SOE responds to the announcement of Star Wars: The Old Republic
by Michael Zenke 
Oct 27th 2008 at 10:30AM
Filed under: Sci-fi, Star Wars Galaxies, Massively Interviews, Star Wars: The Old Republic
Join us as with sit down with Mr. Smedley to talk about SOE's commitment to that game, those players, and the future of the Star Wars IP in the MMO space.
We think what most Galaxies want to hear, first and foremost from SOE, what the Old Republic announcement means for them. What does the announcement of The Old Republic mean for Star Wars Galaxies players?
John Smedley: I think since there was no date announced with the game, it's safe to assume it will be released far enough in the future that is not any immediate issue for Galaxies players. We do not know when that game is going to launch, I don't believe they know when that game is going to launch. For the foreseeable future, Galaxies is quite safe. How long that is, I think has more to do with how and when that game comes along.
At some point we'll make a decision about when and if to sunset Galaxies, but as of right now we don't have any plans to do that.
From what LucasArts has already said publicly already, they see a scenario where The Old Republic and Star Wars Galaxies are happily co-existing. Is that something SOE is committed to as well?
John: We would be happy to do that. The question is, is there enough of a subscriptions base for that. I'm anxious to play that game too, I think they're going to make a great game. Is there still going to be a subscriptions base for Galaxies, or will everyone go play the new game? I'd like to think the games are going to be very different and I think that definitely could happen.
What is it that you feel SWG offers players, in terms of gameplay and community, that will keep players with the game between now and when The Old Republic is released?
John: We're going to continue to come out with new content. We have a great live team on that game, we have Hoth coming out and we have plans for beyond that. The team isn't quite ready to announce that yet but we'll continue to make new stuff for the game. That's a player base we very much we want to continue to serve. We want to see it grow larger.
How do you feel the relationship between SOE and the SWG playerbase is right now?
John: I think that it is fair to say we have proven ourselves in the last year or so. We've listened, after making the mistake of doing the NGE, and I think we now have a game that we're all really proud of. We have the game now that I wish we'd launched with. I wish we'd been given the time to make this game. Star Wars Galaxies is an incredible game and I think having a game with ground and space, inside the sandbox experience, it's something we're excited by.
Ask the playerbase and I think you'd get a lot of different answers, but mostly I get emails saying that the game is a lot of fun now. I'd say that while things were intense for a little while –and I definitely understand there are still some upset players - I think there are a lot more happy players.
As a final question: how has the Champions of the Force TCG turned out from SOE's perspective?
John: Really well. We've been super happy about how it has been received by the fans. It is very similar to our experience with Legends of Norrath. It's a new kind of game activity in the world and it's pretty exciting for us to be able to share it with the players.
Thank you for your time, sir.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Nerolus said on 11:02AM 10-27-2008
I'm still VERY surprised they they don't regret the CU & NGE so much that they roll the game back, or at least roll a server back so the original 1million+ subscribers can have their fun game back. I'd still play the old SWG for sure. The tiered skill system was amazing, I loved the game.
It's almost disgusting to see how happy they are with what they've destroyed. I'm not sure what world the SWG developers are living in, but it's not the same world as any of the first 1million+ subscribers to their game.
Sad...I still miss SWG. This game is not SWG, not at all.
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Mike said on 5:13PM 10-27-2008
They can't. Lucasarts won't allow it. With LucasArts being the driving force behind the NGE, SOE doesn't have a choice.
Why do you think StarWars games suck so much? It's because LucasArts thinks that they know better. They are an IP owner and to be honest, they need to let the developer handle their part.
This scenario with TOR _should_ be different because TOR is part of the expanded universe, they are less stringent with expanded universe content. They actually let developers and authors do what they do best...CREATE.
KingJames said on 10:57AM 10-27-2008
I loved this game when it first came out but I laughed when I read him say he wished this is the game they could have launched and he only wishes that had more time. This game has been in development for 5 years, fyi for future Star Wars games, DON'T LET SOE TOUCH IT.
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JP said on 11:26AM 10-27-2008
I like how honest Smedly is (finally) being. At least he's not trying to pump everyone w/ "We're committed to the game forever". He acknowledges that "hey, if the subs are gone, the game is closing". I'm sure SOE feels a little burned anyway. Contractually, I'd think that both SOE and LA signed something that had a "no compete" clause. Obviously, LA got out of it, but the whole thing stinks of admitted failure to me. Good luck w/ DCU.... you're going to need it.
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bryanxface said on 11:52AM 10-27-2008
SOE is screwed. There can't be two active Star Wars MMOs going on at once.
