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SWTOR subscribers to receive Rise of the Hutt Cartel free
If you're an active Star Wars: The Old Republic subscriber and haven't yet picked up the Rise of the Hutt Cartel expansion, BioWare has good news for you. The studio today announced that you will receive it free of charge on September 12th. The expansion, formerly priced at $9.99 for subscribers, includes the new planet of Makeb, a level cap increase to 55, and new story-driven missions. Subscribers who have already purchased the expansion will receive a new title, The Risen, as long as their subscriptions are active as of September 12th at 7:00 a.m. EDT (4:00 a.m. PDT). Additionally, those who purchased the expansion between August 11th and September 12th will earn 1050 bonus Cartel Coins. For more coverage on Rise of the Hutt Cartel, check out Eliot's impressions of the new content. And don't forget to check in on Larry's weekly Hyperspace Beacon column concerning all things SWTOR.
Star Wars: The Old Republic shows off some of the key parts of Makeb
Players who pre-ordered Rise of the Hutt Cartel early enough are less than a week away from their first taste of Star Wars: The Old Republic's expansion content, and it's only 10 days for everyone else who purchased the expansion. That means it's time to start thinking about what conditions will be like on the surface of Makeb, something addressed in the latest development blog showing off the planet. Narrated by SIS agent Theron Shan, the entry outlines several landmarks and the environments to be expected there. Several regions of the planet are already under the control of the Hutt Cartel, including a few spots that the Hutts have taken without having much use for at the moment. The capital city is especially fortified, prompting the use of small teams rather than a full strike force. But there are a few spots where the Republic can make an approach, spots players will doubtlessly be exploring as soon as the expansion launches and everyone can rush to the new planet.
Hyperspace Beacon: Six reasons Rise of the Hutt Cartel makes SWTOR better
I don't work for BioWare, and I definitely don't believe that Star Wars: The Old Republic is the greatest, most ambitious project in videogame history. However, I do believe that SWTOR is a great game, and its expansion Rise of the Hutt Cartel only makes the game better. It's not because Makeb has waterfalls. (Sure, a concept artist said that, but did that really need to make it into the final promotional video?) I think fans forget that Rise of the Hutt Cartel is not just Makeb. There are multiple additions to the core game, like new armor sets and questlines. Over the past month, I've had the opportunity to play through all of it. And for the first time in a long time, I can't wait to play through the single-player questline. Let me give you the highlights of my experience and what I believe are the best parts of RotHC.
SWTOR's Hutt Cartel expansion launching April 14
Many Bothans died to bring you this information: The first expansion for Star Wars: The Republic, Rise of the Hutt Cartel, will launch on April 14th, 2013. Our spy network tells us that Makeb continues the player's personal story where it left off at the end of the base game. Whether you're a Jedi Knight who just finished an epic battle on the Imperial homeworld of Dromund Kaas or a Sith Lord who has taken her seat with the Dark Council, the next step is the Hutt-controlled planet of Makeb. For the longest time, the Hutts have remained neutral during the whole galactic conflict, yet recently, they have found new boldness. Besides Makeb, RotHC brings with it a new level cap (up to 55), at least one brand-new ability for each class, multiple new questlines (on and off Makeb), new level-55 flashpoints, a new level-55 operation, and new gear. Additionally, if you pre-order before 7:00 p.m. EDT on April 13th, you will receive three exclusive in-game items: the title Scourge of the Hutts, a Makrin Seedling mini-pet, a Dr. Oggurobb Hutt holostatue. We've also obtained a short video with Lead Writer Hall Hood and Lead Concept Artist Ryan Dening that you can view after the break. %Gallery-183727%
Star Wars: The Old Republic sets the stage for Makeb
The war between the Empire and the Republic in Star Wars: The Old Republic has been two-sided thus far. Sure, there have been some minor incursions by other powers, but it's fundamentally been a conflict between those two sides. Makeb in Rise of the Hutt Cartel represents a major departure from that dynamic, and the latest development blog focuses on the changing face of the galactic conflict. And it's more complex than just the addition of the Hutts. The Hutts certainly play a major role, of course, but part of the reason for their presence is that the ongoing war makes open conflict seem more appealing to groups like the Hutt Cartel. Meanwhile, the Republic is finally in a position where it's not on the back foot compared to the Empire, meaning that the people in charge have to balance fighting the Hutts and maintaining the advantage. And amidst all of that, there's the planet Makeb itself, which is in the throes of severe ecological disaster. There's a lot going on in the expansion planet, enough to turn what seems like a two-sided conflict into a multi-faceted melee.
