Star Wars: The Old Republic Articles

Columns

• Jedi Under Siege is Underwhelming and Undercooked

  The last few updates were part of BioWare’s attempt to put the genie back in the bottle by knocking the Eternal Alliance down a few pegs. Jedi Under Siege is the first real step towards a full course correction and return to the game’s roots as a story of conflict between the Sith Empire and Galactic Republic. The problem is that, at least so far, it’s about as awkward as I expected it to be.

  Posted on 12/13/2018 by Michael Bitton

• The Nathema Conspiracy Clears the Way for SWTOR’s Next Expansion

  I loved Knights of the Fallen Empire and Knights of the Eternal Throne for many reasons, but the one frustrating aspect of the events that transpired in these expansions was their grandiosity. These expansions ask the question: wouldn’t it be awesome to actually win and rule the galaxy? The answer is yes and no.

  Posted on 05/10/2018 by Michael Bitton

• The 10 Greatest MMORPG Heroes of All Time

  For our next two lists, we’ll be diving into the NPCs of our favorite MMORPGs to find the best heroes and villains across the genre. This week, we’re starting with the good guys, picking our 10 favorite MMORPG heroes of all time.

  Posted on 10/13/2017 by William Murphy

• The 10 Best Story-Driven MMOs of All Time

  This week we’re ranking the 10 best story-driven MMOs of all time. That means we’re going to try and put numbers on feelings we all have for the narratives we play through when we’re living in these virtual worlds. It’s a tall order, and one we’re sure you’ll have some mixed emotions over. Without further ado, here are our 10 Best Story Driven MMOs of All Time.

  Posted on 10/03/2017 by William Murphy

• The Best and Worst of Knights of the Eternal Throne

  Having spent more time with the Knights of the Eternal Throne expansion for Star Wars: The Old Republic, I’ve gotten a better idea for the hot (and not so hot) aspects of the expansion. Read on for our look at both.

  Posted on 12/07/2016 by Michael Bitton

• Star Wars and the Modern MMO

  I often think about how I’d love to play SWTOR – only re-imagined with the new landscape of MMOs in mind. But things like action combat or even a smaller set of active abilities probably aren’t going to ever happen for SWTOR, so where does that leave things for the future of Star Wars and online games?

  Posted on 11/02/2016 by Michael Bitton

• Three Reasons to Come Back for Knights of the Eternal Throne

  Star Wars: The Old Republic gets its 4th expansion this December with Knights of the Eternal Throne. The expansion will continue the story of the current expansion, Knights of the Fallen Empire, bump the level cap up to 70, and more. Any new expansion is a great time to come back to your favorite MMO, but we think Eternal Throne makes a particularly good case for a return to Star Wars: The Old Republic.

  Posted on 10/25/2016 by Michael Bitton

• Gear Progression Goes RNG with Eternal Throne’s Galactic Command

  BioWare’s latest live stream event detailed the new Galactic Command system coming to Star Wars: The Old Republic with the release of the Knights of the Eternal Throne expansion this December. The structural changes made to gear progression with this system are set to have a far-reaching impact on the game, and the community isn’t exactly too happy about it.

  Posted on 10/19/2016 by Michael Bitton

• What Knights of the Eternal Throne Needs

  While Knights of the Fallen Empire was a solid expansion overall, it wasn’t without its faults, so let’s take this week to discuss some of the things we’d like to see in Knights of the Eternal Throne to improve the experience.

  Posted on 10/05/2016 by Michael Bitton

• The New MMO - Streamlined Systems

  MMOs have been around for a long time and have morphed and changed over the decades now as we enter 2017. We're in a period which I would consider the second era of MMOs with Ultima Online for all intents and purposes kickstarting the genre back in 1997. Games began simple and expanded over time, breaking off into sub genres, independent projects, and huge AAA titles. But we're going back to the drawing board...

  Posted on 08/25/2016 by Garrett Fuller

• How Can MMOs Be Monetized Fairly?

  What’s the best way to monetize an MMO and have it be seen as fair by the players? This is a question that’s no doubt going to ruffle a few feathers and create a few competing comments, but our own Lewis Burnell is brave enough to tackle the topic in his column this week.

  Posted on 08/22/2016 by Lewis Burnell

• Chapter XIII Impressions: Finding Fun in the Underworld

  I expected things to pick back up in Chapter XIII, and they did, but not in a way that advanced the main story. Instead, what we got was essentially a complete filler chapter that takes us on an underworld adventure and reunites us with a couple of fan favorite companions in Gault & Vette. It’s filler, but it’s good filler.

  Posted on 05/04/2016 by Michael Bitton

• Chapter XII: Great For Force Users, Not So Much For Everyone Else

  BioWare recently released “Visions In The Dark,” the 12th chapter of Star Wars: The Old Republic’s story-driven expansion, Knights of the Fallen Empire. And it may have been one of the best chapter releases yet, if you’re a Force user.

  Posted on 04/13/2016 by Michael Bitton

• MMOs for Couples

  While the idea of “massive multiplayer” online RPG means that we’re in there with others by design, sometimes it’s nice to just adventure through with a partner-in-crime, just the two blazing a path to glory. With that in mind, we’ll take a look today at five games that that are great fun for two.

  Posted on 03/15/2016 by Suzie Ford

• Ranking SWTOR’s Sith Storylines

  While I wish the quality of Star Wars: The Old Republic’s class storylines were consistent across the board, it simply isn’t the case. This week, we’ll be ranking the game’s storylines from the Sith Empire side of things. And yes, there will be spoilers!

  Posted on 03/03/2016 by Michael Bitton

• Firebrand Heats Things Up in Chapter X: Anarchy in Paradise

  BioWare recently released the first new chapter for KOTFE, Chapter X: Anarchy in Paradise, and my conclusion is that your mileage may vary. For me, Chapter X was an enjoyable experience, marred by some of the issues we’d seen in earlier chapters, but mainly that the quality of gameplay doesn’t live up to the quality of the story being told.

  Posted on 02/17/2016 by Michael Bitton

• SWTOR - Less MMO, More RPG Than Ever Before

  Hot on the heels of The Force Awakens, Chris jumped back into Star Wars: The Old Republic to see how it holds up. It’s half the MMO it used to be and a much better RPG because of it! Read on to find out why. Plus, in the Quick Hits, we have impressions of The Division, Darkest Dungeon’s roadmap from launch, a new character and the possibility of a new demo for Final Fantasy XV, free content for Shadowrun: Hong Kong, and more!

  Posted on 02/05/2016 by Christopher Coke

• Celebrating The Force Awakens with SWTOR

  I have a confession to make: my excitement for the release of a new Star Wars movie is surpassed only by my crotchety aversion to large crowds and general laziness to buy tickets on time. So while it’s going to be a week or so before I get to see The Force Awakens, and I’ll be avoiding the internet for fear of spoilers throughout that time, I’m doing the next best thing: jumping back into Star Wars: The Old Republic.

  Posted on 12/18/2015 by Som Pourfarzaneh

• Knights of the Fallen Empire - BioWare Ups its Game

  Star Wars: The Old Republic’s newest expansion, Knights of the Fallen Empire, starts off with a bang and just doesn’t let go. I thought BioWare really upped its game with Shadow of Revan, but I had to check to make sure I was actually still playing SWTOR when I jumped into KOTFE for the first time today.

  Posted on 10/21/2015 by Michael Bitton

• The Five Best MMOs for New Players

  Jumping into a new MMO can be an intimidating experience for even the most seasoned players, especially those who have little familiarity with MMORPGs in general. Most of us on the site play MMOs like doing so is our job, and yet there are still some times when I start up a new game, or an existing one that I haven’t touched in a while, and feel the familiar sense of panic when I see how many skills or activities are available.

  Posted on 09/28/2015 by Som Pourfarzaneh

• Calculating the Jump to Hyperspace (and a New Expansion) For Non-Subscribers

  In approximately a month's time, subscribers to Star Wars: the Old Republic will be playing the new expansion and no doubt blazing a trail through the nine chapters of the new story that will be released at launch. Whether you prefer to gobble it up in one sitting or take your time and savor, there's plenty of new BioWare-flavored story to enjoy. However, let's take a look at what will happen if you're not a subscriber.

  Posted on 09/24/2015 by Jean Prior

• Imperial Companions I’d Like to See Return in KoTFE

  Not all companions will return in the story of Star Wars: The Old Republic’s upcoming expansion, Knights of the Fallen Empire. We’ve seen Kira Carsen so far, but everyone else is essentially in limbo right now.

  Posted on 09/09/2015 by Michael Bitton

• Something Old, Something New, Something Jawa, Something Blue

  Companions are finally getting a shakeup in the new expansion for Star Wars: the Old Republic. BioWare Austin has set themselves the task of making companions interesting once more, with some meaty choices where one or more of them could die as part of your Outlander storyline.

  Posted on 08/20/2015 by Jean Prior

• Star Wars Falls Flat at Gamescom 2015

  Aside from the much welcomed Mirror’s Edge demo, the rest of EA’s presentation left me with more questions than answers. I was worried that EA would show up with nothing more than a pair of trailers for the double whammy of Star Wars games releasing this year and my feelings turned out to be mostly justified.

  Posted on 08/06/2015 by Michael Bitton

• San Diego Cantina Event Wrap-Report

  For the first time since Star Wars: the Old Republic began the Cantina Tour stops three years ago, the event in San Diego during Comic Con weekend was an all-day affair, featuring special guests and visitors that weren’t present even during their event at Celebration in April.

  Posted on 07/23/2015 by Jean Prior

• The Top 7 Best MMOs of 2015…So Far

  I’m not going to lie to you: 2015 hasn’t exactly been full of big moments of big announcements. Maybe it’s because all of the best ideas are already taken, maybe it’s because everyone likes different things, or maybe it’s because developers and publishers are getting lazy, but there’s no denying the fact that the MMO genre has seen better years. From a lack of real excitement or hype around releases, to a lack of innovation, it’s not like it used to be.

  Posted on 07/13/2015 by David Jagneaux

• The Singleplayer MMO Cometh

  Knights of the Fallen Empire signals a big change for SWTOR. This doesn’t mean that BioWare will be leaving out the “MMO bits” as it calls them, but it’s clear that things are changing. I still fully expect there to be new raids, flashpoints, and warzones, but these items appear to be sidelined in favor of a renewed focus on story.

  Posted on 07/01/2015 by Michael Bitton

• 5 MMOs That Would Be Perfect for Consoles

  Today’s MMO market isn’t what it used to be. A little less than a decade ago everyone was playing the same handful of games and there wasn’t much MMO-hopping going on. Free-to-play was all but nonexistent and unless you paid a subscription for a PC MMORPG, you weren’t playing much in the way of persistent online games. Nowadays, you can boot up an MMO on everything from your smartphone and PC to consoles and tablets. They’re everywhere.

  Posted on 06/29/2015 by David Jagneaux

• The 5 Best Games and Announcements from E3 2015

  E3 2015 was a historic event for the gaming industry. Whether you’re an old-school gamer that was dying to finally see Final Fantasy VII’s remake announced, one of the few people that held out hope The Last Guardian was still a thing, or just a fan of gaming looking forward to the biggest and best new games the industry has to offer, there was something for everyone. Hell, we even got the first ever PC Gaming Show this year! That has literally never happened.