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hoiles22 said on 12:45PM 10-27-2008
SOE responds to the announcement of Star Wars: The Old Republic: SOE "Oh Shit".
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Judy Hornaday said on 4:43PM 10-27-2008
I know SOW would like to believe the NGE is a better game however, in my mind the original Galaxies still reigns. Perhaps if they built the NGE from the ground up it would great game but with code written over code written over code...it shows. The NGE still lacks the diversity of the original game. Without ditching levels and offering mix and match professions, the NGE can never gain equal footing with the original Galaxies.
The Old Republic is our last hope..or at least the only one in sight. I like that the writing of quests is a top priority. I dislike the graphics that have been released.
With the majority of online gamers around the age of 35, it would be wonderful to see a game directed at this group. People of this age do not want to be Luke or Leia or any other character from the films and books. We want to create a character that lives in the Star Wars universe. A character that is from the players imagination, not from a small list of "Iconic" avatars.
I am hopeful but I am also not expecting the new game to make the mark. Prove me wrong...please.
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Mysterious Stranger said on 5:31PM 1-08-2009
That's why the SWGEmu is online.
swgemu.com
galaxiesreborn.com
Matt said on 11:13PM 10-27-2008
No longer having a active sub to SWG, Smeds comments are quite appalling, using sunset, NGE mistake, and possibility of not being able to coekist with new MMO.
/original second day vet
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Disteeler said on 4:56PM 10-27-2008
He said sandbox, the forbidden word! that's the only word I needed to hear! finally!
NGE concept has been officialy transferred to Bioware, stick with the classic SWG concept!
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Jniebaum32 said on 6:55PM 10-27-2008
He claims they listened to the SWG playerbase? IF they EVER listened to the playerbase of SWG it was long enouph togo "Crud the NGE was a big mistake." Sense then they pretty much ignore there players and focus on the TCG as its the only thing left that they, hopefully, CAN'T screw up.
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LIam said on 1:14AM 10-29-2008
as an avid player of all 3 systems. I will admit i LOVE the new content, however the cookie cutteresque templates suck giant donkey penis. roll it back to pre cu or even the CU with the content you have now and I guarantee you, you'd have a HUGE number of return players. you might even break 1 million subs. but that would require you guys to actually get off your asses and work, dedicate people to getting the god damned job done not just code over bugs, or have the we'll get to it later attitude.
I loved pre cu, however I am a fan of the CU which was NEVER given a chance,released none of the content promised, fixed none of the bugs you promised to fix. you guys did NOTHING but lie to us during that time then fisted us deep with the release of the original version of the NGE then expected us to trust you. you might have done a fine job fixing what you messed up but it's taken the last 3 (THREE) years to fix your mistake.
and that card game is a total joke, just because it is making you money by appealing to the geeked up RP community does not mean it was a success. it sucks and people only buy your retarded packs to get your rewards. all it was is a marketing scheme to get even more money out of us, and to add insult to injury you're planning an exspansion pack for it already.
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Jestor Rodo said on 7:32PM 10-27-2008
What a load of horseshit - just like the NGE.
The Game only has about 20k players while 250k players who left SWG to do SOE stupid manipulation of the game in a poor effort to compete with WoW are waiting for a Star Wars MMO experience without SOE involved
Smedley blowing smoke up your ass is you think all is well with SWG. Its not and SW:TOR and a rumored Star Wars MMO what has been rumored to run concurrent with the new live series are waiting to put an end to the mismanagement of the Star Wars franchise by SOE with SWG -NGE.
Thanks for you time,SIR? Kiss much ass lately ?
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wildcat84 said on 7:55PM 10-27-2008
As usual Smed is in, well Smed mode.
He does give us one fact though: That the NGE game has NO DEFINITE FUTURE PAST THE RELEASE OF SWTOR.
Let that sink in, fanbois and SOE apologists.
As for the state of the current game, last time I did a trial, the combat system STILL doesn't work right, looks like a Benny Hill parody of Star Wars, and at least 2/3rds of what once was there is missing.
It's also missing far more than 2/3rds of the pre NGE player base.
Smed and SOE have learned nothing at all from the NGE "mistake" because the only game offered STILL is the NGE. Sure it's better than it was when first inflicted on us. It could hardly help that given how horribly bad it was then. But it's nothing but faint shadow of what it once was.
No one who played the game back when it had 250,000+ and 25 decently filled servers wanted instances and scavenger hunts (collections).
