Star Wars Galaxies shutting down : Othor Games

» Sat Jun 25, 2011 8:28 am

http://starwarsgalaxies.station.sony.com/players/news_archive.vm?id=69184&month=current

Official statement sent out via email:

Spoiler

Dear Star Wars Galaxies? Community Member,
We write to you today to inform you that on December 15, 2011, Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) and LucasArts will end all services (MMO and Trading Card Game) for Star Wars Galaxies (SWG). The shutdown of SWG is a very difficult decision, but SOE and LucasArts have mutually agreed that the end of 2011 is the appropriate time to end the game.
We are extremely grateful to all of the SWG fans. We have had the rare opportunity to host one of the most dedicated and passionate online gaming communities and we truly appreciate the support we've received from each and every one of you over the course of the past eight years.
In recognition of your incredible loyalty, we are extending special Fan Appreciation offers to the current SWG community. We also plan to go out with a bang with a galaxy-ending in-game event in December and hope to see you all there. The details relating to these offers and events as well as the timeline and specifics regarding the discontinuation of the service, are provided below.
Again, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to our player community for making SWG one of the best online communities in gaming history.
Sincerely,
Sony Online Entertainment & LucasArts

The Fine Details:
Discontinuation of Services:
As of September 15, 2011, the SWG MMO and Trading Card Game will no longer be available for sale or subscription at both retail and all online digital retailers. All billing for active subscribers with accounts in good standing, except for Station Access subscribers, will end on October 15, 2011.
If you are an active subscriber in good standing as of September 15, 2011, then you can play for free for the final months. Players wishing to play through the end of the game and participate in the galaxy-ending event planned for the last week of live service in December will need to re-activate or join the game on or before September 15th. No new or reactivated accounts will be accepted after September 15, 2011.
As of today, June 24, 2011, we are discontinuing the 12, 6, and 3-month subscription plans, meaning these subscription options will no longer be offered for newly created SWG accounts. SWG subscribers who have prepaid six (6) or twelve (12)-month game time plans that extend their subscription period past October 15, 2011 will receive a pro-rated refund for any such pre-paid excess subscription payments*. Such refunds are expected to be issued within 90-days after the game ends.
In addition, we will be discontinuing the sale of all Star Wars Galaxies? Trading Card Game (TCG) digital card packs as of today, June 24, 2011. Loot cards will not be redeemable in the SWG MMO after September 15, 2011. The TCG will continue to operate until the final service closure on December 15, 2011.
Galaxy-Ending Event – Be Part of this Historic Event
During the last week that SWG is available, we're inviting the community to participate in a galaxy-ending event. We're going to end with a bang and we want the final chapter of the galaxy to be written in part by the dedicated and passionate SWG community. Details will be announced at a later date.
Fan Appreciation Offers
We welcome those active SWG subscribers in good standing to play one or all of the below SOE massively-multiplayer online PC games at a fully-paid subscriber status (or “membership” status where relevant) at no cost between October 15, 2011 and December 31, 2011 (subject to the terms and conditions described below). To activate these special offers, use the same Station Account you use now to subscribe to SWG** and simply click on the game you would like to try to download the game software. We are offering the following SOE games: Free Realms?, Star Wars?: Clone Wars Adventures?, EverQuest?, EverQuest? II and DC Universe? Online. The game software will all be made available for download on a link accessible from the StarWarsGalaxies.com web site beginning on October 15, 2011.

This saddens me greatly... I've been a member since 2006 and loved every minute of it... Why they're shutting it down rather than making it free-to-play is beyond me...

Either way, Star Wars Galaxies will always have a special place in my heart.

» Sat Jun 25, 2011 5:19 pm

Why they're shutting it down rather than making it free-to-play is beyond me...

Maybe they are worried it'd be direct competition to The Old Republic?

» Sat Jun 25, 2011 7:26 am

Official statement sent out via email:

Spoiler

Dear Star Wars Galaxies? Community Member,
We write to you today to inform you that on December 15, 2011, Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) and LucasArts will end all services (MMO and Trading Card Game) for Star Wars Galaxies (SWG). The shutdown of SWG is a very difficult decision, but SOE and LucasArts have mutually agreed that the end of 2011 is the appropriate time to end the game.
We are extremely grateful to all of the SWG fans. We have had the rare opportunity to host one of the most dedicated and passionate online gaming communities and we truly appreciate the support we've received from each and every one of you over the course of the past eight years.
In recognition of your incredible loyalty, we are extending special Fan Appreciation offers to the current SWG community. We also plan to go out with a bang with a galaxy-ending in-game event in December and hope to see you all there. The details relating to these offers and events as well as the timeline and specifics regarding the discontinuation of the service, are provided below.
Again, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to our player community for making SWG one of the best online communities in gaming history.
Sincerely,
Sony Online Entertainment & LucasArts