  Posted on 06/22/2015 by David Jagneaux

• Changing the Face of the Galaxy

  On Monday at the Electronic Arts presser at E3, BioWare Austin announced that it was overturning the applecart that is Star Wars: the Old Republic. While we got a taste of the next iteration the previous Friday when a somewhat calculated leak of the new expansion's name and many of its details was hastily removed from the official website, sometimes it takes a trailer and a studio General Manager showing up to make it feel more real.

  Posted on 06/18/2015 by Jean Prior

• Shadow of Revan - Short, Sweet, and to the Point

  It's been four and a half months since BioWare Austin released the second full expansion of Star Wars: The Old Republic, entitled Shadow of Revan. At the launch and since that time, the level cap increased to 60, everyone's skill trees were replaced by Disciplines, they've added story encompassing three new planets, we now have a better means of managing our characters' outfits, and there have been a few new Flashpoints and Operations.

  Posted on 05/21/2015 by Jean Prior

• Mad About Mods

  What’s the hot story this week? We’re highlighting posts from the blogosphere about SWTOR operations tuning, Blizzard’s eSports triumphs and WoW token adjustments, and, yes, Steam’s Mod Marketplace.

  Posted on 04/29/2015 by Jessica Cook

• A Missed Opportunity at Celebration

  This past weekend saw the advent of Star Wars Celebration, the Star Wars version of BlizzCon or SOE Live, only bigger and let's be fair, better. Hosted in the same venue as BlizzCon in Anaheim, CA, SWCA featured more stormtroopers than you could shake a Jawa at, Star Wars celebrities ranging from Mark 'Luke Skywalker' Hamill to Anthony 'These aren't the droids we're looking for' Forrest.

  Posted on 04/23/2015 by Jean Prior

• The Multiplayer RPG Experience

  180+ hours into Guild Wars 2, I’ve only recently begun digging into its assortment of dungeons. Sure, I’ve dabbled in my fair share of pre-level cap PvP and open world small parties, but I’ve been waiting to hit 80 to sink my teeth into the game’s group content. As I mentioned in last week’s column, I’m no stranger to dungeons and raids in MMOs, and have historically sought out group content commensurate to my level.

  Posted on 04/03/2015 by Som Pourfarzaneh

• The (B)Austin Cantina Tour Stop, Including Spoilers

  Fulfilling their promise to make up the canceled Boston Cantina Tour stop with a livestream on Twitch, BioWare Austin's team presented a rather meaty event that promises better, more fan-satisfying events in the future. In this one, jokingly referred to as the (B)Austin Cantina Tour, they went over many of the details of Game Update 3.2.

  Posted on 04/02/2015 by Jean Prior

• The Top 21 Locations in SWTOR

  Not every article has to be an in-depth discussion of gameplay, offering commentary on press releases, or speculating what big reveal BioWare might choose to unleash at Star Wars Celebration next month.

  Posted on 03/17/2015 by Jean Prior

• The Outfit Designer Won't Save Crafting

  In the recent Producer's Roadmap, Bruce Maclean dropped the news we'd known about for awhile, Star Wars: the Old Republic would have some kind of Outfit Designer. Coming in the spring with Game Update 3.2, it's supposed to be an 'awesome new feature'. Let's speculate as to how this new feature will work and how it will integrate with the existing crafting system.

  Posted on 02/26/2015 by Jean Prior

• Does It Actually Matter if SWTOR is Canon or Not?

  Like the rest of the EU, Star Wars: the Old Republic was slapped with a 'Legends' imprint and sent on its merry way, and quite rightly the fans worried that it meant doom for the BioWare Austin MMO. Almost a year later, SWTOR's status has become an increasing question of debate as the new movies approach and the announcement that there will be a Cantina Tour stop at Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, CA.

  Posted on 02/12/2015 by Jean Prior

• Cantina Tour at PAX South: A New Hope

  This past weekend, several members of BioWare Austin descended upon San Antonio for PAX South in the latest Star Wars: The Old Republic Cantina Tour stop. In it, guests were treated to the usual Q&A interspersed with prizes for correctly answering trivia questions. Unusually, the event was actually held on-site at PAX and required a badge although it wasn't a part of official programming.

  Posted on 01/29/2015 by Jean Prior

• But Everyone Else Was Doing It Too!

  This week, Star Wars: the Old Republic put in a patch that had a fairly large number of tweaks to the game, mostly a lot of bugfixes and updates to various group activities such as changing which comms drop and rebalancing certain encounters. Sadly, however, much of these things were not the topic of many conversations about the game the past few weeks.

  Posted on 01/15/2015 by Jean Prior

• Three Things We Want from SWTOR in 2015

  Star Wars: The Old Republic may never live up to the lofty expectations many had for it before it launched back in 2011, but the game seems pretty healthy despite all the initial setbacks. 2015 is a new year and with a new year comes new possibilities. Let’s take a look at some things we’d like to see in SWTOR this year.

  Posted on 01/07/2015 by Michael Bitton

• Was Forged Alliances Really Necessary?

  In their prelude to their current expansion, Shadow of Revan, Star Wars: the Old Republic spent five months giving us new big-picture epic content via four Flashpoints collectively known as Forged Alliances. I spent an afternoon playing all four of them back to back on solo mode now that it's possible to do so and have been left with some questions that remind me of another big-name scifi franchise's first movie: Is this all that there was? Was there nothing more?

  Posted on 01/02/2015 by Jean Prior

• The Value of 12X Class XP

  With the launch of early access for Shadow of Revan on Tuesday, Star Wars: the Old Republic retired a subscriber perk that had allowed hordes of filthy casuals like myself to finally get through each class story and have a character at the now-previous level cap. Today's article is about that perk and whether it ultimately had value to the game.

  Posted on 12/04/2014 by Jean Prior

• The New Discipline System Primer

  The latest expansion pack for Star Wars: The Old Republic has arrived, and with it the game is graduating to version number 3.0. One of the banner features of the upgrade, although not specifically tied to the expansion pack, is the new method for dealing with skills: Disciplines.

  Posted on 12/02/2014 by Pete Schwab

• To PVP or To Not PVP, That is the Question

  This week, Star Wars: the Old Republic announced the end of PVP Season Three to coincide with the launch of Game Update 3.0: Shadow of Revan. They also announced three tiers of rewards based on the Rating players will acquire during the season of play. Today, we'll take a look at the game's PVP options and see where the fun is.

  Posted on 11/06/2014 by Jean Prior

• Revan is Coming

  Star Wars: the Old Republic 3.0 has been formally announced, and it's proof that BioWare Austin is very fond of the letters S and R and the word 'shadow'. Shadow of Revan promises to bring even more story to the almost three-year-old MMO, as players get to hopefully sink their teeth into what is the end cap of the video game trilogy focusing on an era in galactic history where he was pretty much the central lore figure.

  Posted on 10/16/2014 by Jean Prior

• Crafting and Galactic Strongholds

  We've all been trained long enough by the folks at BioWare Austin to remember that they'll tell us when they tell us and there isn't much we can do to hurry the process up. So I'm going to be constructive and cover some of the basics of how Galactic Strongholds has finally given crafters something relatively meaningful to do since the advent of the massive glut of orange moddable gear.

  Posted on 10/02/2014 by Jean Prior

• Forged Alliances Finale Spoilers and a Teaser for the Future

  The Rakata Prime Flashpoint teased at the PAX Prime Cantina Tour Stop does indeed complete the trilogy of Flashpoints that lead directly into the as-yet-unrevealed next expansion for Star Wars: the Old Republic. This past Tuesday, Community Manager Eric Musco and Lead Writer Charles Boyd took to the game's official Twitch channel to run through the Flashpoint and revealed who the big bad of that expansion might very well be.

  Posted on 09/18/2014 by Jean Prior

• PAX Weekend Roundup

  In the latest news roundup for Star Wars: the Old Republic, we have some information on upcoming content, but never enough to satiate ardent fans of the game, and there have also been some insights into the game's past construction. It still leaves so many questions and we're more than happy to speculate as necessary.

  Posted on 09/04/2014 by Jean Prior

• The Story's the Thing

  When you build your corporate game development reputation on high-end storytelling, there shouldn't be much surprise when your fanbase expects the same level of quality out of any subsequent release. BioWare is synonymous with some of the richest stories in all of PC gaming, and with an intellectual property like Star Wars to play with, our expectations are understandably high.

  Posted on 08/07/2014 by Jean Prior

• All Aboard the SWTOR Hype Freighter!

  It's not unusual for a game studio to gather their crew to initiate some buzz for their latest release. This summer, BioWare's been revving up the Galactic Strongholds hype freighter more and more as we approach the August launch of Early Access for subscribers, and they've all but confirmed that Manaan will be the focus of the later expansion this year whose title has yet to be revealed.

  Posted on 07/24/2014 by Jean Prior

• Will Galactic Strongholds Be Your Star Wars Home?

  Ever since February, we knew about Galactic Strongholds as 'SWTOR Does Housing', but we really hadn't seen many details on how it will work, what it will entail, or perhaps most importantly, how much it will cost. BioWare Austin recently announced their plans to do a weekly livestream on http://twitch.tv/swtor on Thursdays to go over the features of the new expansion between now and when it soft launches in August.

  Posted on 07/10/2014 by Jean Prior

• Ten Most Voted Female Characters in MMOs and RPGs

  A few months ago, we had an exciting MMO Super Women discussion about what essential elements create memorable female protagonists. We asked you to name the women characters from MMOs that made an impression on you. As a result, we compiled your votes into the following ten MMOs and RPGs. Enjoy, and be sure to add any additional female favorite heroes in the comments below!

  Posted on 07/08/2014 by Genese Davis

• The Top 5 MMOs That Could Be Singleplayer Games

  So many MMOs nowadays have evolved into an amalgamation of game modes and content – some stuff you can play alone, some of it requires strangers, some of it is best with friends, some is friendly, some is just for fun. Even though these experiences seem to be getting farther and farther away from what made the genre so exciting to begin with – adventuring in epic online worlds – it has led to creation of a term with both good and bad connotations: solo friendly.

  Posted on 06/30/2014 by David Jagneaux

• Dude, Where's My Endgame?

  So, it's been two over two and a half years since Star Wars: the Old Republic launched, and even now, players are asking, 'Dude, where's my endgame?' While BioWare no doubt has better metrics than any of us as to why a number of players rushed to level cap when the game first launched and then wandered off, a common thread to the conversations was that the game launched with no real endgame in place.

  Posted on 06/26/2014 by Jean Prior

• Gambling and Group Finder: Game Update 2.8

  As was promised a couple of months ago, Star Wars: the Old Republic's Game Update 2.8 launched on June 10th. It wasn't without difficulty, as a number of players experienced severe troubles logging in, getting stuck in a Flashpoint, transitioning to other areas, using the group finder, or logging in and seeing an empty server list. The worst of the issues were resolved within twenty-four hours, but maintenance is posted for Friday to hopefully alleviate the rest.

  Posted on 06/13/2014 by Jean Prior

• A New Playable Race in SWTOR?

  Due to the voice acting present, there could never be a new race that could not speak Basic. Sorry, Wookiee fans, but despite the fact that Wookiees were playable in Star Wars: Galaxies and the Smuggler gets one as a companion, they'd have to rewire all of the voice acting to accommodate them in SWTOR. Same with folks wanting to play Trandoshans in homage to Qyzen Fess, or those of us crazy souls who think it would be pretty awesome to run around as a Jawa Jedi Knight.

  Posted on 05/29/2014 by Jean Prior

• New Roadmap, Adjusted Timeline, PTS Goodies

  Last week, Star Wars: the Old Republic's Senior Producer Bruce Maclean published his revised roadmap for the Summer of SWTOR. Couple that with his previously-published Producer Letter announcing the delay of the Galactic Strongholds expansion and the reasons for it, we have an overall message that they believe players would rather see a much bigger up-front expansion rather than trickling new features and updates along the road piecemeal.

  Posted on 05/13/2014 by Jean Prior

• Finally! Quality of Life Improvements

  Hands up if you've filed a ticket or simply complained about the fact you stomped the final boss in Black Talon or the Esseles flashpoint and just as you were going to jump back to Fleet, the game crashed. Tomorrow, Star Wars: the Old Republic will release Game Update 2.7.1, announcing the start of Ranked Warzone Season 2, Double XP weekend this weekend, and oh my Giradda, they say they're finally fixing that bug.

  Posted on 04/29/2014 by Jean Prior

• Housing Speculation – Too Many Questions to Jump on the Hype Train

  So, the big news in the land of Star Wars: the Old Republic, is that we're finally getting housing to play with this summer with the release of Galactic Strongholds. It's a feature that players have been requesting since before launch. Let's face it, the most readily-viable games these days for housing are ones that have a free-to-play element, because a game studio can easily monetize unlocks on top of everyone having the option of using the shop for décor items or whatever.

  Posted on 04/02/2014 by Jean Prior

• Rethinking the Pillars of MMO Design

  RPG designers often refer to the four pillars when discussing a new game or concept. Their goals often aim to improve or reinvent one or more aspect(s). SWTOR emphasized the story pillar, while Wildstar showed interest in combat. There are MMOs that aim to invent new pillars like Everquest Next, while others focus on improving a variable within a pillar. Could these pillars of game design be stifling innovation or do they merely keep the design process grounded in what works?

  Posted on 03/26/2014 by Genese Davis

• Too Rigid and Longevity

  As everyone probably knows by now, Story is the high altar upon which BioWare trades its wares. With Star Wars: the Old Republic, we got a rich set of interwoven class storylines and overall game storyline that pitted Republic versus Empire with the fate of the galaxy hanging in the balance. One of the critical challenges for any MMO is keeping things fresh for older players wanting to start a new alt. Replayability is the cornerstone to keeping the game's doors open.

  Posted on 03/20/2014 by Jean Prior

• MMO Super Women

  Batman, Superman, and Spiderman are the most popular answers for the famous, who’s your favorite super hero? question. But what if you were asked to name your favorite female super hero? Icons such as Wonder Woman or Lara Croft may come to mind. What attributes make these super women feel truly real, but also truly memorable? For video games specifically it can be difficult to mention just one or two favorites. And it can be even more difficult to narrow down wonder-women characters from an MMO.

  Posted on 01/25/2014 by Genese Davis

• SWTOR F2P Revisited

  A long time ago, an MMO had to save itself by transitioning from a subscription-based format to free-to-play. Other MMOs have made the transition over the years, although not with as much need to retain players as Star Wars: the Old Republic. Since that time, the game experienced a resurgence in population for a while, but things seem to have settled down. It's a good time to revisit how the free-to-play experience stacks up against being preferred or a subscriber.

  Posted on 01/22/2014 by Jean Prior

• The Best MMOs of 2013

  As we embark on an exciting new year of MMO releases, we reflect back on the year that was. Though 2013 was light on new MMOs, it was filled to the brim with games fighting for our attention. Patch after patch hit our newsreels. Games such as EVE Online and Lord of the Rings Online spun heads with their expansions. Two of the bigger new games, Final Fantasy XIV and Neverwinter, both impressed and addicted us. Today we reflect on the best. Join us as we countdown the top ten Best MMOs of 2013.

  Posted on 01/10/2014 by Christopher Coke

• Holidays & Events – A Welcome Way to Close the Year

  As the end of 2013 rolls around, MMOs crack out winter / holiday events for players. In our newest Social Hub, we take a look at why we believe those events and celebrations are important for the community. Check out our thoughts and then add your own in the comments.

  Posted on 12/23/2013 by Christina Gonzalez

• Taking Galactic Starfighter for a Spin

  We took Galactic Starfighter, the upcoming digital expansion to Star Wars: The Old Republic, for a spin on the game's public test server and today we're offering our thoughts.

  Posted on 11/27/2013 by Michael Bitton

• Five of the Best MMOs for Soloers

  MMORPGs, just by virtue of the name, seem to require other players to enjoy the game. Yet that's not always the case. In The List today, we take a look at five MMOs that are eminently solo-able. See what you think before heading to the comments to include your favorite game.

  Posted on 11/01/2013 by Suzie Ford

• The Trouble With Instances

  Most MMOs today contain a certain level of instanced game play. But there is a cost to instancing players away from one another. In our latest Social Hub, we take a look at this and much more. Read on before heading to the comments to chat.

  Posted on 10/28/2013 by Christina Gonzalez

• Not Quite Jump to Lightspeed, But I’ll Take It

  Yesterday, BioWare unveiled "Galactic Starfighter", the second digital expansion for Star Wars: The Old Republic. We offer our thoughts on the announcement in our latest SWTOR column.

  Posted on 10/09/2013 by Michael Bitton

• Do Subscriptions Make a Difference in Community?

  Subscriptions are the hot topic lately with three big-name titles opting to go with a subscription based revenue model. In today's Social Hub, we take a look at the potential impact that subscriptions have on today's games. Read on and then leave your thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 09/30/2013 by Christina Gonzalez

• Making the 'Super Secret Space Project' Great

  BioWare finally gave Star Wars: The Old Republic fans a peek at the game's long awaited 'Super Secret Space Project' during this year's PAX Prime. This week, we're offering up a couple of ideas on how to make that project truly shine and live up to its potential.

  Posted on 09/18/2013 by Michael Bitton

• SWTOR 2.1: Color & Collection Chaos

  There's been a good deal of controversy surrounding the launch of Star Wars: The Old Republic's Game Update 2.1: Customization. We break down some of what we're hearing and offer our own take in this week's SWTOR column.

  Posted on 05/15/2013 by Michael Bitton

• The EA-Disney Deal

  We're offering our thoughts on why EA's deal with Disney to be the exclusive developer of Star Wars games may not be all that bad. Hear us out and share your thoughts in the comments!

  Posted on 05/08/2013 by Michael Bitton

• SWTOR 2.1 - What We Know So Far

  BioWare has released some details on Star Wars: The Old Republic's Game Update 2.1: Customization. We're rounding up what we've discovered so far and offering our thoughts in this week's SWTOR column.

  Posted on 05/01/2013 by Michael Bitton

• Rise of the Hutt Cartel: A New Hope for SWToR

  Rise of the Hutt Cartel is the first digital expansion for Star Wars: The Old Republic. Is this the expansion you're looking for? Find out in our official review!

  Posted on 04/24/2013 by Michael Bitton

• The Best (and Worst) of Rise of the Hutt Cartel

  In this week's SWTOR column, we're breaking down some of the best and worst aspects of Rise of the Hutt Cartel, the first digital expansion to Star Wars: The Old Republic.

  Posted on 04/17/2013 by Michael Bitton

• More Questions Than Answers

  The free to play market has been in the news a lot the last several days between TERA's rising numbers and SWTOR's proclamation that its high density servers are teeming. But is all the news really so rosy? Are there other questions that need answering before we proclaim success? In The Free Zone today, we take a look at that. See what we've got on our mind before telling us what's on yours in the comments.

  Posted on 03/27/2013 by Richard Aihoshi

• More KOTOR in SWTOR in 1.7.2

  Star Wars: The Old Republic patch 1.7.2 brings some cool new KOTOR inspired additions as well as some other major changes. We're breaking it all down for you in this week's SWTOR column.

  Posted on 03/13/2013 by Michael Bitton

• Game Update 2.0: A Hive of 'Scum and Villainy'

  BioWare recently pushed Game Update 2.0: Scum and Villainy to Star Wars: The Old Republic's public test server and we're breaking it all down for you in this week's SWTOR column.

  Posted on 02/27/2013 by Michael Bitton

• Gree Event: Something For Everyone

  Game Update 1.7: Return of the Gree features something for just about every type of Star Wars: The Old Republic player. We break down the event content and offer our thoughts in this week's column.

  Posted on 02/20/2013 by Michael Bitton

• Earning a Galactic Reputation

  We're breaking down the Galactic Reputation system coming to Star Wars: The Old Republic in Game Update 1.7: Return of the Gree in this week's SWTOR column.

  Posted on 02/06/2013 by Michael Bitton

• How SWTOR Can Own 2013

  We're hoping Star Wars: The Old Republic has a better 2013 than 2012, but what should BioWare do specifically? We weigh in with this week's SWTOR column.

  Posted on 01/23/2013 by Michael Bitton

• Game Update 1.7 Reactions

  BioWare recently announced Game Update 1.7: Return of the Gree for Star Wars: The Old Republic and we're offering our initial reactions in this week's SWTOR column.

  Posted on 01/16/2013 by Michael Bitton

• Some Year-End Wondering

  As 2013 dawns, many of us take a look ahead and speculate about what is to come, something akin to looking into the crystal ball. In The Free Zone today, we take a look at a few topics that are sure to be big discussion items throughout 2013. Check it out!

  Posted on 01/01/2013 by Richard Aihoshi

• SWTOR Anniversary Edition

  We round up some of the best additions to Star Wars: The Old Republic this year in our anniversary edition of our SWTOR column.

  Posted on 12/26/2012 by Michael Bitton

• Wrapping up Christmas

  One of the MMO industry's favorite things to do is to treat its community to great holiday activities that stretch well beyond Christmas Day. We take a look at some of our favorites. Check it out and then tell us which holiday happenings you prefer in the comments.

  Posted on 12/26/2012 by Hillary Nicole

• Rise of the Hutt Cartel Expansion Thoughts

  We're weighing in on BioWare's surprise announcement of "Rise of the Hutt Cartel", the first digital expansion to Star Wars: The Old Republic, in this week's column.

  Posted on 12/20/2012 by Michael Bitton

• The Slippery Slope of SWTOR’s Cartel Market

  Is BioWare on a slippery slope with their Cartel Market in Star Wars: The Old Republic? We weigh in with our thoughts in this week's SWTOR column.

  Posted on 12/12/2012 by Michael Bitton

• SWTOR Livestream Q&A Thoughts

  BioWare recently conducted a livestream Q&A on Star Wars: The Old Republic's free-to-play option and the future of the game. In this week's SWTOR column, we offer a breakdown of what we learned during the Q&A along with our thoughts.