BioWare releases Makeb first-look video for SWTOR's upcoming expansion
BioWare has released a first-look video for Star Wars: The Old Republic's Rise of the Hutt Cartel expansion. The clip takes us on a fly-through of Makeb, the new planet that features "new story-based missions pitting both Republic and Imperial forces against the nefarious Hutt Cartel." The firm also wants you to know that you can pre-order the expansion and receive several in-game rewards. These include a "Scourge of the Hutts" title, a Dr. Oggurobb Hutt holostatue, and a creepy crawly Makrin Seedling minipet. We've embedded the video for your viewing pleasure after the cut. [Source: BioWare press release]
Fox News discusses Star Wars: The Old Republic's gay expansion planet
Star Wars: The Old Republic fans already know that Makeb is the Planet of Gay, containing far more gay than even the fabled Gay Level on Coruscant. Or perhaps it's just the sight of the game's upcoming expansion, Rise of the Hutt Cartel, which will feature the first implementation of same-gender romances in the game. These romances will be limited to characters already on the planet rather than new or existing companions. This is not new information for most players. However, it's news to Fox News, whose take on the planet's status is... slightly different. According to Fox News, Makeb will be the "gay planet" added in the expansion, likening the current limitation of this new content to segregation and noting that many players are opposed the inclusion of same-sex relationships in the game. There is no mention of the number of players requesting the feature, nor of the variety of (presumably) non-gay quests and content available on Makeb. In short, it's missing a number of nuances regarding the situation, something that might be good for a raised eyebrow or two from fans and detractors alike.
SWTOR dev talks expansion skills, planet, and gear
"Questions you have, hmm? Answers you seek? Go read a dev round-up, you will! Hmmm!" That's the advice that a certain green puppet told us after the Star Wars: The Old Republic: Rise of the Hutt Cartel announcement left a lot to be discovered. Fan site Darth Hater did its good deed of the day by hoovering up and redistributing important dev posts on the forums about the expansion about some of these missing details. Senior Community Coordinator Allison Berryman addressed some of the most common questions, such as the viability of current endgame gear (answer: very viable) and how big this new planet will be. "To give you all a better idea of Makeb's scope," she said, "it's a planet of equal size to our larger planets and it contains a variety of areas -- sprawling mesas, underground caverns, garden estates, and more." Berryman also says that character development is a big part of the expansion agenda: "As part of the new content, every skill tree will be expanding and you can expect significant updates. Players will earn a new skill point with each level, and new skills will be available in each skill tree. Additionally, a new active ability will be introduced for each advanced class."
SWTOR's Rise of the Hutt Cartel expansion set for spring 2013
Ready for Star Wars: The Old Republic's first expansion? BioWare is prepping Rise of the Hutt Cartel for a Spring 2013 release according to the game's official website. The content will be available as a digital download for $19.99 (or $9.99 if you're a subscriber). New features include the planet Makeb, a level-cap bump to 55, new story content with fully-voiced cinematics, and new gear, skill points, and abilities. BioWare is also gifting pre-order customers with five days of early access to all of the new stuff provided you place your order by January 7th. The company promises further details in the coming days.
SWTOR story secrets revealed by Lead Writer Hall Hood
Fans of Star Wars: The Old Republic don't need to be reminded that story is central to the MMO's development. But fans of the story part of the game have been anxiously awaiting the next installment of personal and planetary story arcs. That is why Massively pulled SWTOR Lead Writer Hall Hood aside to ask him some questions. Hood has been an integral part of the SWTOR writing team since the beginning; he penned major parts of the Jedi Knight, Smuggler, and Taral V storylines. In addition to having one of the best superhero alter-ego names in the gaming industry, Hood sits on the upper rungs of BioWare's writing team. And if that's not enough for you to listen to him, we heard he has a Wookiee co-pilot who could rip the ears off a gundark. Read on to find out what this practitioner of prose says about the future of the SWTOR story.
Gamescom 2012: SWTOR will sell statted gear, debating new planet monetization
How do you take a subscription title like Star Wars: The Old Republic and turn it into a free-to-play MMO? According to Executive Producer Jeff Hickman, you do it as carefully as possible. "Give the story away," he explained. "Make the casual player understand what that is. Don't try to monetize that. Monetize all the things around that. I think, actually, as we looked through it, it is not as complex as you think it is. It is very difficult." While plans for SWTOR's cash shop are not finalized, Hickman did admit that players could use it to purchase gear to help them level up: "I don't want to unbalance the game by putting things out on the store that somebody can walk in on day one, buy and be the winner. Having said that, there will be some things that we put out in the store that do enhance power value in some way, but not at the top end." Hickman nibbled around the topic of the planet Makeb, which is still under construction. With more story and more systems, he hopes players will be pleased with the final result. However, Hickman could not confirm nor deny that the update will expand the level cap, nor would he go into detail about whether or not BioWare is going to attempt to sell this to subscribers. [Thanks to Scott for the tip!] Every summer, the gaming industry descends on Cologne, Germany, for Gamescom, the world's largest trade fair for interactive games and entertainment. Massively's on the scene in 2012, bringing you all the best scoops, impressions, and interviews from the MMOs at the show!
