Star Wars: The Old Republic is a game where many players can play together online. It is set in the Star Wars universe, which is a fictional world. The game was created by BioWare Austin and BioWare Edmonton. It was announced on October 21, 2008. The game was released for computers on December 20, 2011, in North America and parts of Europe. It was later released in Oceania and Asia on March 1, 2012.

The story happens in the Star Wars universe after a fragile peace is formed between the Sith Empire and the Galactic Republic. The game includes eight different character classes. Each class has a story that continues as the character gains experience. Players can choose to join the Republic or the Sith Empire. At any time, players can choose to act in a good or evil way. Each class has different gameplay styles. The game allows players to customize their characters, includes spoken dialogue, and lets players make choices that affect the story, similar to other games made by BioWare.

Although the exact cost of making the game was not shared, it is believed to be one of the most expensive games ever made. The game had one million players within three days of its release, making it the fastest-growing online game at that time. Later, the number of players decreased, but the game remained profitable. The game now uses a mix of free play and paid subscriptions. The game was well received when it was released and has received many updates and new content. Books and comics based on the game have also been made. In 2013, the game earned an additional $139 million beyond subscription fees. In October 2019, Electronic Arts reported that the game had earned close to $1 billion in total revenue, making it a financial success despite its high development cost of $200 million.

Plot

This story happens in the Star Wars fictional universe, shortly after a fragile peace is made between the returning Sith Empire and the Galactic Republic. It takes place 300 years after the events of the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic games and more than 3,600 years before the Star Wars films.

The Jedi are blamed for the Sith’s success during the 28-year-long Great Galactic War, which caused a lot of damage and led to the Treaty of Coruscant before the "cold war." Because of this, the Jedi move from Coruscant to Tython, where the Jedi Order was first created, to seek guidance from the Force. The Sith control Korriban, where they have rebuilt a Sith Academy. The game’s "Return" cinematic trailer shows Korriban being taken back by the Sith.

During these events, a smuggler named Nico Okarr is led to a prison cell on a space station orbiting Korriban by Jedi Satele Shan and her master, Kao Cen Darach. Suddenly, Sith leader Darth Malgus and his master, Vindican, along with Sith soldiers, attack the base. Satele, a soldier named Jace Malcom, and Okarr escape, but Darach is killed by Malgus. Malgus then kills Vindican, who was hurt by Darach earlier.

Ten years later, new conflicts begin. In the "Hope" cinematic trailer, Satele and her troops destroy a Sith group that includes Malgus. Malcom, now a commander, says that even though there are losses, there is still hope because of "a single spark of courage." In the "Deceived" trailer, Malgus, who seems to have survived the earlier attack with a mask covering his face, leads Sith forces to attack the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. He kills many Jedi, including Jedi Master Ven Zallow.

Master Satele Shan becomes the new Jedi Grand Master. The game is set during the cold war, soon after these events. The Jedi Order and Galactic Republic struggle to keep control of the core worlds while the Sith plan to overthrow them and expand their empire. The conflict happens on many planets, and local groups are involved in political fights or civil wars.

BioWare said before the game’s release that the story would be a major part of the game. Each of the eight character classes has a three-part story that develops as the character gains experience. A team including BioWare, Lucasfilm Games, EA, and Dark Horse Comics created webcomics called Star Wars: The Old Republic – Threat of Peace and Star Wars: The Old Republic – Blood of the Empire. These webcomics help explain the story as the game begins and ends.

Gameplay

Players join as members of one of two main groups: the Galactic Republic or the Sith Empire. Each group is led by a leader who is either kind or harsh, but individual members can have morals that range from very good to very bad. The game focuses on showing the difference between a player's group and their personal choices. For example, a player who is part of the Sith Empire might act in a way that is good (called the "lightside") but still have goals that are different from the Sith's overall plans.

Players gain experience by completing tasks, exploring new areas, and defeating enemies. New abilities are learned automatically as players progress. Some missions require teamwork between multiple players and can be completed daily.

Each class in the game has a preferred way of playing, such as attacking from a distance, fighting up close, healing others, or protecting teammates. However, players can customize their characters and use helper characters to handle different situations, even if they are not working with other players or specific classes.

Players' choices affect the story and the behavior of non-player characters (NPCs) they meet. The game provides more background for characters than previous games of its kind. All characters, including the player, have spoken dialogue, and conversations use a system similar to the one in the Mass Effect series. Players can choose from many NPCs, but spending time with one companion helps develop the story more than splitting time among several. If players fail to meet an NPC's expectations, they may face negative consequences. The game includes many planets, such as Korriban, Ord Mantell, and Tatooine, with new planets added through updates.

Every player gets their own spaceship, first announced in 2010. Space battles involve flying along a set path, with players controlling movement left/right and up/down but not speed. A free expansion in 2013 allows players to fight in space battles independently.

The game includes challenges called "Flashpoints" and large group challenges called "Operations," similar to other games of this type.