  Posted on 12/05/2012 by Michael Bitton

• Ancient Hypergate Warzone Preview

  We've got a sneak peek at Star Wars: The Old Republic's Ancient Hypergate warzone, which is scheduled to go live with Game Update 1.6! Read on to learn all about it.

  Posted on 11/29/2012 by Michael Bitton

• Single Player MMO

  Many MMOs today seem to be placing a great emphasis on story or, as some would say, the single playerification of MMOs. In Pokket's latest column, she discusses this trend and her thoughts about it. Read on and then join the discussion in the comments.

  Posted on 11/27/2012 by Hillary Nicole

• The Burden of Freedom

  Now that Star Wars: The Old Republic has presented players with a 'free to play' option, many are thinking of trying it out. But, as they say, caveat emptor. In our Devil's Advocate column today, we examine the 'F2P' option and offer some thoughts. Read on before joining the conversation in the comments.

  Posted on 11/23/2012 by Victor Barreiro Jr.

• Chatting SWTOR F2P with Blaine Christine

  We recently had a chance to catch up with BioWare senior producer Blaine Christine to discuss the newly launched free-to-play option for Star Wars: The Old Republic. Read on to find out what we learned!

  Posted on 11/21/2012 by Michael Bitton

• Is SWTOR Moving Toward the Dark Side or the Light?

  Now that Star Wars: The Old Republic has officially adopted a 'free-to-play option', some players are beginning to wonder if BioWare and EA went far enough. Check out what we think in our latest Free Zone column and then leave your ideas in the comments.

  Posted on 11/20/2012 by Richard Aihoshi

• Reasons to Check Out SWTOR F2P

  Star Wars: The Old Republic goes free-to-play beginning tomorrow and we've got a couple of reasons why we think you should check it out! Read on!

  Posted on 11/14/2012 by Michael Bitton

• The Disney Deal

  George Lucas has sold the Lucas empire to Disney for the sum of $4.05 billion and we've got some thoughts to share on the subject, including what it could mean for MMO fans going forward.

  Posted on 11/01/2012 by Michael Bitton

• Try Something New

  As much as many of us clamor for something new and innovative in the MMO genre, we are similarly repelled by the 'newness' of it all. In our latest Pokket Says column, we take a look at that and opine that trying something new isn't always a bad thing. Keep reading and then add your voice to the conversation in the comments.

  Posted on 10/23/2012 by Hillary Nicole

• SWG Features I’d Love to See in SWTOR

  What are some of the features of Star Wars Galaxies we'd like to see in Star Wars: The Old Republic? Read on to find out and share your own in the comments below!

  Posted on 10/10/2012 by Michael Bitton

• Cutscenes, Story, and Questing, Oh My!

  Story and how it is told is an integral part of any MMO. In her latest column, Pokket gives her unique take on, as the title says, cutscenes, story and questing. Read on before lending your voice to the conversation in the comments.

  Posted on 09/24/2012 by Hillary Nicole

• The Age of Boredom

  A lot of hyped MMOs have been released in the past year with a few more yet to come. Yet some, if not all, of them have been huge disappointments to some of their fans. In an increasingly crowded market, what is there to be excited about asks our own Scary Booster. See what Scary's got to say and then shine a ray of hope in the comments.

  Posted on 09/21/2012 by Aaron Couture

• Global F2P Gleanings

  One of the things we love to do around here is put our collective ear to the ground for all the news that might interest our readers and then give some thoughts about those stories. In our latest Free Zone column, we take a look at some of the most interesting tidbits we've picked up lately. Read on!

  Posted on 08/28/2012 by Richard Aihoshi

• The Race is On!

  The 'Grand Acquisition Race', a new in-game event for Star Wars: The Old Republic, is now available on live servers and in this week's SWTOR column we're reporting on our findings and weighing in with our thoughts.

  Posted on 08/16/2012 by Michael Bitton

• What Does SWTOR F2P Mean?

  Last week, Bioware and EA announced that Star Wars: The Old Republic would be adding a free to play component. In our latest Free Zone column, we take a look at the announcement and give our analysis of what it all means as well as check in with several F2P industry voices for their thoughts as well. Check it out!

  Posted on 08/14/2012 by Richard Aihoshi

• Too Many Games

  Too many games. Yes, it's the bane of many of today's gamers. In her latest column, Pokket takes a look at the games she plays and laments that, just maybe, there are too many good ones to attend to. See what you think and then leave a comment or two.

  Posted on 08/13/2012 by Hillary Nicole

• Two ‘Failures’ and the Sandbox Revival

  Could the sandbox sub-genre of MMOs be set for a revival of sorts? How did the relative failures of both Star Wars Galaxies and Star Wars: The Old Republic play into the state of the sandbox MMO? We discuss it all in this week's column.

  Posted on 08/08/2012 by Michael Bitton

• The MMOlympics

  2012 is an Olympic year with athletes from around the world gathering in London to compete for the 'best in the world' title. But what about us? What about those of us who let our characters strut their prowess? Don't we deserve an MMOlympics? We think so and have The List of events we'd like to see included. Read on!

  Posted on 08/07/2012 by Suzie Ford

• F2P: How Soon Is Too Soon?

  With the announcement that Star Wars: The Old Republic would be going F2P, many people expressed surprise that it had come so soon. In a new column today, we look at that notion and tear it apart. Check it out!

  Posted on 08/02/2012 by William Murphy

• Free-to-Play and Schadenfreude

  EA's announcement that Star Wars: The Old Republic would be going free-to-play in the Fall has sparked some interesting reactions from gamers around the 'net. In this week's SWTOR column, we're weighing in on the news and explain why we feel the switchover is worthy of praise over doom-n-gloom.

  Posted on 08/01/2012 by Michael Bitton

• SWTOR - The 'Singleplayer RPG'

  Many gamers have labeled Star Wars: The Old Republic a "singleplayer RPG", but is this truly a fair criticism? What's the larger issue here? We discuss it all in this week's SWTOR column!

  Posted on 07/25/2012 by Michael Bitton

• The 2012 Summer Rumorfest

  One of our favorite things to do is check out the rumor mill on a day to day basis. We've rounded up a few of the biggest ones people are talking about this summer in today's Free Zone. Check them out and then let us know what you think in the comments.

  Posted on 07/17/2012 by Richard Aihoshi

• The New Free* Trial

  Star Wars: The Old Republic is now free for everyone...sort of! In this week's SWTOR column, we examine the new Free* Trial and weigh in with our own thoughts. Should you bother with the Free* Trial? Read on to find out!

  Posted on 07/11/2012 by Michael Bitton

• Level of Difficulty - PUGs

  PUGS (Pick up Groups) are sometimes both the bane and boon of players' existences in MMOs. In her latest Pokket Says, Hillary Nicole takes a look at PUGs and her history with them over the years. Read on!

  Posted on 07/09/2012 by Hillary Nicole

• What Would F2P Look Like?

  We've discussed the possibility of a free-to-play Star Wars: The Old Republic in the past, but what would the switchover look like? We weigh in with this week's SWTOR column.

  Posted on 07/04/2012 by Michael Bitton

• Legacy Perks and Group Finder Thoughts

  Now that Update 1.3: Allies is available on live servers, we're weighing in with our thoughts on some of the updates key features. In this week's Star Wars: The Old Republic column we'll be talking about the update's new Legacy Perks and Group Finder features. Read on!

  Posted on 06/27/2012 by Michael Bitton

• Four Reasons BioWare Really Should Consider F2P

  Comments recently made by BioWare's Emmanuel Lusinchi alluded to the possibility of BioWare 'looking at' free-to-play for Star Wars: The Old Republic. While the article in question has since been mysteriously taken down, we're really hoping BioWare is considering free-to-play for the game, and we're offering up four reasons why in this week's SWTOR column.

  Posted on 06/20/2012 by Michael Bitton

• Five Reasons to Keep Playing

  Many people are totally ready to write off BioWare's first MMO, Star Wars: The Old Republic. But we think there are compelling reasons to keep playing SWTOR. See what we think and whether or not you agree. Weigh in with your comments on the forum!

  Posted on 06/05/2012 by Michael Bitton

• Will TOR Adopt ‘Mega Servers’?

  Will Star Wars: The Old Republic go the route of DC Universe Online and implement large capacity 'mega servers' to address the game's population issues? What are the implications for the game if they do? We discuss it all in this week's SWTOR column.

  Posted on 05/29/2012 by Michael Bitton

• 5 Ways MMOs Will Survive

  MMOs these days are having a hard time...some of them anyway. Studios are closing. Developers are being laid off. The news seems all gloom and doom. We think, however, that there are ways that the MMO-niverse will keep on keepin' on. See what we think in our latest edition of The List.

  Posted on 05/28/2012 by Suzie Ford

• A Bittersweet Week

  Between the announcement of Update 1.3: Allies and BioWare Austin's 'restructuring,' one might say it's been a bittersweet week for Star Wars: The Old Republic. We discuss both of these major events in this week's SWTOR column.

  Posted on 05/23/2012 by Michael Bitton

• Community Conundrum

  How should BioWare handle the server population issues plaguing Star Wars: The Old Republic? We weigh a number of options in this week's SWTOR column.

  Posted on 05/16/2012 by Michael Bitton

• What's Coming in Update 1.3?

  In this week's Star Wars: The Old Republic column we examine the neat stuff coming to the game in Update 1.3.

  Posted on 05/09/2012 by Michael Bitton

• Should SWTOR Go Free-to-Play?

  In this week's Star Wars: The Old Republic column we discuss whether or not SWTOR should make the switch to the free-to-play business model.

  Posted on 05/02/2012 by Michael Bitton

• The Worst of Update 1.2: Legacy

  As part of this week’s The List, we took a look at five of the most awesome aspects of Star Wars: The Old Republic Update 1.2: Legacy. Today, we’ll be taking a look at the opposite side of the coin and highlight a few of the worst aspects of the update.

  Posted on 04/26/2012 by Michael Bitton

• The Best of SWTOR Update 1.2

  Update 1.2: Legacy has turned out to be a massive update for Star Wars: The Old Republic and frankly there are too many awesome things in the update to list them all. Instead, we’re picking five of our favorite additions and changes from ‘Legacy’ to highlight as part of The List this week.

  Posted on 04/23/2012 by Michael Bitton

• The Rakghoul Pandemic

  BioWare recently introduced their first event to Star Wars: The Old Republic with the 'Rakghoul Pandemic'. We discuss the new event in this week's column and offer our take on how these sorts of events can improve the overall game.

  Posted on 04/18/2012 by Michael Bitton

• PAX East 2012 - Novare Coast Preview

  We spent some time playing Novare Coast, the new warzone coming to Star Wars: The Old Republic when Update 1.2: Legacy goes live this Thursday. Read on for our thoughts!

  Posted on 04/11/2012 by Michael Bitton

• Aesthetics vs. Gameplay

  Do aesthetics trump gameplay? BioWare has responded to feedback over some of the 'crazy' armorsets coming in 1.2, a topic we discussed in a recent Star Wars: The Old Republic column, and this week we're discussing the situation as it stands now.

