BioWare said on Thursday that the global launch date of the Star Wars: The Old Republic free-to-play option will go live on November 15, 2015.
News of a free-to-play option couldn't have arrived at a better time. Just last week, the internet seemingly came to a standstill as news of Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm poured either gallons of fear or hope into the hearts of every Star Wars fan. Not only did sole owner George Lucas hand over his entire empire, but the Mickey Mouse Club revealed that another film trilogy will kick off in 2015 with the release of Star Wars Episode VII.
Since then, there has been speculation as to what kind of tale this new trilogy will tell. After all, both Anakin Skywalker (Darth Vader) and Emperor Palpatine are dead. Even more, current Lucasfilm head honcho Kathleen Kennedy said the new films will be original content, nuking fanboy theories that the films would be based on the "Thrawn" trilogy of books by Timothy Zahn.
As it stands now, one of the more solid rumors is that the storyline will take place 40 years after Episode VI, and feature a bearded old Luke Skywalker running a restocked Jedi Order. The two droids will naturally return as well, and both Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford have voiced their interest in returning to their popular roles.
All that said, the Star Wars franchise has seemingly been thawed out of its Carbonite prison, electrified with new interest and thus may multiply the number of gamers waiting patiently for The Old Republic's free-to-play doors to swing wide open. BioWare's chapter in the Star Wars universe won't feature long-standing favorites like Luke Skywalker, Yoda and Ben Kenobi, as it takes place some 3,500 years before Episode I. But the MMOG should serve as a proper pacifier until Disney and Lucasfilm produce the 2015 installment.
"If you’re a paying Subscriber at the launch of the Free-to-Play option on November 15th, you will be granted all of the Complimentary Cartel Coins currently listed on your Cartel Coin Ledger page, plus a one-time grant of 250 Complimentary Cartel Coins!" BioWare said on Thursday.
"Additionally, we are extending the Rewards Program! All former subscribers who reactivate their subscription by the new date of December 20, 2012 at 11:59pm CST will be granted Complimentary Cartel Coins for their prior paid months up to November 15, 2012," the studio added.
Addition information about all the rewards gamers can potentially receive can be found here. For more information about the PC game itself, head here.