Players can choose from many species, some limited to one group. Both groups can play as Humans, Cyborgs, Twi'lek, or Zabrak (who look different based on their group). The Republic has Miraluka and Mirialan, while the Empire has Chiss, Rattataki, and Sith Pureblood. Some species can choose any class, while others have limited options. More species are added through updates and a system called "Legacy," which allows players to use abilities from other classes. For example, the Cathar and Togruta species were added later, and the Legacy system lets players use any class after meeting certain conditions.

Each group has different classes with unique stories and choices that affect the game's overall story. The Republic has Jedi Knight, Jedi Consular, Trooper, and Smuggler. The Empire has Sith Warrior, Sith Inquisitor, Bounty Hunter, and Imperial Agent. Each class can choose from two advanced classes, making 8 advanced classes per group. Lightsaber and blaster colors are not limited to groups or classes but depend on player level or alignment.

Starting with the "Legacy of the Sith" update, players can separate their class story from their advanced class choices, now called "Combat Styles." Each class has a unique spaceship used as a base. Companions help with crafting and gathering resources, and players can assign up to five companions to perform tasks. Crafting allows companions to make items, and players can reverse-engineer items to improve them, though the original item is destroyed in the process. Gathering lets players or companions collect materials, and mission tasks help gain rewards like items or influence points.

Development

The Old Republic is BioWare's first game in the massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) category. It is the second Star Wars MMORPG, following Star Wars Galaxies, which closed in December 2011. This was the same month The Old Republic was released. Clone Wars Adventures, another Star Wars MMORPG, closed in March 2014. All employees at BioWare Austin worked on The Old Republic during its development. BioWare had wanted to create an MMORPG for a long time but waited until they had the right partners, team, and intellectual property (IP). A major part of the game focuses on creating unique stories for characters. In October 2008, BioWare said this game had more story content than all their other games combined. The writing team spent more time working on The Old Republic than any other part of the game's development. At that time, 12 full-time writers had been working on the game for over two years. Although BioWare did not share the development costs, experts estimated it was between $150 million and $200 million or more. This made it the most expensive video game at the time, but when marketing costs were included, it was less than Grand Theft Auto V, which cost about $265 million. The game reached 1 million subscribers within three days of its launch, becoming the fastest-growing MMORPG ever. However, the number of subscribers decreased in the months after launch, but the game remained profitable. The game later used a hybrid free-to-play model, allowing players to choose between free access or a subscription. It is estimated that the game earned $139 million in additional revenue in 2013, beyond subscription income.

The first cinematic trailer for the game, titled "Deceived," was shown at the Electronic Arts 2009 E3 Press Conference on June 1, 2009. A public live demo was later shown at Gamescom. On September 29, 2009, BioWare announced that players could apply to test the game. The official website crashed due to high traffic, and BioWare changed the site to handle the increased visitors. A second trailer, "Hope," was released on June 14, 2010, showing a battle from before the game's story, the Battle of Alderaan. Another trailer, "Return," was released on June 6, 2011, at E3 2011, showing the Sith invasion of Korriban. Game testing for North American players officially began on July 9, 2010.

The release in Australasia was delayed to avoid issues from the initial launch. However, players in Australia and New Zealand could still join the beta testing. BioWare’s community manager, Allison Berryman, said data from these tests would help decide how to launch the game in Oceanic regions.

On October 11, 2011, BioWare announced that The Old Republic would launch globally on December 20, 2011. However, the global launch only included North America and part of Europe, as Asia and Oceanic regions had delays. On December 21, 2011, BioWare set the release date for Australia and New Zealand to March 1, 2012.

Early access to the game was given to pre-orderers one week before the launch, on December 13, 2011. Access was released in "waves" based on pre-order dates.

On January 18, 2012, the first content patch (1.1) was released, adding a new Flashpoint and four bosses to an existing Operation. Patch 1.2 was released on April 12, 2012, introducing the Legacy system, a new Flashpoint, Operation, PVP Warzone, improved character textures, and user interface customization. Guild banks and player character pets were also added. A Weekend Pass Free Trial was available for new players but later closed. Patch 1.3 was released in June 2012, adding a Group Finder, item augmentation, social gear, and character transfer between servers. Later patches introduced a "Cartel Market," where players could buy virtual currency to purchase cosmetic items like armor, lightsaber crystals, mounts, pets, and character perks.

In January 2012, The Old Republic was recognized by Guinness World Records as the "Largest Entertainment Voice Over Project Ever," with over 200,000 lines of recorded dialogue. This record is listed in the Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition book. On April 26, 2012, the game became available in the Middle East and remaining European countries not included in the original launch. On July 21, 2020, the game was released on Steam.

In June 2023, IGN reported that EA would move the development and operation of The Old Republic from BioWare to Broadsword Online Games, which also maintains Ultima Online and Dark Age of Camelot, to let BioWare focus on Mass Effect and Dragon Age.

The Old Republic required a monthly subscription after the first month of free play. Players could pay for one, two, three, or six months at a time, with discounts for longer periods. Payment was accepted via credit card or time card. The free-to-play version includes most game features but has restrictions, such as credit limits and slower leveling.