  Posted on 04/04/2012 by Michael Bitton

• Verdict on the Fourth Pillar

  Did BioWare's gamble on story really make all the difference with Star Wars: The Old Republic? Was it really what MMOs were missing? We share our thoughts in this week's SWTOR column!

  Posted on 03/28/2012 by Michael Bitton

• Endgame Fashion Shows

  Do you often find yourself perplexed by the gaudy armor designs found at the endgame of most MMOs? We do! In this week's Star Wars: The Old Republic column, we discuss the overall issue and how it plagues even SW:TOR.

  Posted on 03/20/2012 by Michael Bitton

• Update 1.2: The Miracle Patch?

  Update 1.2: Legacy is shaping up to a massive patch. But are expectations too high? We share our thoughts in this week's SWTOR column!

  Posted on 03/14/2012 by Michael Bitton

• The Curious Changes of Patch 1.1.5

  Patch 1.1.5 for Star Wars: The Old Republic is a seemingly innocuous 'weekly' patch with some interesting implications for the game. Read on for our thoughts!

  Posted on 02/28/2012 by Michael Bitton

• Five Truly Innovative Game Features

  In The List today, we take a look at what we believe are five truly innovative game features from five of the most popular MMOs of today, both released and unreleased. See what you think and then leave us your comments.

  Posted on 02/27/2012 by Suzie Ford

• Possible 'Legacy' Species

  Game Update 1.2 will see the expansion of playable species (existing species only) for the various classes in Star Wars: The Old Republic via the game's Legacy system. In the future, the Legacy system will also introduce entirely new species to the game, but which ones? We take a look at some of the possibilities in this week's column.

  Posted on 02/21/2012 by Michael Bitton

• The Future is Bright (or Dark, if you prefer)

  The busy bees at BioWare have released a flood of information on what's coming to Star Wars: The Old Republic in the patches leading up to and beyond Game Update 1.2. Join us in this week's SW:TOR column as we discuss all the latest developments.

  Posted on 02/14/2012 by Michael Bitton

• Mentoring is Motivation

  One of the biggest complaints about MMOs today is that we are always seemingly on the fast track to the endgame. But once there, then what? In today's Player Perspectives we offer you the powerful motivating factor that mentoring other lower-level players can bring to players after all of their guildies are off to other games or just aren't around as much. See if you agree and then weigh in with your comments.

  Posted on 02/10/2012 by Isabelle Parsley

• With Friends Like These

  There are many great things going for Star Wars: The Old Republic, but guild features currently isn't one of them. In this week's Star Wars: The Old Republic column, we discuss the importance of guilds and how BioWare can improve on the game's guild feature set.

  Posted on 02/07/2012 by Michael Bitton

• The Dorkside - An Honest Review

  There are two things that are always sure to twitter-pate our readership: Coyote Sharptongue's pithy MMO commentary and Star Wars: The Old Republic. Today we bring you the best of both in our latest Coyote's Howling. Read on!

  Posted on 02/02/2012 by Coyote Sharptongue

• The Endgame Grind: PvE vs. PvP

  While many of us would like to see MMO developers try something different when it comes to the endgame, we're all familiar with 'the grind' by now. But does Star Wars: The Old Republic offer worthwhile progression in both PvE and PvP? Or is one area stronger than the other? Read on for our thoughts!

  Posted on 01/31/2012 by Michael Bitton

• Voice Acting Ups and Downs

  One of the most discussed features in Star Wars: The Old Republic is the voice over quest dialogs. Not only is the main storyline quest arc voiced, so are ALL quests. Today we discuss the pros and cons of the voice acting in SWTOR. See what you think and then leave your ideas on the subject in our comments.

  Posted on 01/27/2012 by Garrett Fuller

• Content Locusts Killed My MMO

  It used to be that hitting the level cap in an MMO was something that took months, if not years, to actually accomplish. These days, however, it's more a function of hours. After hitting the top, what is there to do? In today's Player Perspectives, we take a look at what we call "content locusts", those who greedily devour content rather than enjoy it. See what you think!

  Posted on 01/27/2012 by Isabelle Parsley

• How to Improve PvP

  Last week we broke down some of the PvP changes (and their resulting issues) introduced to Star Wars: The Old Republic with the release of Update 1.1 "Rise of the Rakghouls." Today, we're offering a constructive take on how BioWare can improve on PvP in SW:TOR going forward.

  Posted on 01/24/2012 by Michael Bitton

• Tightening Up the Graphics

  The lack of high-resolution character and armor textures outside of cutscenes in Star Wars: The Old Republic turned out to be an intentional move by Bioware and has stirred quite an uproar in the player community. We offer our thoughts in this week's SW:TOR column.

  Posted on 01/17/2012 by Michael Bitton

• Five Reasons to Play Galactic Republic

  Sure in SWTOR, the Sith Empire is "cooler", but they don't have wookiees. In this week's List, we take a look at five reasons no one should miss playing a member of the Galactic Republic.

  Posted on 01/16/2012 by William Murphy

• Innovation in the Old Republic

  One of the things that many players clamor for in their games is innovation, something new and never before seen. In today's Player Perspectives, we take a look at several ways that Star Wars: The Old Republic has advanced the MMO genre with innovative features, if only through small touches. Check it out and then let us know what you think.

  Posted on 01/13/2012 by Isabelle Parsley

• Crew Skills and the Endgame

  Crew Skills are a pretty interesting implementation of crafting in Star Wars: The Old Republic, but do they hold up in usefulness once you reach endgame? Read on to find out!

  Posted on 01/10/2012 by Michael Bitton

• 5 Ways The Sith Empire is Pure Win

  This week, The List goes Star Wars: The Old Republic and the Dark Side. We take a look at the top ways we think that the Empire rocks. See if you agree or not. Either way, let us know what you think in the comments.

  Posted on 01/09/2012 by Garrett Fuller

• Bonus Series? Or Troll Series? You Decide!

  We take a look at BioWare's "bonus series" questlines and whether or not they can really be considered a "bonus" in this week's Star Wars: The Old Republic column.

  Posted on 01/04/2012 by Michael Bitton

• Slain by the Sith?

  A lot of talk has been swirling around the idea that Star Wars: The Old Republic is somehow the much ballyhooed "WoW Killer". Is it or is it not? That is the question. In today's WoW Factor, we take a look at that notion and offer a few thoughts on the subject. Check it out and then add your own thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 01/02/2012 by Joseph Sanicky

• The Droid I Was Looking For

  Isabelle Parsley admits it: She's hooked on Star Wars: The Old Republic. In today's Player Perspectives, we examine that state of hookedness and why it's such an unusual phenomenon these days. Read on!

  Posted on 12/30/2011 by Isabelle Parsley

• Beam Me Up, Please

  With last week's launch of Star Wars: The Old Republic, many folks' imaginations have been opened to the idea of space-themed MMOs. In today's Coyote's Howling, we opine that the fantasy genre "needs a well-deserved rest". See if you agree and then leave us your ideas in the comments.

  Posted on 12/29/2011 by Coyote Sharptongue

• Maintaining that "BioWare" Experience

  The fourth pillar of story is alive and well in the launch product of Star Wars: The Old Republic, but will this continue with the same quality post-launch? Join us in this week's Star Wars: The Old Republic column as we offer some thoughts on the subject.

  Posted on 12/28/2011 by Michael Bitton

• The Lost Sense of Journey

  In his latest column, MMORPG.com Managing Editor Bill Murphy takes a look at the opposing ideas that we have both gained and lost parts of the journey within the MMOs we love to play. See what Bill's got to say and then let us know what you think in the comments.

  Posted on 12/26/2011 by William Murphy

• Launch Day!

  Join us in this week's Star Wars: The Old Republic column as we discuss our experiences with the game so far and its long-awaited launch.

  Posted on 12/20/2011 by Michael Bitton

• More Star Wars!

  As if there haven't been enough articles about Star Wars: The Old Republic on the internet this week, we've decided to add one more to the fray. From the storylines, to the Bounty Hunter, and the Head Start access waves, we offer a few thoughts on each.

  Posted on 12/16/2011 by William Murphy

• Top 10 Reasons to Play SWTOR - Part 3

  In the final part of a three part series, Pokket details the last of her top ten reasons why she will be playing Star Wars: The Old Republic. Pokket starts with Number 4 and continues the downward until we know her number one reason to dig into SWTOR. Check out Game Face #14: Top 10 Reasons to Play SWTOR Pt. 3.

  Posted on 12/15/2011 by Hillary Nicole

• On Regional Restrictions & SWTOR

  In today's Devil's Advocate column, we take a look at the increasingly annoying regional restrictions that many MMOs today employ including *gasps* Star Wars: The Old Republic. See if we're on the mark with this and then let us know what you think in the comments.

  Posted on 12/14/2011 by Victor Barreiro Jr.

• The Wait is (Sort Of) Over!

  With day one of Early Access behind us, this week's Star Wars: The Old Republic column looks back at the past 24 hours and even offers a farewell to one venerable Star Wars MMO.

  Posted on 12/14/2011 by Michael Bitton

• SWTOR: Rules of Enragement

  There's no question that a lot of n00bs will be checking in to play Star Wars: The Old Republic. That said, there are some tried and true rules that n00bs should pay attention to and which we will impart our vast knowledge about in today's column. Check these puppies out and then let us know what you think in the comments.

  Posted on 12/08/2011 by Coyote Sharptongue

• Modification Madness Redux

  Back in October we wrote about the madness surrounding discussion of Star Wars: The Old Republic's item modification system. This week, with solid information in hand, we're looking at the past, present, and future of the item modification system. Read on to find out what we think and share your own thoughts in the comments below!

  Posted on 12/07/2011 by Michael Bitton

• A Master Beta Scorned

  There are a legion of fans out there who, like Cinderella being ignored for the Glass Slipper, did not get their Star Wars: The Old Republic beta testing opportunity. In today's Coyote's Howling, we learn just how bitter that can make a person. Read on!

  Posted on 12/01/2011 by Coyote Sharptongue

• Mirrored Classes

  Recently we took a look at five not-so-great things about Star Wars: The Old Republic, but we may have left out one glaring omisssion: mirrored classes. This week's Star Wars: The Old Republic column examines the mirrored class design found in the game and how it impacts the overall experience.

  Posted on 11/30/2011 by Michael Bitton

• Five Not So Great Things About SWTOR

  In this week's The List, MMORPG.com Community Manager Michael Bitton follows up on our previous "5 Things We Love About SWTOR" by taking a look at some of the not so great things about Star Wars: The Old Republic.

  Posted on 11/28/2011 by Michael Bitton

• Freedom!

  MMORPG.com Community Manager Michael Bitton celebrates the dropping of the NDA and offers some of his own thoughts on the craziness that followed in his latest Star Wars: The Old Republic column.

  Posted on 11/23/2011 by Michael Bitton

• 5 Things We Love About SWTOR

  With last week's lifting of the non-disclosure agreement, the lid came off and people are writing like mad about Star Wars: The Old Republic. In The List today, MMORPG.com Managing Editor Bill Murphy takes a look at five things that seem to be very popular with fans. Check out Bill's ideas and then let us know what you think in the comments.

