SWG shutting down their servers...

[Lawyers Guns N Money]

This is a sad day for me, even though I haven't played the game since they revamped it for the worse...

I just got this email:

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

This game was ahead of its time in terms of the community and economy. RIP SWG, and thanks for the memories of being a badass Droid Engineer. (

 

[Jodou]

Oh wow, now the SWG Emu is REALLY going to see some support. I'm really shocked they're shutting it down, especially since shitty MMOs like AoC are still running. If they went F2P, I'd for sure play again. Not sure why'd they opt to just end it all, though.

 

[Draekon]

I can't say I'm too surprised. They've been losing people over time gradually, Lucas Arts probably asked them due to the new Star Wars MMO and plus all the costs all those hacks against them cost the company (SOE & The rest of Sony).

 

[Lawyers Guns N Money]

[quote name='Jodou']Oh wow, now the SWG Emu is REALLY going to see some support. I'm really shocked they're shutting it down, especially since shitty MMOs like AoC are still running. If they went F2P, I'd for sure play again. Not sure why'd they opt to just end it all, though.[/QUOTE]
After reading a little more, their contract with LucasArts was up in 2012 anyway, and it was supposedly a joint decision between SOE and LucasArts to end it now.

http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/24/exclusive-smedley-on-the-sunsetting-of-star-wars-galaxies/

 

[Lawyers Guns N Money]

[quote name='Draekon']I can't say I'm too surprised. They've been losing people over time gradually, Lucas Arts probably asked them due to the new Star Wars MMO and plus all the costs all those hacks against them cost the company (SOE & The rest of Sony).[/QUOTE]
According to the interview I linked above, their subscriber numbers have stayed pretty steady and it had nothing to do with the hacks.

I think since the contract was about to expire anyway, they just decided it was time. LucasArts and SOE still have a relationship with Clone Wars Adventures, so it doesn't seem like bad blood.

 

[ITDEFX]

Well it was about time.... I still have 2 60 day subscription cards that I should now activate and with the game til sept. I have one main and one alt.. Both were pretty good before the dark times...errr I ment NGE/CU. They should just crazy 4x xp everyone after September and say go buy everything you ever wanted for cheap or make hard caves super easy.

Need to go back and take some pictures......... I guess with KOTOR they estimated that there would be a huge departure for that game when it released that like the numbers of subscribers would be down to less than 1000. Everyone I have ever met in SWG has moved on.

Here are my thoughts on what could be game ending events.............

-The death star 2 appears in orbit above every world in the game and you see from the ground first hand what the planet killer beam looks like as it destroys your world.

-Imperial Drop ships come down into areas where there are more than 5 people and start killing off everyone.

-Some weird plague kills everyone slowly.

-Cloning centers galaxy wide are turned off.........meaning once your dead, it's over.

George Lucas' avatar appears and tells everyone he is god and thanks for making him richer in the afterlife!

 

[Jodou]

[quote name='Lawyers Guns N Money']After reading a little more, their contract with LucasArts was up in 2012 anyway, and it was supposedly a joint decision between SOE and LucasArts to end it now.

http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/24/exclusive-smedley-on-the-sunsetting-of-star-wars-galaxies/[/QUOTE]
Thanks for the link, interesting read. I really, really hope this means they're announcing SWG 2 or at least something sandbox this year. The one thing that rings true is SWG was the sandbox game and nothing else has come close to it. I know I'll miss my full suit of Mando and my house on the cliff, filled with rare/unobtainable items. Most of all, I'll miss the first character I named Jodou.

​

 

[Blade3D]

I would always come back every couple of years for a few months and check it out. It will be missed by my friends and I.

 

[extra80]

guess that with KOTOR coming most of the player remaining in this game (not that many from what i gather) would have jumped, leaving this one even more empty

 

[Jodou]

[quote name='extra80']guess that with KOTOR coming most of the player remaining in this game (not that many from what i gather) would have jumped, leaving this one even more empty[/QUOTE]
Mmm, somehow I doubt that actually. They might play TOR, but my guess is they'd play both. Anyone who stuck it out this long knows they wouldn't find the same experience anywhere else.