Matt Wales
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EA has confirmed reports it’s in talks to move the development of BioWare’s long-running free-to-play MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic to a third-party so the studio can focus on its upcoming new Mass Effect and Dragon Age instalments.
News of EA’s plans were first reported by IGN, who claimed the publisher was currently considering shifting The Old Republic’s development to Broadsword Online Games, a company run by former BioWare vice president and Mythic Entertainment co-founder Rob Denton, who previously worked on the Star Wars title in its early days.
Broadsword is no stranger to MMOs, of course – its other projects include ongoing work on Ultima Online and Dark Age of Camelot – and IGN reported EA had already signed a letter of intent with the studio, which would see The Old Republic deal finalised “as soon as this month”.
After that story broke, EA confirmed it was currently in talks with Broadsword, telling IGN, “Almost 12 years after launch, Star Wars: The Old Republic remains a success and continues to grow its dedicated and passionate community. We’re so proud of the work the team has done, and the future of the game and the community continues to be very bright.”
“We’re evaluating how we give the game and the team the best opportunity to grow and evolve,” the publisher continued, “which includes conversations with Broadsword, a boutique studio that specialises in delivering online, community-driven experiences. Our goal is to do what is best for the game and its players.”
If the deal goes ahead, IGN says roughly half of BioWare’s core The Old Republic development team is expected to move to Broadsword. Those remaining at EA will have the opportunity to find roles elsewhere in the company but may face layoffs.