  Posted on 11/21/2011 by William Murphy

• SWTOR – Dark Side or Light?

  In today's Player Perspectives, MMORPG.com's Isabelle Parsley is beginning to consider how she will play Star Wars: The Old Republic. Isabelle wonders whether to choose Light or Dark side when she first logs into SWTOR and a few thoughts about the overall good vs bad thing going on. Check out Isabelle Parsley's Player Perspectives and then leave a couple of comments.

  Posted on 11/18/2011 by Isabelle Parsley

• Drop the NDA!

  MMORPG.com's Mike Bitton is keeping his weekly column devoted to Star Wars: The Old Republic short and sweet today with a simple request and few words that eloquently say, "DROP THE NDA!" See if you agree with Mike's thoughts and then add a few comments.

  Posted on 11/16/2011 by Michael Bitton

• Fansite Summit #2 Reactions

  MMORPG.com Community Manager Michael Bitton has some thoughts on the latest Old Republic news, including new details coming out of the latest Fansite Summit. Check out what he has to say and leave your comments below!

  Posted on 11/09/2011 by Michael Bitton

• SWTOR Launch Day

  In her latest Player Perspectives column, MMORPG.com's Isabelle Parsley admits that, despite earlier ambivalence about the game, she's actually looking forward to Star Wars: The Old Republic. Find out what changed her mind and what she hopes to discover on SWTOR Launch Day. Read on!

  Posted on 11/04/2011 by Isabelle Parsley

• Spoilers Suck

  In his latest column devoted to Star Wars: The Old Republic, MMORPG.com Community Manager Mike Bitton is thinking ahead to how he will insulate himself from the spoilers that so many are willing to divulge in chat, on Ventilo and online forums. See how he plans to keep the storyline secret from himself and then leave us a couple comments when you're through.

  Posted on 11/02/2011 by Michael Bitton

• Making the Switch?

  MMORPG.com Community Manager Michael Bitton has noticed many Star Wars: The Old Republic fans are suddenly interested in upgrading to the Collector's Edition of the game. He has but one question for these folks, "Why?"

  Posted on 10/26/2011 by Michael Bitton

• The NDA Goes Alderaan

  As we've said, the NDA has lifted for press members for Star Wars: The Old Republic and excitement permeates the air. A day as grand as this one could not pass by without poignant remarks from our own Coyote. See what Coyote has to say about SWTOR and about NDAs and more in his latest column for MMORPG.com. Leave us your thoughts when you're done!

  Posted on 10/20/2011 by Coyote Sharptongue

• Modification Madness

  As the release date for Star Wars: The Old Republic nears, most systems have been revealed and discussed. There yet remains, however, one feature that has yet to be fleshed out: The item modification system. In today's article, MMORPG.com Community Manager Mike Bitton takes a look at what is known about item modification. See what Mike has discovered and then let us know what you think in the comments.

  Posted on 10/12/2011 by Michael Bitton

• The Lure of Star Wars: The Old Republic

  In today's column, MMORPG.com Managing Editor Bill Murphy, or Captain Obvious as we sometimes call him, writes about the ever-present elephant in the room, Star Wars: The Old Republic. He calls on those who already love the game and those who've predetermined their hatred to put all that aside until the game actually is released. Check out what else Bill has to say in his latest column. Then don your Teflon undies and weigh in on the discussion.

  Posted on 10/05/2011 by William Murphy

• Dark or Light?

  In his latest column for MMORPG.com, Community Manager Mike Bitton looks at the idea that players' decisions will send them down a path of light or dark, regardless of their faction alignment. Check out what Mike has to say and then leave us your thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 10/05/2011 by Michael Bitton

• The End of an Era and Beginning Anew

  For true Star Wars fans, the end of 2011 is bittersweet with the ending of Star Wars Galaxies but the dawning of a new saga with Star Wars: The Old Republic. In today's column, MMORPG.com's Mike Bitton expands on that thought a bit. Check out Mike's thoughts and then leave a comment or two.

  Posted on 09/28/2011 by Michael Bitton

• Star Wars: The Old Trek

  In his latest column here at MMORPG.com, Coyote takes a look at Star Wars: The Old Republic, not as someone who has memorized every word every developer has uttered since birth, but as someone who has read enough from the fan base to be annoyed. Only Coyote can turn that annoyance into something pointedly hysterical. Read on and then share your thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 09/22/2011 by Coyote Sharptongue

• Is Fatigue Setting In?

  While it's only been about two years since Star Wars: The Old Republic was announced, in many ways it feels like two decades. In today's column devoted to SWTOR, MMORPG.com Community Manager Mike Bitton wonders whether or not the wait is getting too long as there still seems no end in sight. Read on and then weigh in on the conversation in the comments.

  Posted on 09/21/2011 by Michael Bitton

• SWTOR's Story Will Change Questing Forever

  Exclamation points and walls of text are the standard for quests in MMOs today. In his latest column, MMORPG.com Managing Editor Bill Murphy takes a look at innovative new quest features that Bioware is bringing to the table with Star Wars: The Old Republic. See why Bill thinks questing will change forever and then let us know what you think in the comments.

  Posted on 09/15/2011 by William Murphy

• The Darker Side of Smuggling

  If Han Solo played Star Wars: The Old Republic, there's no question he'd play the Smuggler class. Smugglers, by their very nature, aren't always good guys, sometimes allying with nefarious characters such as Jabba the Hutt. As MMORPG.com Community Manager Mike Bitton says, "Han Solo wasn't always a hero". In today's column devoted to SWTOR, Mike talks about the darker side of the smuggler. Check out Mike's thoughts and then add yours in the comments.

  Posted on 09/14/2011 by Michael Bitton

• Will SWTOR Be the Last Big-Budget MMOG?

  Recently, SOE's John Smedley opined that SWTOR would be one of the last big budget MMOs with a subscription model. In The Free Zone today, MMORPG.com's Richard Aihoshi takes a look at Smedley's opinion and offers a few thoughts about its viability. Keep reading and then let us know what you think in the comments.

  Posted on 09/13/2011 by Richard Aihoshi

• The War of Guilds and Stars

  Loving our games passionately is a hallmark of MMO players. But the rhetoric aimed at games that haven't made our "personal A List" seems to have ratcheted up lately when it comes to Guild Was 2 and Star Wars: The Old Republic. In today's column, MMORPG.com Managing Editor Bill Murphy looks at the chasm that divides players into Guilds & Stars and wonders how it happened. Keep reading! Lend us your thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 09/08/2011 by William Murphy

• Appearance Tab Redux - Modifying Armor

  The Star Wars: The Old Republic site has been home to many spirited conversations. Chief among them is a 20,000+ series of posts about the lack of an appearance tab shipping with the game. In today's SWTOR column, MMORPG.com Community Manager Mike Bitton takes another look at the discussion and offers a few thoughts. Be sure to leave us a few of your thoughts in the comments when you're finished.

  Posted on 09/07/2011 by Michael Bitton

• PAX 2011 - That’s More Like It

  After the crushing disappointment from Bioware during Gamescom earlier this month, MMORPG.com's Mike Bitton was relieved in a B-I-G way with revelations about Star Wars: The Old Republic coming out of PAX. Check out Mike's thoughts about the big news and then leave us a few comments.

  Posted on 08/31/2011 by Michael Bitton

• Story of the Week: Bioware & SWTOR

  The Story of the Week this time 'round isn't really so much a single story as a pair of stories surrounding Star Wars: The Old Republic. Both created a lot of stir and generated a ton of commentary. Read our Story of the Week Feature to see what we're talking about and then add a few comments.

  Posted on 08/27/2011 by Suzie Ford

• Sex & Games & Rolling Dice

  Earlier this week, a video interview with one of Bioware's developers stirred up a veritable poop storm of controversy when it was suggested that Star Wars: The Old Republic would not feature same-sex relationships between players and compantions. In his latest column, MMORPG.com Managing Editor Bill Murphy offers his opinion on the issue. Read on and then weigh in with your (calm, cool & collected) thoughts in the comments.

  Posted on 08/25/2011 by William Murphy

• Gamescom - A Massive Disappointment

  A lot of fans of Star Wars: The Old Republic were primed and ready for exciting news from the development team during last week's Gamescom. But what a difference a week makes. In his latest SWTOR column, MMORPG.com Community Manager Mike Bitton talks about his disappointment with what eventually came out during Gamescom. Read on and then add your comments.

  Posted on 08/24/2011 by Michael Bitton

• The Real Top 10 MMOs of 2012

  It's hard to accurately predict what will be popular in the MMO-space these days. Last week, we took a look at a 2009 piece predicting the success of certain MMOs in 2012 that...ain't gonna make it. In The List today, MMORPG.com Managing Editor dons the swami's hat and prognosticates about 2012 and what he believes will be the real success stories of the year. Read on!

  Posted on 08/23/2011 by William Murphy

• Gamescom Speculation Time!

  With this year's Gamescom in full swing, fans are turning their eyes to any news from the Star Wars: The Old Republic team. After today's EA press conference, even more anticipation has set in. MMORPG.com's Mike Bitton has some speculations to share about what he hopes to hear from Bioware this week. Read on!

  Posted on 08/16/2011 by Michael Bitton

• The Top 10 MMOs of 2012 - Revisited

  Back in 2009, our own Jon Wood took a look at the ten games he thought would be dominating the market in 2012. This week, we take a look at Jon's list and find out whether his predictions are on track or a bust.

  Posted on 08/15/2011 by William Murphy

• The Old Republic Doesn’t Excite Me

  MMORPG.com's Isabelle Parsley has donned her flameproof thong and stands ready for the fire to descend given the title of her latest Player Perspectives column. Check out why Isabelle is less than thrilled about Star Wars: The Old Republic and then weigh in on the conversation in the comments below.

  Posted on 08/12/2011 by Isabelle Parsley

• Playing With Friends

  In many MMOs today, grouping is an optional behavior. Bioware is working to bring the social aspect of grouping back into MMOs with Star Wars: The Old Republic. In today's column, MMORPG.com Community Manager Mike Bitton takes a look at all the reasons that grouping in SWTOR is unlike anything ever seen in MMOs to date. Read on!

  Posted on 08/10/2011 by Michael Bitton

• 'Welfare Epics'

  MMORPG.com Community Manager Michael Bitton discusses the recent revelations regarding Star Wars: The Old Republic's Operation loot distribution in this week's The Old Republic column.

  Posted on 08/03/2011 by Michael Bitton

• San Diego Comic-Con Highlight Reel

  A lot of Star Wars: The Old Republic fans were very happy with the news coming out of last week's San Diego Comic-Con. Some were not, particularly in light of some controversial topics that came up. That said, MMORPG.com Community Manager Mike Bitton has dissected all of the SWTOR news out of Comic-Con and brings you the Star Wars: The Old Republic Comic-Con Highlight Reel. Check it out and then let us know what you think!

  Posted on 07/27/2011 by Michael Bitton

• Do Weapon Restrictions Bug You?

