the two developers to "reveal" the title before his article goes to print. Perhaps they can still surprise the eleven people on the planet that don't already know about it.
KotOR MMO announcement rumored to be coming soon
The site ComputerandVideogames reported earlier this week that new information may be coming soon about BioWare's Knights of the Old Republic MMO. We do know that the company is working on such a title, thanks to commentary from John Riccitiello during this year's E3. Unfortunately, the words don't stem from the most reliable source. The UK's Daily Star is the source of the claim, with the tabloid's site stating that it will be traveling to San Francisco to see the game in person. We sent word to LucasArts, asking if they'd be willing to confirm or dismiss their intentions to make an announcement this month. The PR Manager we spoke to stated, specifically, that "LucasArts doesn't comment on unannounced games." We'll keep you updated when (and if) the annoucement is made.
The Daily Grind: What do you want in the KotOR MMO?
LucasArts' Star Wars: The Force Unleashed has sold like, a bajazillion copies since it launched a couple weeks ago. The Star Wars franchise definitely sells video games, even when they get lukewarm reviews. But we're not going to talk about sales today. We're going to talk about quality.Since this site is about MMOs, and since we're going on about Star Wars, you've probably guessed that today's Daily Grind is about the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic MMO in development at BioWare's Austin studio. We want to know: what do you think the KotOR MMO needs in order to achieve greatness? It can't just be World of Warcraft with lightsabers and sociopathic droids. It needs to be radical.So what's it gonna take? What are you expecting -- nay, demanding -- from BioWare in perhaps the most hotly anticipated MMO since WoW or possibly of all time?