I'm glad that the majority of the perhaps 10,000 players left like the game as it is now. I don't. Neither do the other 240,000 former pre NGE customers. And I'm sure that Smed gets more positive email today than he did before. Mostly because we are all gone now, and besides, he never read any of the protest mail anyway.
None of that changes the fact that the NGE version of SWG is the greatest failure in the history of the industry, and John Smedley's "hall of fame" infamy as the most hated man in the MMO industry deserves both statuses by pure merit.
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JC said on 3:23AM 10-28-2008
Pre-CU SWG was my 1st ever MMO. It took me a while to get into it, but eventually I made some good friends in the game and I played it more to socialize with them than becuz I truly liked the game itself. Still, it was a ton of fun to be a TKM/Dancer and duel people at parties in my PE's cantina. No one ever seemed to think a dancer could also have combat skills.
Still... as friends quit, the game lost its appeal to me. I played for the people, not the game. As a result I quit even before the CU came out.
I heard about the NGE, but never played it unti sometime earlier this year. Some friends were playing it and wanted me to come "check it out" with them. But we play at different times, so we never really play together. And even with all the "class/level" stuff in there the combat is still every bit as boring as it ever was, so..... As far as I'm concerned it wasn't ever all that good anyway.
FWIW, I never played it at all during the "CU time" so I have no idea what it was like then.
I have to agree with those who think that once SWTOR is out that SWG will be "sunset." There really won't be any point to keeping the dead horse on life support anymore then. I only hope that SWTOR is as fun as SWG never was.
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Kingshield said on 3:36AM 10-28-2008
http://www.swgemu.com/
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Larry said on 3:08PM 10-28-2008
Wellllll...............
IF SOE had done as good of a job as Smed says they have then why did Bioware get TOR?
I rest my case.
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Natural said on 1:08PM 10-29-2008
"Cry Me A River"
Half of you clowns run to the newest game out there, waiting to do instances and get the "Best Loot" i would like to see half of you make a game, make sure people are happy and keep active player, basic free shards cant even do that. Grow up, stop crying over spilt milk.
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vaalix said on 4:22PM 10-29-2008
All the bioware/LA venture is, is the NGE2 built from the ground up and they will steal the last 20k subs swg has.. And swindle probably 1 million initial box sales who won’t last more than the free 30 days..
Soe's only hope is to seriously get the cu or pre cu up on a few servers.. I have a feeling their hands are tied and smed/soe are under a direct NDA from LA.. Which will most likely end when KOR is launched and then maybe someone at SOE will release some real information about the NGE.. There was just too many corporate whores on the SOE forums during that whole era of “spin-control” the months following that abysmal and utter failure known as the NGE. The reason I blame LA for the NGE is because eq2 is a great game with 24 classes damn near balanced imo.. It’s a great engine with few game breaking bugs.. and its pve/raid mechanics are really top notch compared to anything on the market..
Neither LA or Bioware can make a decent game.. LA has an IP.. A story and thats it.. Bioware makes utterly crap games (combat wise they suck bad.. sorry bioware fans you have horrible taste in a fun combat system if you think any biowar game is fun) with great lore/story.. Sorry, the new kor will fail and people will feel seriously swindled worse than when the NGE came out. I made one post in disgust on the mmorpg forums and was perma banned.. Repressive-Moderation with regards to the free flow of ideas and concepts around these games is damn near sickening revolving around star wars/kor.
I'm done with star wars.. I'm done with Lucas arts... I'm not buying into this new star wars game at all because some fascist corporate whores at LA want the wow sub-base and think they will get it with banality and mediocrity. I.E directly ripping what blizzard has done to attract its sub-base. Cheezy looking graphics, simplistic game design/world design.. I’ll tell you right now, that games combat system is going to be horrific just basing my opinion on past biowars games.. I mean seriously, bioware hasn’t a single fun and exciting rpg game to date.. People just fall into the lore and story and think its fun when in actuality, they just sacrifice gameplay-design for lore… and its going to be an epic failure of soe/la/NGE proportions… Sorry people.. You’re all going to be taken on a ride with this game and the viral marketers, paid fanboys, community managers and moderators will be in full swing propagating a propagandistically vocal-minority and general-success of this game on many forums… You are warned..
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Wewa said on 3:37PM 11-02-2008
This guy is a proven liar.
His decisions made all problems.
His decisions made 200.000 or more people to leave SWG, He is responsible for loss of all that capital.
Calculate:
3 years x
200.000 subscribers
15 $ per month
= 108,000,000 $ of loss during last three years based on his decisions.
And he is still not listening to player base, what a guy.
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