  Do the weapon restriction built into Star Wars: The Old Republic's class design bug you? Well, they sure bug MMORPG.com Community Manager Michael Bitton! Check out what he has to say on the subject and share your thoughts in the comments below.

  Posted on 07/13/2011 by Michael Bitton

• Classic Star Wars Games and TOR

  MMORPG.com Community Manager Mike Bitton is on a quest to rekindle his love for Star Wars games in preparation for the release of Star Wars: The Old Republic. In today's column, Mike takes a look back at three classic Star Wars titles and talks a bit about each. See if your favorite Star Wars game made the list!

  Posted on 07/06/2011 by Michael Bitton

• Do You Really Want a Beta Invite?

  In his latest column devoted to Star Wars: The Old Republic, MMORPG.com Community Manager Mike Bitton wonders how many people truly want into the game's beta. After all, as Mike suggests, a beta is supposed to be work, a way to help the development team ensure that the game soon to be released is actually ready for release. It's not just an "early look". Check out Mike's excellent thoughts and then add a few of your own.

  Posted on 06/29/2011 by Michael Bitton

• E3 2011: What We Now Know

  Now that E3 has closed its doors for another year, MMORPG.com Community Manager Mike Bitton has gleaned all that has now been revealed about Star Wars: The Old Republic and he's got something akin to a 'wrap report' to share with you. Read on and then weigh in with your thoughts.

  Posted on 06/15/2011 by Michael Bitton

• E3 2011: What We Know So Far

  As E3 2011 kicks into high gear, MMORPG.com Community Manager Mike Bitton takes a look at things that have been revealed about Star Wars: The Old Republic over the last week or so. Hopefully, the discussion at E3 will center around some of those topics and help fans gain new insight. Check out Mike's thoughts about SWTOR and E3. Let us know what you think when you're finished.

  Posted on 06/08/2011 by Michael Bitton

• Commando vs Vanguard

  In his latest column devoted to Star Wars: The Old Republic, MMORPG.com Community Manager Mike Bitton utters those iconic boxing words: "Let's get ready to RUUUUUMBLE!" In the red corner, we find the Commando. In the blue corner, the Vanguard. Check out Mike's thoughts about the two classes and then let us know what you think.

  Posted on 06/01/2011 by Michael Bitton

• Lore Outside the Game

  In this week's Star Wars: The Old Republic column, MMORPG.com Community Manager Mike Bitton takes a look at some of the ways the game's lore is being expanded upon. Whether novels, site lore, timelines or web comics, the SWTOR team is determined to give players all the lore they can handle. Mike has thoughts to share about the out of game lore so check it out!

  Posted on 05/25/2011 by Michael Bitton

• Unlimited Powah - The Sith Inquisitor

  In his latest column devoted to Star Wars: The Old Republic, MMORPG.com Community Manager Mike Bitton takes a look at the Sith Inquisitor. As the title implies, this is one bad ass dude. Check out what Mike has to say about the Sith Inquisitor and then leave a comment or two.

  Posted on 05/18/2011 by Michael Bitton

• Immersion Days Coverage Wrap-Up

  During a recent visit to EA's Redwood Shores studio for Star Wars: The Old Republic "Immersion Day", MMORPG.com Community Manager Mike Bitton had the opportunity for interviews, previews, hands on time and a lot more. Mike's got the full recap of all of the articles related to that day in case one slipped by. Check it out!

  Posted on 05/13/2011 by Michael Bitton

• Cautious Optimism and The Old Republic

  In his travels around the 'Net, Lead Writer Bill Murphy has noticed a trend among some to assign "love or hate" titles to the opinions expressed about a few games here at MMORPG.com. Particularly vocal are those who claim that MMORPG.com either loves or hates (depending on which side the writer's on) Rift and Star Wars: The Old Republic. In today's column, Bill takes on that notion and gives his take on The Old Republic and how some misconstrue cautious optimism as 'hate'. Check it out!

  Posted on 05/12/2011 by William Murphy

• More for Explorers - The Codex

  In his latest Star Wars: The Old Republic column, MMORPG.com Community Manager Mike Bitton takes a look at The Codex. Revealed late last week, The Codex is a hybrid of the best features from Bioware's previous titles, Dragon Age and Mass Effect. Check out Mike's thoughts about The Codex and then weigh in with your own in the comments.

  Posted on 05/11/2011 by Michael Bitton

• Datacrons: Love ‘Em or Leave ‘Em?

  In his latest column devoted to Star Wars: The Old Republic, MMORPG.com Community Manager Mike Bitton takes a look at new information revealed about Datacrons. Datacrons are hard to find but exciting discoveries for the Codex lore boost as well as a permanent stat boost. See what else Mike thinks about Datacrons and then let us know your thoughts.

  Posted on 04/20/2011 by Michael Bitton

• Star Wars The Old Republic: Pick a Role, Any Role

  In his latest column about all things Star Wars: The Old Republic, MMORPG.com Community Manager Mike Bitton takes a look at last week's information about Advanced Classes in the game. See what Mike thinks about Advanced Classes and then add a few thoughts of your own in the comments.

  Posted on 04/13/2011 by Michael Bitton

• The Jedi Trooper

  Some Star Wars: The Old Republic controversy began shortly after PAX East when it was revealed that players would be able to put on any 'wearable' armor even if it changes the look as created in the pre-existing lore. MMORPG.com Community Manager Mike Bitton has a few thoughts to share about this issue. Read on!

  Posted on 04/06/2011 by Michael Bitton

• Does Size Matter?

  In a recent discussion on the official Star Wars: The Old Republic forums, the issue of world size came up. In today's SWTOR column, MMORPG.com Community Manager Mike Bitton wonders if the size of a game world really matters...or not. Check out Mike's thoughts and then leave a comment or two with your opinion.

  Posted on 03/30/2011 by Michael Bitton

• Guild Headquarters= Awesome

  Not too long ago, Bioware and the Star Wars: The Old Republic dev teams announced that guilds could pre-register on the official site. This allows guilds to get set up and running as well as gives them the ability to take advantage of cool guild features on the site. MMORPG.com Community Manager Mike Bitton says this is AWESOME! Find out why and then leave us your comments.

  Posted on 03/23/2011 by Michael Bitton

• Flashpoint Thoughts

  During last week's PAX East, new information was revealed about flashpoints in Star Wars: The Old Republic. While MMORPG.com Community Manager Mike Bitton was not able to attend in person, he devoured all available information about flashpoints and has some thoughts to share. Check it out!

  Posted on 03/16/2011 by Michael Bitton

• Top Draws of PAX East 2011

  PAX East is the first major convention on the East coast with many developers of this year's highly anticipated MMOs making an appearance. In The List today, MMORPG.com Lead Writer Bill Murphy talks about the games high on the staff's list of 'must visits' and what they expect (hope?) to find out. Read on!

  Posted on 03/11/2011 by William Murphy

• PAX East Primer

  As PAX East nears, MMORPG.com Community Manager Mike Bitton turns his eye towards Star Wars: The Old Republic and what fans might see during the convention as devs show off the game. Check out what Mike hopes to find out during PAX East then let us know what you hope will be shown in the comments below.

  Posted on 03/09/2011 by Michael Bitton

• Gotta Go Sell

  "OH LOOK! Junk! Let's pick it up!" Every game is filled with it and for some inexplicable reason, players pick up every gray (or useless) item to sell in town for ridiculously low prices. Would that happen in real life? In today's Star Wars: The Old Republic column, MMORPG.com Community Manager Michael Bitton climbs up on his soapbox to discuss the needless tedium associated with selling grays. Check out his thoughts and weigh in with your own in the comments below.

  Posted on 03/02/2011 by Michael Bitton

• Work in Progress

  When a game is as keenly anticipated as Star Wars: The Old Republic, it generates a lot of discussion. Sometimes it seems difficult to remember that the game is, as MMORPG.com Community Manager Mike Bitton says, "a work in progress" and that what seems to be finalized content or a finished feature probably really isn't. It's all about maintaining perspective during development. Check out Mike's latest SWTOR column and leave your impressions in the comments below.

  Posted on 02/23/2011 by Michael Bitton

• Is Romance Important?

  In Bioware's popular RPGs, Mass Effect and Dragon Age, romance plays and integral part in the plot. Romance is big part in the Star Wars films. Now with Star Wars: The Old Republic, MMORPG.com Community Manager Mike Bitton wonders if romance will play a part in the game. Check out his thoughts and then add a few of your own in the comments below.

  Posted on 02/16/2011 by Michael Bitton

• Combat Musings

  Bioware developer Georg Zoeller has been very active on the Star Wars: The Old Republic forums lately with many of his postings centering on combat. In his weekly SWTOR column, MMORPG.com Community Manager Mike Bitton takes some of Zoeller's thoughts about combat and offers our readers a few thoughts. Check out Mike's interpretation of Zoeller's posts and then add a few of your own combat ideas in the comments below.

  Posted on 02/09/2011 by Michael Bitton

• If You Strike Me Down

  It is inevitable that every character will die at some point in a game but it is the mechanic behind death, the penalty behind dying, that overjoys or irks players. In this week's Star Wars: The Old Republic column, MMORPG.com Community Manager Michael Bitton discusses the game's death penalty and why the devs chose the system they are creating. Check out Mike's thoughts and then give us a few of your own in the comments.

  Posted on 02/02/2011 by Michael Bitton

• The Treaty of Coruscant

  For some players, the lore, or the story, behind a game is crucial to their enjoyment. Creative minds work quite hard to make sure the lore is entertaining and, in the case of Star Wars: The Old Republic, symbiotic with existing background lore. Check out MMORPG.com Community Manager Mike Bitton's thoughts about a recent discussion on the SWTOR forums about the Treaty of Coruscant. Be sure to let us know what you think in the comments below.

  Posted on 01/26/2011 by Michael Bitton

• The Quiz: SWTOR Edition

  Think you know Star Wars: The Old Republic? If so, you'll want to test your mettle against The Drew Wood Quiz Power Hour and his tough questions about SWTOR. Take The Quiz and let us know how you did in the comments below.

  Posted on 01/19/2011 by Drew Wood

• Speaking Up

  Updates to favorite games in development are things that keep communities active and alive. When the news gets thin, the community gets restless. In his latest column about Star Wars: The Old Republic, MMORPG.com Community Manager Michael Bitton takes a look at SWTOR's efforts and just why keeping quieter than expected might be a good thing. Check it out and then let us know your thoughts below in the comments section.

  Posted on 01/19/2011 by Michael Bitton

• Are Mounts Important?

  Mounts are one of the core features in most MMOs on the market today and are the subject of MMORPG.com Community Manager Michael Bitton's latest Star Wars: The Old Republic column. While Bioware has indicated that basic MMO features will be included SWTOR, not much has been said about mounts. Check out Mike's ideas about SWTOR mounts and then weigh in with your own opinion in the comments below.

  Posted on 01/12/2011 by Michael Bitton

• The Republic Trooper

  In his latest Star Wars: The Old Republic column, MMORPG.com Community Manager Michael Bitton takes a look at the Republic Trooper. While announced early on, the Bioware dev team recently expanded the available information about the Trooper. Mike takes a look at the new information and offers a few thoughts. Read on and then be sure to leave us a comment or two below.

