14 DAY TRIAL // We all know that BioWare, now part of the mighty Electronic Arts empire, is working on a Star Wars themed MMO that is shaping up to be quite an experience. Initial reports are saying that the game will be fully voiced, a first for the genre, moral consequences will be central to the game, each class will offer the same amount of content as one full-fledged role playing experience from BioWare.
Given all of the above, everybody thought that Sony and its Star Wars Galaxies would become history once The Old Republic was launched. But an inside source at Sony Online Entertainment is saying otherwise, talking about how the company is developing a new Star Wars MMO aimed at more casual players.
The source talked to Ten Ton Hammer, a specialized MMO site, at PAX and it seems that the development is in the beginning stages. The engine used is said to be that powering Free Realms, a free to play MMO, a big hit for Sony. It is set to cover the period of the Clone Wars, which is already depicted in an ongoing animation series.
Apparently, the game will also use the same stylized look and the overall gameplay mechanics will be calibrated so that younger players who are into the animation and more mature players who do not have the time to invest in The Old Republic will be drawn to it. It would also be good for Sony to make this rumored MMO free to play and seek revenue through micro transaction, like it does in Free Realms.
Of course, the company would not comment in any way on the rumor but it all makes commercial sense. A Sony Star Wars casual MMO would not compete with The Old Republic from BioWare and would probably manage to attract a big audience that can generate quite a bit of revenue.