BioWare Releases Massive Content Update for Star Wars(TM): The Old Republic(TM); Game Update 1.2: Legacy
Update for Subscribers adds Tremendous Amount of Higher Level Gameplay Content and New Game Features to the Award Winning MMO
AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Create a family legacy that can rival the Skywalkers! BioWare™, a Label of Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) and LucasArts today released Game Update 1.2: Legacy, the highly anticipated content update for Star Wars™: The Old Republic™.
This massive update delivers an incredible amount of new high level gameplay content for players and also includes the evolution of the Legacy System, a feature that ties all of your characters together into one family, regardless of class or faction, and allows them to unlock custom new abilities. Game Update 1.2 will also include some of the communities' most sought-after game enhancements including user interface customization and guild banks along with gameplay and balancing fixes.
To celebrate the release of Game Update 1.2 and thank fans for their support, BioWare also announced that it would offer Star Wars: The Old Republic players a number of in-game rewards*:
All subscribers with active game accounts on April 12, 2012 or April 21, 2012 will be rewarded with an in-game Legacy Reward: the Tauntaun Ram Pet via in-game mail.
New players who subscribe to The Old Republic before April 21, 2012 will also receive the Legacy Tauntaun Ram Pet.
All active subscribers who have achieved a level 50 character by April 12, 2012 will receive 30 days of game time at no charge as a reward for their loyalty to the game.
Former subscribers with inactive accounts are invited back to play Game Update 1.2 for up to seven days at no charge starting April 13, 2012.
"Game Update 1.2: Legacy is a huge milestone for The Old Republic and clearly demonstrates what we mean when we talk about this game being a full-fledged, ongoing service," said Dr. Greg Zeschuk, General Manager of the BioWare Label's MMO Business Unit and Co-Founder of BioWare. "Not only is Game Update 1.2 the largest update for The Old Republic, but it also addresses a lot of the game features and enhancements our players have been asking for since we launched a little over three months ago, We are incredibly proud of the team for being able to deliver an update of this size and quality, in a relatively short amount of time."
Game Update 1.2 is highlighted by the next evolution of the Legacy System, giving players the ability to give all of their characters a strong familial bond in the form of bonus abilities and character customization. Players will link their different characters together into a single family tree, giving them the power to unlock and share special Legacy-only abilities, and new convenience items for player ships including the Galactic Trade Network terminal. The Legacy System will also give players the ability to unlock new races for new characters and will be advantageous in strengthening companion characters affection and moral alignment through bonuses.
In addition to the Legacy System, the Game Update 1.2 will introduces other game features, including improved UI customization, Guild Banks and valuable new in-game items. This game update will also introduce challenging new high-level content for both experienced and new players to enjoy:
Flashpoint: Lost Island continues the story of Flashpoint: Kaon Under Siege from Game Update 1.1 — Rise of the Rakghouls. Players must survive a menacing island of mystery on Ord Mantell as they hunt for clues to the Rakghoul virus outbreak that ravaged the Tion Hegemony. But the answers to this riddle may prove fatal! This flashpoint is for groups of four Imperial or Republic players with characters at level 50.
Operation: Explosive Conflict sends players to a new zone on the planet of Denova, where traitors and mercenaries are selling the rare explosive mineral baradium to the highest bidder. Players will battle through hordes of droids, mercenaries and deadly creatures all fighting for control of the planet and its valuable resources. This Operation is for groups of eight or sixteen Imperial or Republic players with characters at level 50.
Warzone: Novare Coast pits two teams in an epic battle to control multiple mortar locations and use them to bombard vulnerable enemy bases. Like the Huttball Warzone, Novare Coast can be played Republic vs. Empire or with players of the same faction fighting each other in a thrilling contest of wills to determine each side's greatest champions. Like all Warzones, Novare Coast is available for characters over level 10.
The Old Republic is set thousands of years before the classic Star Wars movies, with the Galactic Republic and Sith Empire locked in the middle of an epic, galactic war. By choosing one of eight iconic Star Wars characters, including the Jedi Knight, Jedi Consular, Smuggler, Trooper, Sith Warrior, Sith Inquisitor, Bounty Hunter and Imperial Agent, players become the hero or villain of their own personal Star Wars saga. Players team up with friends online, fighting in heroic battles reminiscent of the films, immersing themselves in a galaxy full of vibrant characters and planets, while experiencing visceral Star Wars combat.
For more information on Star Wars: The Old Republic, please visit www.StarWarsTheOldRepublic.com, follow the game on Twitter® at http://twitter.com/swtor or "Like" Star Wars: The Old Republic on Facebook® at http://facebook.com/starwarstheoldrepublic . Press assets for Star Wars: The Old Republic are available at www.info.ea.com.
* CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS APPLY. SEE WWW.SWTOR.COM/LEGACYPROMOTION FOR DETAILS.
About LucasArts
Founded in 1982 by filmmaker George Lucas, LucasArts is a leading publisher and developer of interactive entertainment. With development facilities in San Francisco and Singapore, LucasArts leverages the global skills, technology and resources of the Lucasfilm family of companies -- including visual effects leader Industrial Light & Magic, Lucasfilm Animation and Skywalker Sound -- in addition to strategic partnerships with best-in-class external partners, to further the boundaries of game development. LucasArts is dedicated to delivering deeply immersive, visually spectacular and engaging experiences that inspire and amaze generations.
About BioWare
The BioWare Label is a division of EA which crafts high quality multiplatform role-playing, MMO, social, play-for-free and strategy games, focused on emotionally engaging, rich stories with unforgettable characters and vast worlds to discover. Since 1995, BioWare has created some of the world's most critically acclaimed titles and franchises, including Baldur's Gate™, Neverwinter Nights™, Star Wars®: Knights of the Old Republic™, Jade Empire™, Mass Effect™ and Dragon Age™. BioWare currently operates in eight locations across the world, including Edmonton (Alberta, Canada), Montreal (Quebec, Canada), Austin (Texas), Fairfax (Virginia), San Francisco (California), Los Angeles (California), Sacramento (California) and Galway (Ireland).
In 2008, BioWare was acquired by Electronic Arts, a leading global interactive entertainment publisher. In 2011 EA created the BioWare Label, alongside EA Games, EA SPORTS™ and EA Play. For more information on BioWare, visit www.bioware.com, or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/bioware. To join the millions of fans already registered with the BioWare community, go to http://social.bioware.com.
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:EA) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company's game franchises are offered as both packaged goods products and online services delivered through Internet-connected consoles, personal computers, mobile phones and tablets. EA has more than 100 million registered players and operates in 75 countries.
In fiscal 2011, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.6 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for critically acclaimed, high-quality blockbuster franchises such as The Sims™, Madden NFL, FIFA Soccer, Need for Speed™, Battlefield™, and Mass Effect™. More information about EA is available at http://info.ea.com.
LucasArts, the LucasArts logo, STAR WARS and related properties are trademarks in the United States and/or in other countries of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. © 2012 Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd. or Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved. BioWare and Mass Effect are trademarks of EA International (Studio and Publishing) Ltd. The Sims and Need for Speed are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
EA's BioWare Label
Alana Logan, 650-628-9240
alogan@bioware.com
or
fortyseven communications
Chase Colasonno, 212-391-4707
bioware@fortyseven.com
Source: Electronic Arts
This massive update delivers an incredible amount of new high level gameplay content for players and also includes the evolution of the Legacy System, a feature that ties all of your characters together into one family, regardless of class or faction, and allows them to unlock custom new abilities. Game Update 1.2 will also include some of the communities' most sought-after game enhancements including user interface customization and guild banks along with gameplay and balancing fixes.
To celebrate the release of Game Update 1.2 and thank fans for their support, BioWare also announced that it would offer Star Wars: The Old Republic players a number of in-game rewards*:
All subscribers with active game accounts on April 12, 2012 or April 21, 2012 will be rewarded with an in-game Legacy Reward: the Tauntaun Ram Pet via in-game mail.
New players who subscribe to The Old Republic before April 21, 2012 will also receive the Legacy Tauntaun Ram Pet.
All active subscribers who have achieved a level 50 character by April 12, 2012 will receive 30 days of game time at no charge as a reward for their loyalty to the game.
Former subscribers with inactive accounts are invited back to play Game Update 1.2 for up to seven days at no charge starting April 13, 2012.
"Game Update 1.2: Legacy is a huge milestone for The Old Republic and clearly demonstrates what we mean when we talk about this game being a full-fledged, ongoing service," said Dr. Greg Zeschuk, General Manager of the BioWare Label's MMO Business Unit and Co-Founder of BioWare. "Not only is Game Update 1.2 the largest update for The Old Republic, but it also addresses a lot of the game features and enhancements our players have been asking for since we launched a little over three months ago, We are incredibly proud of the team for being able to deliver an update of this size and quality, in a relatively short amount of time."
Game Update 1.2 is highlighted by the next evolution of the Legacy System, giving players the ability to give all of their characters a strong familial bond in the form of bonus abilities and character customization. Players will link their different characters together into a single family tree, giving them the power to unlock and share special Legacy-only abilities, and new convenience items for player ships including the Galactic Trade Network terminal. The Legacy System will also give players the ability to unlock new races for new characters and will be advantageous in strengthening companion characters affection and moral alignment through bonuses.