The Fine Details:
Discontinuation of Services:
As of September 15, 2011, the SWG MMO and Trading Card Game will no longer be available for sale or subscription at both retail and all online digital retailers. All billing for active subscribers with accounts in good standing, except for Station Access subscribers, will end on October 15, 2011.
If you are an active subscriber in good standing as of September 15, 2011, then you can play for free for the final months. Players wishing to play through the end of the game and participate in the galaxy-ending event planned for the last week of live service in December will need to re-activate or join the game on or before September 15th. No new or reactivated accounts will be accepted after September 15, 2011.
As of today, June 24, 2011, we are discontinuing the 12, 6, and 3-month subscription plans, meaning these subscription options will no longer be offered for newly created SWG accounts. SWG subscribers who have prepaid six (6) or twelve (12)-month game time plans that extend their subscription period past October 15, 2011 will receive a pro-rated refund for any such pre-paid excess subscription payments*. Such refunds are expected to be issued within 90-days after the game ends.
In addition, we will be discontinuing the sale of all Star Wars Galaxies? Trading Card Game (TCG) digital card packs as of today, June 24, 2011. Loot cards will not be redeemable in the SWG MMO after September 15, 2011. The TCG will continue to operate until the final service closure on December 15, 2011.
Galaxy-Ending Event – Be Part of this Historic Event
During the last week that SWG is available, we're inviting the community to participate in a galaxy-ending event. We're going to end with a bang and we want the final chapter of the galaxy to be written in part by the dedicated and passionate SWG community. Details will be announced at a later date.
Fan Appreciation Offers
We welcome those active SWG subscribers in good standing to play one or all of the below SOE massively-multiplayer online PC games at a fully-paid subscriber status (or “membership” status where relevant) at no cost between October 15, 2011 and December 31, 2011 (subject to the terms and conditions described below). To activate these special offers, use the same Station Account you use now to subscribe to SWG** and simply click on the game you would like to try to download the game software. We are offering the following SOE games: Free Realms?, Star Wars?: Clone Wars Adventures?, EverQuest?, EverQuest? II and DC Universe? Online. The game software will all be made available for download on a link accessible from the StarWarsGalaxies.com web site beginning on October 15, 2011.

This saddens me greatly... I've been a member since 2006 and loved every minute of it... Why they're shutting it down rather than making it free-to-play is beyond me...

Either way, Star Wars Galaxies will always have a special place in my heart.

Although I've never played, I'm always sad to see something go.

» Sat Jun 25, 2011 8:19 am

I played that game for at least 5 months after it first came out but I quit playing it because I didn't know what I was doing.

» Sat Jun 25, 2011 9:49 am

Maybe they are worried it'd be direct competition to The Old Republic?

Was about to say this. TOR will be out soon (Probably not) and there would be no point in keeping Galaxies.

» Sat Jun 25, 2011 12:22 pm

Maybe they are worried it'd be direct competition to The Old Republic?

Probably, and it makes sense if TOR is supposed to launch in November, but still. The game does still have life left in it.

@Suffca: You don't see a point, but I do, and a lot of other players do too. A lot of us have a lot of time invested in the game.

» Sat Jun 25, 2011 11:38 am

It died years ago anyway. Hands down the best MMO ever, even after CU. NGE completely killed it though. When your entire guild, all of its allies and rival guilds quit in one day, you know you've borked your game.

Theed and the Mining Outpost went from lag central to a couple of droids spamming obscenities at SOE.

» Sat Jun 25, 2011 5:05 pm

breaks mah tiny heart

» Sat Jun 25, 2011 11:11 am

Why they're shutting it down rather than making it free-to-play is beyond me.

Maybe they are worried it'd be direct competition to The Old Republic?

Was about to say this. TOR will be out soon (Probably not) and there would be no point in keeping Galaxies.

Probably, and it makes sense if TOR is supposed to launch in November, but still. The game does still have life left in it.

Keep in mind, F2P games do cost quite a bit to operate. Even if TOR is released sooner than expected, SWG is probably not pulling in (for quite some time, I suspect) enough revenue to pay for the upkeep.

» Sat Jun 25, 2011 1:11 pm

This saddens me greatly... I've been a member since 2006 and loved every minute of it... Why they're shutting it down rather than making it free-to-play is beyond me...

It can't be a cheap license; maybe its just not making enough cash.

» Sat Jun 25, 2011 8:26 am

SWG died a long time ago, and those we missed the chance to play it before NGE missed an amazing chance indeed.

» Sat Jun 25, 2011 1:58 pm

i quit the game just after the CU pack then i played for a week or so with the NGE to quit once and for all! Now i play on the SWGEmu which is trying to recreate the game pre-CU but also trying to add the "jump to lightspeed" package (which was supposed to be available in the normal game...

» Sat Jun 25, 2011 7:38 pm

It died years ago anyway. Hands down the best MMO ever, even after CU. NGE completely killed it though. When your entire guild, all of its allies and rival guilds quit in one day, you know you've borked your game.

Theed and the Mining Outpost went from lag central to a couple of droids spamming obscenities at SOE.

thats when i stopped playing it. i have a feeling that alot of WoW players will be quitting in droves as well. i have some WoWzer friends and they admit that they have long since gotten sick of the game they are just waiting for another really big MMO to come out so that their clan can move. i supposed if you created umpteen level 80 characters that you arent going to throw them away for just any ole MMO that comes along.

my concern with TOR is that half the classes are force users. HALF. 50% of the classes are jedi or sith based. im afraid im going to walk into any random cantina and see gazillions of lightsabers all over the place. i realize jedi and sith arent nearly as rare as they are in the new hope era but 50% of the population. seems a bit lopsided to me.