EA Plans to Outsource Development of Star Wars: The Old Republic to Third Party, Broadsword Online Games

EA plans to outsource development of Star Wars: The Old Republic to a third party

EA has announced that talks are underway to outsource development of the popular free-to-play MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic to a third party. This would allow BioWare to focus on the upcoming Mass Effect and Dragon Age games.

EA’s plans were first reported by IGN. According to IGN, the publisher is considering transferring the development of The Old Republic to Broadsword Online Games. Broadsword is led by Rob Denton, former vice president of BioWare and co-founder of Mythic Entertainment. Denton was involved in the development of Star Wars titles from the very beginning.

Broadsword is not an unknown company in the field of MMOs. They are currently working on projects like Ultima Online and Dark Age of Camelot. EA has already signed a letter of intent with Broadsword and the deal is expected to close later this month.

The development of the 7.3 update “Old Wounds” is progressing

Currently in development is the 7.3 update Old Wounds for Star Wars: The Old Republic. EA has confirmed talks are taking place with Broadsword. A spokesperson for EA told IGN, “Nearly 12 years after its launch, Star Wars: The Old Republic continues to be a huge success and continues to build an engaged and passionate community. We are very proud of it.”

The spokesperson continued, “We are evaluating how we can give the game and the team the best chance to grow and evolve. This includes discussions with Broadsword, a boutique studio specializing in community-driven online experiences. Our goal is to do what is best for the game and its players.”

If the deal goes through, it’s expected that about half of BioWare’s core development team will move to Broadsword. Those staying at EA have the option to find employment elsewhere within the company, but may face layoffs.

Quelle: Eurogamer.