Sith or Republic? Choose Your Side

The Force is strong with this one. BioWare is entering the final hours before the launch of Early Game Access for Star Wars: The Old Republic. The globally acclaimed MMORPG goes live on December 20, 2011 in North America and Europe, but customers that pre-ordered the title will begin entering the game starting as soon as today, December 13, 2011 at 6:00 AM CST. Players will access the game in waves, creating a rolling thunder of fans pre-loading and playing the game. The Early Game Access program will help manage server volumes, helping to ensure a smooth day-one experience. To participate in the Early Game Access program, customers must pre-order Star Wars: The Old Republic and redeem their code** at http://www.swtor.com/preorder/code. Pre-orders are available in limited quantities at most participating retailers and digitally via Origin.com.

“The Old Republic blends the best of breed features from the MMO space and adds significant innovations, resulting in an emotionally engaging online experience where you have a clear, meaningful purpose,” said Dr. Ray Muzyka, General Manager of EA’s BioWare label and Co-Founder of BioWare. “Our Beta testers have told us we have truly captured the magic of the Star Wars™ universe and changed what they expect from an MMO. The Old Republic team is incredibly excited, honored and humbled to provide early access to our pre-order customers today. This is just the beginning of a grand adventure together!”

Fans have been eagerly anticipating the release of Star Wars: The Old Republic. Millions of players have already experienced the game during pre-launch Beta tests, and dedicated players have already formed more than 78,000 guilds. Feedback from fans has exploded on forums and blogs worldwide, praising the game for its genre-changing innovations. Never before has an MMO offered players the opportunity to explore such a vast Star Wars™ galaxy populated with fully-voiced characters, each brought to life by professional voice actors with performances in English, French and German. It is also the first MMO to deliver compelling stories that unfold as players make meaningful personal choices and encounter companion characters who are truly transformative to each player’s journey.

Set thousands of years before the classic films, Star Wars: The Old Republic is a story-driven, massively multiplayer online game challenging players with epic quests, featuring dynamic combat across the classic worlds in the Star Wars galaxy. Players will be asked to join forces with either the Galactic Republic or Sith Empire and choose one of eight iconic Star Wars characters: Jedi Knight, Jedi Consular, Smuggler, Trooper, Bounty Hunter, Imperial Agent, Sith Inquisitor or Sith Warrior. Each character class has two different sub-classes with their own skill tree, and each primary class will enjoy their own unique storylines, all of which are fully voiced and feature a sweeping musical score.