SYDNEY, Australia – March 1st, 2012 – Today, BioWare™ a Label of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA), is proud to turn on the servers for the critically-acclaimed Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong & Singapore. Fans in those regions will now be able to experience the award-winning massively multiplayer online game that has captivated millions of fans worldwide on regional servers, giving them better game performance with decreased network latency. Australia’s AusGamers has scored the game at a 95%, saying The Old Republic is “arguably the most complete and polished MMO ever launched.”
“We have been incredibly pleased with the response to the launch of Star Wars: The Old Republic from fans and critics, as players are finding that immersive story and personal choice are a real innovation for the genre,” said Dr. Greg Zeschuk, General Manager of the BioWare Label’s MMO Business Unit and Co-Founder of BioWare. “Just as important to our success has been the smoothness of our launch. Now after months of testing, we’re excited to be able to bring both a high quality game experience and service to our fans in the Asia Pacific region.”
Players in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Singapore will be able to choose from the Standard Edition ($79.99 AUD, $89.99 NZD, $389.00 HKD, $64.90 SDB) and the Digital Deluxe Edition ($89.99 AUD, $99.99 NZD, $465.00 HKD, $76.90 SGD) of Star Wars: The Old Republic at participating retailers. The Digital Deluxe Edition is exclusive to Origin.com. Players in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Singapore will also be eligible for the Founder’s medal*, a distinction given to the early members of The Old Republic community. Set thousands of years before the classic Star Wars movies, players will be immersed as they team up with friends online to fight in heroic battles reminiscent of the films, exploring a galaxy of vibrant planets and experiencing visceral Star Wars combat. Players join forces with either the Galactic Republic or Sith Empire and choose one of eight iconic Star Wars characters, including the Jedi Knight, Jedi Consular, Smuggler, Trooper, Sith Warrior, Sith Inquisitor, Bounty Hunter and Imperial Agent.
Included with the purchase of every copy of Star Wars: The Old Republic is 30 days of access to the game, after which players can continue to play by subscribing** to the ongoing service. Subscribers will also receive ongoing content such as the recently released Game Update 1.1, Rise of the Rakghouls. 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.
*GOOD ONLY FOR PURCHASES OF STAR WARS™: THE OLD REPUBLIC™ WITH REDEMPTION OF A PURCHASED GAME TIME CODE OR BILLING OF AN ACTIVE GAME RECURRING SUBSCRIPTION WITH AN APPROVED PAYMENT METHOD. VALID WHEREVER GAME IS SOLD. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED, TAXED OR RESTRICTED BY LAW. CUSTOMERS WILL ACCESS THE ITEM IN-GAME. VIRTUAL ITEM ONLY. ITEM WILL BE APPLIED TO ALL CHARACTERS UNDER USER’S ACCOUNT. PLEASE ALLOW 7 DAYS FOR NOTIFICATION OF DELIVERABLES. AUSTRALIA and NEW ZEALAND – OFFER EXPIRES APRIL 30, 2012 AT 12:01AM EDT; 2:00AM NZDT HONG KONG and SINGAPORE – OFFER EXPIRES APRIL 29, 2012 AT 9:01PM HKT, 9:01PM SGT
** Subscription pricing in Australia,New Zealand, HONG KONG AND SINGAPORE will be $14.99 USD per month, $41.97 USD for three months ($13.99 USD per month) or $77.94 for six months ($12.99 USD per month).