EA is shifting development on Star Wars The Old Republic, the long-running Star Wars MMO, from BioWare to the Ultima Online team, a new report from IGN says. IGN’s sources spoke on condition of anonymity and didn’t elaborate on the reason behind the change, though the report suggests EA needs BioWare to focus its resources on upcoming single-player projects, including Dragon Age: Dreadwolf and Mass Effect 4.
The deal will see EA continue to act as the Star Wars game‘s publisher, while Broadsword Online Games will take over future development. Broadsword specializes in online games with devoted communities, with Ultimate Online and Dark Age of Camelot as its flagship games and former BioWare vice president Rob Denton as its head. Denton also helped work on The Old Republic in 2011 when the game first launched under BioWare.
SWTOR patch 7.3 and the game’s new multiplayer PvP season from BioWare will release as planned.
IGN’s sources said EA and Broadsword have signed a letter of intent, and the deal is expected to close at the end of June. Roughly half of the 70-person-strong development team is expected to move to Broadsword. Others may receive positions elsewhere in EA, though those who get no such offer will be laid off.
Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF
