With the sale of EA, the MMO RPG Star Wars: The Old Republic was also sold. Players are now worried about the future of the MMO RPG.
Why was it sold? At the end of September, the major publisher EA was sold for 55 billion US dollars along with all its titles. This also affects Star Wars: The Old Republic, which still belongs to the company. According to mmorpg.org.pl, the current state of SW:TOR is approximately as follows:
- EA is the owner of SW:TOR and pays for the Star Wars license to Disney/ Lucasfilm Games.
- EA receives revenue from subscriptions and purchased cartel coins in SW:TOR.
- EA pays Broad Sword Games for the development and management of the MMO RPG.
The MMO RPG still belongs to EA, even though the publisher no longer operates it themselves. Due to the sale, players are now worried about the game.
Here you can see how the graphics of SW:TOR have improved over the years:
Concern for the Future
What are players afraid of? Players of Star Wars: The Old Republic express their concerns on Reddit following the sale of the publisher. It is uncertain whether a new license extension will occur with the new owners of EA or if Disney/Lucasfilm Games will let the licensing expire.
Reports suggest that the license was last extended in 2023, which means the future of the MMO RPG is likely secure until 2028, but it is unclear how long the rights have been secured. It is also unclear whether smaller projects like SW:TOR will not be discontinued due to the acquisition.
What speaks for the retention of SW:TOR? Although the future of SW:TOR is uncertain, a positive outcome is supported by the fact that EA has little work involved with the MMO RPG. The publisher pays Broad Sword Games for the ongoing development and has minimal involvement.
Consequently, it would likely be in EA’s interest to keep the MMO RPG running as long as it is profitable. The MMO RPG will likely continue to operate for at least as long as the license is paid for, maximizing its potential.
The Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia is also invested in Disney itself with 500 million euros. Therefore, it is unlikely that a participation of the Fund would exclude the licensing.
How EA will change with the new owners is still unclear, just as the future of Star Wars: The Old Republic remains uncertain. However, a swift end is not to be expected. In our ranking of the best MMO RPGs that have implemented mega franchises, SW:TOR was only surpassed by one game: 15 MMO RPGs based on Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Dragon Ball, D&D, and more in the ranking – Who implements the mega franchises best?