  Posted on 01/05/2011 by Michael Bitton

• Prognostications for 2011

  It's that time of year, the time when things wind down for the preceding twelve months, the time of reflection and the time for looking ahead to the coming year. In his latest MMORPG.com column, Bill Murphy prognosticates about 2011. Check out his thoughts and then add a few of your own in the comments section below.

  Posted on 12/30/2010 by William Murphy

• The Year In Review

  In this week's Star Wars: The Old Republic column, MMORPG.com Community Manager Michael Bitton runs down all of the major news stories related to SWTOR in 2010. Make sure you haven't missed anything of great import by checking out Mike's article. Be sure to leave a comment or two below.

  Posted on 12/29/2010 by Michael Bitton

• Community Q&A Thoughts

  Last week, the dev team for Star Wars: The Old Republic produced a short Community Q&A that raised several intriguing questions for MMORPG.com Community Manager Michael Bitton. Check out Mike's thoughts and then leave us a comment or two below.

  Posted on 12/22/2010 by Michael Bitton

• Wearing Your Heart on Your Face

  In his latest column about Star Wars: The Old Republic, MMORPG.com Community Manager Michael Bitton has a few words to say about a recent thread on our SWTOR forum where the discussion centered around one's face reflecting one's alignment. Check it out and comment below!

  Posted on 12/15/2010 by Michael Bitton

• This Weapon is Your Life

  In his latest Star Wars: The Old Republic column, MMORPG.com Community Manager Michael Bitton gives readers a bit of history behind the importance of the lightsaber, both to individuals and to the overall lore behind the game. In addition, Mike ponders how the acquisition of lightsabers will be accomplished. Check out Mike's thoughts and then add your own to the mix in our comments section.

  Posted on 12/08/2010 by Michael Bitton

• Sith Not-So Pureblood

  In his latest Star Wars: The Old Republic column, MMORPG.com Community Manager Michael Bitton takes a look at the Sith Pureblood playable race. Mike delves into Sith history to determine why it is that the race despises the Jedi so much and whether or not a 'pureblood' is precisely that. Check it out and then join the discussion below.

  Posted on 12/01/2010 by Michael Bitton

• Community Q&A Thoughts

  In his latest Star Wars: The Old Republic column, MMORPG.com Community Manager Michael Bitton takes a look at last Friday's community Q&A and the information that the Bioware development team revealed. Mike found a lot of great tidbits that he's excited to discuss so keep reading! Be sure to leave us a comment when you're done.

  Posted on 11/24/2010 by Michael Bitton

• Crew Skills: Impressive, Most Impressive

  In his latest column about Star Wars: The Old Republic, MMORPG.com Community Manager Michael Bitton takes a look at the recently detailed crew skills and crafting. As the title says, Mike is most impressed by what he's learned and has a few thoughts to share about it. Check out Mike's column then leave us your comments below.

  Posted on 11/17/2010 by Michael Bitton

• Warzone Thoughts

  In his latest column covering all things Star Wars: The Old Republic, MMORPG.com Community Manager Michael Bitton takes a look at last week's news about Warzones. Mike admits to being pleasantly surprised by what the Bioware team showed off with regard to Warzones and he's got a few thoughts about what it all means. Read Mike's thoughts, then head over to the forums to have your say.

  Posted on 11/10/2010 by Michael Bitton

• Intel on the Imperial Agent

  In his latest look at Star Wars: The Old Republic, MMORPG.com's Community Manager, Michael Bitton, checks out the new information recently revealed about the Imperial Agent and its advanced classes, companion, ship and the Chiss playable race. Mike has a lot to say about the Chiss playable race for Imperial Agents so head on in to read it, then let us know what you think on our forums.

  Posted on 11/03/2010 by Michael Bitton

• Two Years and Counting

  In his latest column regarding Star Wars: The Old Republic, MMORPG.com Community Manager Michael Bitton talks about the game's two year journey to where it is today. The official site debuted almost exactly two years ago and Mike questions whether or not Bioware and LucasArts tipped their developmental hands a bit too early. Check out Mike's thoughts and then tell us what you think.

  Posted on 10/27/2010 by Michael Bitton

• Things SWTOR Isn't

  In his latest MMORPG.com column, Managing Editor Jon Wood takes a look at the Internet's perception of Star Wars: The Old Republic. There is a lot of hype, speculation and misinformation floating around the 'Net these days and Jon takes those things and the people who post them to task. Find out which issues Jon has a bone to pick with and then let us know your thoughts on the forums.

  Posted on 10/21/2010 by Jon Wood

• The Legacy System: Journey vs. Destination

  In this week's Star Wars: The Old Republic column, MMORPG.com Community Manager Michael Bitton discusses the buzzing of the SW:TOR community over the game's oft-rumored about Legacy System.

  Posted on 10/20/2010 by Michael Bitton

• Daniel Erickson’s Quest Breakdown

  In this week's Star Wars: The Old Republic column, MMORPG.com Community Manager Michael Bitton takes a look at information revealed recently by Lead Principle Writer Daniel Erickson. Erickson spoke about the game's quest content breakdown. See what Mike thinks of the information posted on the SWTOR forums and then let us know what you think on our forums.

  Posted on 10/13/2010 by Michael Bitton

• What's Your (Advanced) Class?

  In his latest Star Wars: The Old Republic column, MMORPG.com Community Manager Michael Bitton takes a look at the Smuggler class and its two Advanced Classes. The Smuggler was recently and prominently featured on the official site, using it as an example of how the Advanced Class system will work in SWTOR. Mike breaks down the information revealed in that revelation and offers thoughts about what it all means. Check it out!

  Posted on 10/06/2010 by Michael Bitton

• Never Tell Me The Odds!

  In his latest column covering Star Wars: The Old Republic, MMORPG.com Community Manager Michael Bitton takes a closer look at the Smuggler class. The Smuggler recently received some attention on the official SWTOR site with more information revealed about advanced classes, available ships for flight, companions and more. See what Mike thinks about the new information and then join in the discussion!

  Posted on 09/29/2010 by Michael Bitton

• I, Jedi

  In his latest Star Wars: The Old Republic column, MMORPG.com Community Manager Michael Bitton takes a look at probably the most recognizable character archetype from the game: The Jedi. While acknowledging some reservations about the overarching story, Mike figures that the Jedi adventure just might make the whole game worthwhile. Find out why in Mike's latest look at Star Was: The Old Republic.

  Posted on 09/22/2010 by Michael Bitton

• The Story Problem

  In his latest Star Wars: The Old Republic column, MMORPG.com Community Manager Michael Bitton expresses some concerns about the game's story. Bioware is known as THE storytelling game maker and Mike wonders whether the ambitious story for SWTOR will diminish the overall player experience. Read Mike's thoughts and then add your own on our forums!

  Posted on 09/15/2010 by Michael Bitton

• More F2P for the West?

  With the conversion of three of popular western titles (DDO, Everquest 2 and Lord of the Rings Online), Richard Aihoshi wonders in this week's Free Zone column whether or not more 'western' development companies will start to develop free to play games from the outset. See what Richard thinks and then add your thoughts on the forums!

  Posted on 09/13/2010 by Richard Aihoshi

• PAX Prime 2010 Wrap-Up

  In his latest Star Wars: The Old Republic article, MMORPG.com Community Manager Michael Bitton has taken all of the information from last week's PAX and synthesized it into a readable one-stop-source for all thing SWTOR. Find out what exactly was revealed at PAX and what Mike thinks. Be sure to swing by the forums to add your thoughts to the mix as well!

  Posted on 09/08/2010 by Michael Bitton

• KOTOR in The Old Republic

  In this week's column about Star Wars: The Old Republic, MMORPG.com Community Manager reveals a dirty little secret: He loved Knights of the Old Republic II. He liked the first KOTRO enough but two was -it- for him. Mike spends time in this column considering what aspects of the KOTRO series could be effectively brought into play in Star Wars: The Old Republic. See what he thinks then add your own ideas to the mix.

  Posted on 09/01/2010 by Michael Bitton

• Five Things PAX Should Show Us

  As the MMORPG.com team readies itself to head off to PAX, columnist Bill Murphy has a few ideas about what we all should learn from our favorite game developers during the conference. See if you agree with Bill and add any other thoughts you might have on our forums!

  Posted on 08/31/2010 by William Murphy

• Great Expectations

  MMORPG.com Community Manager Michael Bitton continues his look at Star Wars: The Old Republic. In this week's column, Mike discusses expectations and the effect that recent announcements from Bioware have had on those expectations. Find out what Mike dreams about for SWTOR, the current state of those dreams based on new information and then add your own thoughts to the discussion on our forums.

  Posted on 08/18/2010 by Michael Bitton

• Space Combat Cont'd: On Rails Edition!

  MMORPG.com Community Manager Michael Bitton has another fascinating article about space combat in Star Wars: The Old Republic. Last week, Mike expressed concern over Bioware's statement that space combat would be an "alternative gameplay experience". But what a difference a week makes. Find out if Mike still has worries about space combat...or not.

  Posted on 08/11/2010 by Michael Bitton

• Space Combat

  After Bioware's announcement that Star Wars: The Old Republic would feature space combat, forum buzz across the 'Net began. Some wondered if space combat meant mini-games. Others opined that it meant fully-featured immersive combat that would enhance and complement the ground game. This week, MMORPG.com's Mike Bitton takes on the issue of space combat, discussing his hopes and concerns.

  Posted on 08/04/2010 by Michael Bitton

• Five Reasons to Avoid Beta

  In this week's The List, MMORPG.com columnist Bill Murphy takes on beta testing and gives five compelling reasons why folks should avoid it like the plague. Agree or disagree, Bill's column is sure to start an excellent conversation.

  Posted on 07/20/2010 by William Murphy

• The Butterfly Effect

  In the news slow week before E3, MMORPG.com Star Wars: The Old Republic columnist Eric Barnett sets his mind to wandering about what might happen if Bioware were to take two routes that seem to be popular among developers recently: moving to a Free 2 Play model and ignoring the IP's niche in favor of a larger audience.

  Posted on 06/09/2010 by Eric Barnett

• Sith Warriors, Clone Wars and Companions, Oh My!

  MMORPG.com Star Wars: The Old Republic columnist Eric Barnett recaps this past week's news about the game.

  Posted on 06/02/2010 by Eric Barnett

• Night School for Advanced Classes

  MMORPG.com Star Wars: The Old Republic columnist Eric Barnett writes this look at the recently announced advanced classes for the upcoming game and talks about how their advent opens up a new world of playable possibilities.

  Posted on 05/19/2010 by Eric Barnett

• Opiate for the Masses

  MMORPG.com Star Wars: The Old Republic Columnist Eric Barnett returns this week with a look at the lore and other small tidbits of information being leaked out of the Bioware studios surrounding the development of their highly anticipated MMO.

  Posted on 05/12/2010 by Eric Barnett

• Top 10 Games of 2012

  Jon breaks out his crystal ball and peers three years down the road. Which 10 games will dominate the market then?

  Posted on 08/11/2009 by Jon Wood