This was ferreted out by the Cabal:

1. The subscriber surge of Ch6 has proven to be a bubble, retention rates have been awful (which prompted them to do the most recent trial to attempt to bring more in and retain more. SWG almost doubled it's subscribers after CH6, from it's all time low of 49K to about 90K again. However, they are now back down to near the 49K figure again.

2. This has them VERY concerned, since before CH6, SWG was definitely on the bubble for the planned Spring `08 purge of the All Access Pass games of the duds (Planetside and MXO are definite goners). They thought they turned a corner with CH6, and SWG would be able to justify itself with profits.

3. They expect another surge of resubs with CH7, with the return of the village. They are focused on trying to retain more this time than they did with CH6.

4. This is the reason why CH6 (return of creature handler) and CH7 (return of the village) are what they are, their aim is to entice back vets and retain them. This is why CH8 will be space content. They are trying desperately to entice vets back by adding content/bringing stuff back that has been long asked for. They don't understand why they are failing, after CH6 was so promising after the first few weeks.

5. There has been a new combat revamp of the game on the table design wise for some time. This would be a last resort desperation play (after CH8) if there even is a CH8. CH8 is scheduled for 2/2008 and there isn't anything else on the development schedule currently after that.

6. SWG is very much on the bubble to be cut in Spring, when SOE wants to kill off the smaller games on the all access pass to make room for their 2008 new releases, as well as to make it possible to cut the price of the AAP back to $25 (subs to the all access pass have plunged since the last price raise since it's perceived as a bad deal, since the cost of EQ2 adventure packs is way less than the AAP cost, this used to be the incentive to sub to it).

7. As per their recent renegotiations with LEC, SOE has no obligation past early 2008 to continue SWG service. If SOE were to choose to terminate the agreement then, LEC's only option to continue the service would be to completely fund development themselves, SOE would continue to publish it. My source's gut feeling is that LEC would not do this, they do plan to release a new MMO in 2009 and would rather there be a year's gap rather than fund SWG given it's baggage. Currently LEC is being very hands off with SWG, about the only things they've vetoed have been the return of spice crafting, etc.

8. No matter what, there won't be any new expansions for SWG. 2008 is the last year for SWG in any case, they hope that they can add enough content in quarterly publishes to keep around enough players to be profitable. The SWG sub base is seen as the core of the sub base of the new MMO.

Believe it or don't, this is what I was given.

I do love rumors like these.

I think they were told that retention rates would be about what they are by several (a bunch) of players while this was on TC.  To tell the truth, I'm surprised the numbers are anything close to what they were pre C6 as a bunch of the existing player base left and continues to leave over C6.

Vets want a classic server and exactly their own game back not just re-worked parts of it.  I have NO idea why they do not do this.

you forgot 10: SOE plans to buy the SWGEmu code from the people coding it, and they plan to reopen servers after CH8 if they dont get enough subs, this way instead of paying SOE workers overtime to recode the Pre-CU they can just make one payment to a wanna-be developer with a god complex

oh and 11:they put that SWGEMU dev in jail for having found child pron on his computer.

lol i believe this ending is a little more exciting then the SWG dies in 08 thing

 flouride is an attempt by soe  to steal our precious bodily fluids.

Interesting, if it proves to be true.

Last year there was a surge of players not in just SWG but in other games.  It's called summer.  When school lets out, there is more free time for people to play that don't have obligations like work or a family.  I think the numbers with chapter 6 were inflated just for that reason.  It was released before the summer and now that summer is over they have to do a vet trial to help keep the numbers up and the population looking inflated. 

If the trial was just about exposing vets to chapter 6 they would have done it back after chapter 6 went live.  Not soon before chapter 7 is due.  Of course I could be wrong, but I think the end of summer is SOE's motivator.  Subs go down and they need to keep the population as high as they can to keep existing players from leaving because of lack of community.  This is the reason for the vet trial IMO.  It's 21 days compared to a new player trial account of 14 days.

I tried the BM and it was fun enough as I never played CH for comparison.  But I found some things lacking and stopped after 2 weeks.  I resubbed for one month and cancelled with 2 weeks left to go on my sub.  I didn't play those last 2 weeks at all.  I was not impressed with chapter 6.  If others enjoyed it and continue too, great.  I am glad for you.  I left for some other reasons based on other recent changes to the game.

As far as the purchasing of some third party remake of pre-cu code is concerned, I don't belive that.  SOE may have said the pre-cu code is gone, but it doesn't make any sense that a large if not the largest MMO software developer would throw away all copies of the software.  I would be more inclined to believe they would just use what they have then use some remake if they were going to open pre-cu servers in any form for their profit.  If this was brought up as a joke, you got me

This belongs in the rumor room, gave me a good lol

Well time  will tell soon enough, could be some truth to some of it 

Nothing in what I was told said ANYTHING about them doing classic servers, either with genuine pre-CU code, nor with duckserver code.

There will be no classic servers.  The game as it now is about all you are going to get.  The closest thing to a "rollback" they were considering was a nudging of the combat system back towards the CU system a little more than it is currently, and in possibly bringing back more old professions (such as TKA) via future expertise systems.  This isn't working, and it's reflected in the fact that they've lost the subscriber gains of CH6 almost as fast as they gained them.

My impression is that at this point they are ready to just give up.  After all, the SOE DCMMO "Russian Front" always needs some more Devs.

2/10

You know, if you keep predicting the end of SWG long enough, eventually you will be right.

But I have to admit, if this materializes, I will be giggling.

Ahhh finally some juicy rumour 

...Wouldn't surprise me if it's true though. it's really about time to shut this bad circus down.

One of the problems with the CH6 strategy is that BM is not by any stretch of the imagination CH.

Oh, the BM crafting system is not really a problem, except that it is ridiculously expensive to craft a quality pet.  The incubators themselves are the least of your worries...it's the consumables you need to get those hydrolase enzymes to approach the cap of 20 that is the problem.  Three steps to refine the hydros, three sets of expensive consumables to do it.

Then there are the other inherent problems with BM...the absence of the old CH minigame, the thrill of the tame.  The pathetic, simplistic WoWlike insistence that you can have only one pet out at a time...when even novice CHs could have a critter pet, a droid pet, and a GCW pet out under the old system.  Then there's the dumbing down of the critter pets...into generic skins that don't reflect the diversity of the old creature system.  No more greater sludge panthers, Ideal for critter hunting, or grand wrix, perfect for taking on NPC mobs using energy or heat weapons.  No multiple creatures.  No mounts out after you get off them, no mounts that can help you in combat.  The destruction of pet/player interaction animations.  No tricks for mounts anymore.

So  the surge of players they were hoping CH 6 would tempt into returning didnt' pan out, because BM is a pale imitation of the glory that was once the Creature Handler.  A profession that was very much loved by the vet crowd, even if they were not CHs themselves.  Anyone could have a CL 10 or below level pet that would do tricks for them....now you have to give up expertise points to get your bantha to do the KA-CHUNK, and only if it's not a mount!

They blew it, again.  They have not learned one of Koster's key points...you cannot take things away from your players.  It's the path of doom for an MMO.