After launch, the number of subscribers reached 1.7 million by February 2012. By March 2012, this dropped to 1.3 million. By July 2012, the number of subscribers fell below 1 million, leading EA to switch the game to a free-to-play model. EA said the game needed 500,000 subscribers to be profitable and stated they were "well above" that number. By May 2013, subscriptions had dropped below 500,000 but stabilized there. The free-to-play option was available on all servers by November 15, 2012. As of August 2014, the game had over one million monthly players.

As of 2025, The Old Republic continues to earn money through subscriptions, in-game purchases, and content expansions. A report from SWTOR Strategies estimates the game’s daily, monthly, and yearly earnings, showing its ongoing success more than a decade after its launch.

In October 2012, BioWare announced the first digital expansion pack, Rise of the Hutt Cartel, which focuses on the Hutt Cartel’s conflict with the Galactic Republic and Sith Empire. The level cap was raised to 55, and the story takes place on the planet Makeb, which hides a "powerful secret." The expansion was fully voiced, like the main game.

Rise of the Hutt Cartel was released on April 14, 2013. Players who pre-ordered the expansion before January 7, 2013, could access it early on April 9. In late September 2013, the expansion became free for subscribers

Cinematic trailers

Bioware created six short films as previews for The Old Republic and its expansion packs.

• Deceived was released on June 1, 2009, and depicts the Sith attacking the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, which happened ten years before the game was released.
• Hope was released on June 14, 2010, and shows the Battle of Alderaan, which occurred 24 years before the game was released.
• Return was released on June 6, 2011, and depicts an attack on a Republic space station above Korriban, the ancient Sith homeworld. This event started the war and occurred 38 years before the game's release.
• Sacrifice was released on June 14, 2015, and tells the story of Arcann and Thexan, twin heirs of Valkorion, Emperor of the Eternal Empire.
• Betrayed was released on October 7, 2016, and shows the story of Vaylin.
• Disorder was released on February 15, 2022, and depicts Jedi Denolm Orr and Sa'har Kateen as they attempt to retrieve the holocron of Darth Nul, the creator of the Children of the Emperor.

The first five films were later released again in 4K resolution.

Other media

Chronicle Books published The Art and Making of Star Wars: The Old Republic in November 2011. The book tells the story of how the game was created, including concept art and interviews with the developers. It was written by Frank Parisi, a former editor of Star Wars Insider, and Daniel Erickson, a writing director at BioWare. The book features a special introduction by Mike "Gabe" Krahulik of Penny Arcade.

Before the game was released on December 20, BioWare shared music tracks from the game each day. These tracks were not part of the Collector's Edition soundtrack. The first track released was called "The Mandalorian Blockade."

Razer introduced several gaming products inspired by the game when it launched. These included custom keyboards, mice, headsets, and mouse pads.

From 2012 to 2014, LEGO created four sets based on the game as part of its Lego Star Wars theme. The sets were named 9497 Republic Striker-class Starfighter, 9500 Sith Fury-class Interceptor, 75001 Republic Troopers vs. Sith Troopers, and 75025 Jedi Defender-class Cruiser.

Later, Electronic Arts added two Sith characters from the game to its mobile free-to-play turn-based RPG, Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes. The characters included the Sith Marauder and Darth Malgus.

Reception

When the game was released, it was praised for its voice acting and class story arcs. However, some criticism focused on repetitive endgame content and server queue problems. The game had an 85 on Metacritic and an 84% on GameRankings. G4TV gave it a 5/5, saying it had "top notch music and voice acting" and "hundreds of hours of content." PC Gamer gave it a 93/100, praising the story, voice acting, and amount of content. GameSpy gave it a 4/5, saying the story lines and companion system were strong but criticized the "standard kill and fetch" quests. GameSpot gave it an 8.0/10, stating, "[The Old Republic] isn't the next step in online role-playing games. Instead, it's a highly entertaining refinement of what has come before it." GamesRadar gave it an 8/10, calling it "an extremely satisfying experience that sets the stage for a bright future." IGN gave it a 9.0/10, calling it "Amazing." 1Up.com gave it a B, saying, "The Old Republic is far from perfect, but no game since World of Warcraft has offered a similar experience with such a wide appeal."

During the game's launch week, some servers had long wait times. BioWare increased server capacity and added more servers to fix the problem. Some pre-order users found their registration codes were not valid. After release, one reviewer gave it a lower score, with Eurogamer reducing their rating to 4/10 from a higher score initially.

MSNBC named Star Wars: The Old Republic the game of the year. In 2012, The AbleGamers Foundation chose it as their Mainstream Game for 2011 for its accessibility features, including full subtitles, queue-able actions, multiple action bars, area looting, auto looting, and built-in mouse sensitivity. During the 15th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences gave The Old Republic the "Outstanding Achievement in Online Gameplay" award and a nomination for "Role-Playing/Massively Multiplayer Game of the Year."