A long time ago (last week) in a galaxy far away (California) EA become one with the Force

by: Ben Berry - posted: 11/15/2010 10:02:00 PM

Episode MMX
The Publisher Strikes A Deal

It is mere months prior to the
release of The Old Republic.
PR forces are gathering for 
the coming Marketing Wars.

To increase the effectiveness of
his army, Baron Papanoidia recruited
the efforts of a mighty publishing
giant EA who he had previously
entrusted with his products.

This partnership will be sorely
tested in the coming battle with
the gathering darkness of the
hordes of WarCraft...

EA AND LUCASARTS ENTER INTO NEW GLOBAL PUBLISHING AGREEMENT FOR STAR WARS: THE OLD REPUBLIC

Groundbreaking MMORPG from Legendary Developers at BioWare Set for Global Launch in 2011

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – November 10, 2010 – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) and Lucasfilm Ltd, announced today an updated global publishing agreement for the highly anticipated massively multiplayer online videogame Star Wars®: The Old Republic™. With this new agreement, certain publishing, marketing and distribution responsibilities previously designated to LucasArts will shift to EA, so that all publishing, marketing and distribution responsibilities can be centralized for efficiency. Lucasfilm will continue serving as a key partner, collaborating on design and marketing, and as a licensor of the property. Star Wars: The Old Republic is designed to redefine the MMO category by introducing BioWare's signature storytelling and rich, emotional human performances to the genre. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Star Wars: The Old Republic is one of the most highly-anticipated videogames of 2011, winning over 60 awards at industry tradeshows around the world including the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles and Gamescom in Cologne, Germany. The game is breaking new ground in the genre by building on the traditional MMO gameplay pillars of combat, exploration and character progression, and adding a fourth dimension to the experience – story. In Star Wars: The Old Republic, players will explore an age thousands of years before the rise of Darth Vader when war between the Old Republic and the Sith Empire divides the galaxy. Players choose to play as Jedi, Sith, or a variety of other classic Star Wars roles, defining their personal story and determining their path down the light or dark side of the Force. Along the way, players will befriend courageous companions who will fight at their side or possibly betray them, based on the players’ actions. Players can also choose to team up with friends to battle enemies and overcome incredible challenges using dynamic Star Wars combat.