In addition to the Legacy System, the Game Update 1.2 will introduces other game features, including improved UI customization, Guild Banks and valuable new in-game items. This game update will also introduce challenging new high-level content for both experienced and new players to enjoy:
Flashpoint: Lost Island continues the story of Flashpoint: Kaon Under Siege from Game Update 1.1 — Rise of the Rakghouls. Players must survive a menacing island of mystery on Ord Mantell as they hunt for clues to the Rakghoul virus outbreak that ravaged the Tion Hegemony. But the answers to this riddle may prove fatal! This flashpoint is for groups of four Imperial or Republic players with characters at level 50.
Operation: Explosive Conflict sends players to a new zone on the planet of Denova, where traitors and mercenaries are selling the rare explosive mineral baradium to the highest bidder. Players will battle through hordes of droids, mercenaries and deadly creatures all fighting for control of the planet and its valuable resources. This Operation is for groups of eight or sixteen Imperial or Republic players with characters at level 50.
Warzone: Novare Coast pits two teams in an epic battle to control multiple mortar locations and use them to bombard vulnerable enemy bases. Like the Huttball Warzone, Novare Coast can be played Republic vs. Empire or with players of the same faction fighting each other in a thrilling contest of wills to determine each side's greatest champions. Like all Warzones, Novare Coast is available for characters over level 10.
The Old Republic is set thousands of years before the classic Star Wars movies, with the Galactic Republic and Sith Empire locked in the middle of an epic, galactic war. By choosing one of eight iconic Star Wars characters, including the Jedi Knight, Jedi Consular, Smuggler, Trooper, Sith Warrior, Sith Inquisitor, Bounty Hunter and Imperial Agent, players become the hero or villain of their own personal Star Wars saga. Players team up with friends online, fighting in heroic battles reminiscent of the films, immersing themselves in a galaxy full of vibrant characters and planets, while experiencing visceral Star Wars combat.
For more information on Star Wars: The Old Republic, please visit www.StarWarsTheOldRepublic.com, follow the game on Twitter® at http://twitter.com/swtor or "Like" Star Wars: The Old Republic on Facebook® at http://facebook.com/starwarstheoldrepublic . Press assets for Star Wars: The Old Republic are available at www.info.ea.com.
* CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS APPLY. SEE WWW.SWTOR.COM/LEGACYPROMOTION FOR DETAILS.
About LucasArts
Founded in 1982 by filmmaker George Lucas, LucasArts is a leading publisher and developer of interactive entertainment. With development facilities in San Francisco and Singapore, LucasArts leverages the global skills, technology and resources of the Lucasfilm family of companies -- including visual effects leader Industrial Light & Magic, Lucasfilm Animation and Skywalker Sound -- in addition to strategic partnerships with best-in-class external partners, to further the boundaries of game development. LucasArts is dedicated to delivering deeply immersive, visually spectacular and engaging experiences that inspire and amaze generations.
About BioWare
The BioWare Label is a division of EA which crafts high quality multiplatform role-playing, MMO, social, play-for-free and strategy games, focused on emotionally engaging, rich stories with unforgettable characters and vast worlds to discover. Since 1995, BioWare has created some of the world's most critically acclaimed titles and franchises, including Baldur's Gate™, Neverwinter Nights™, Star Wars®: Knights of the Old Republic™, Jade Empire™, Mass Effect™ and Dragon Age™. BioWare currently operates in eight locations across the world, including Edmonton (Alberta, Canada), Montreal (Quebec, Canada), Austin (Texas), Fairfax (Virginia), San Francisco (California), Los Angeles (California), Sacramento (California) and Galway (Ireland).
In 2008, BioWare was acquired by Electronic Arts, a leading global interactive entertainment publisher. In 2011 EA created the BioWare Label, alongside EA Games, EA SPORTS™ and EA Play. For more information on BioWare, visit www.bioware.com, or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/bioware. To join the millions of fans already registered with the BioWare community, go to http://social.bioware.com.
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:EA) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company's game franchises are offered as both packaged goods products and online services delivered through Internet-connected consoles, personal computers, mobile phones and tablets. EA has more than 100 million registered players and operates in 75 countries.
In fiscal 2011, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.6 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for critically acclaimed, high-quality blockbuster franchises such as The Sims™, Madden NFL, FIFA Soccer, Need for Speed™, Battlefield™, and Mass Effect™. More information about EA is available at http://info.ea.com.
LucasArts, the LucasArts logo, STAR WARS and related properties are trademarks in the United States and/or in other countries of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. © 2012 Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd. or Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved. BioWare and Mass Effect are trademarks of EA International (Studio and Publishing) Ltd. The Sims and Need for Speed are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
EA's BioWare Label
Alana Logan, 650-628-9240
alogan@bioware.com
or
fortyseven communications
Chase Colasonno, 212-391-4707
bioware@fortyseven.com
Source: Electronic Arts