Press Releases
BioWare Announces First Digital Expansion: Rise of the Hutt Cartel - is now Live in Star Wars: The Old Republic
Digital Expansion Adds New Story Content and Increases Level Cap to 55 in the Award-Winning MMO from BioWare and LucasArts.
AUSTIN, Texas – Apr. 14, 2013 – The Hutt Cartel is making a huge play to become the next galactic superpower and only the Republic or the Empire can stop their rise! BioWare™, a studio of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA), and LucasArts announced today that the first digital expansion for Star Wars: The Old Republic, Rise of the Hutt Cartel, is now available for players worldwide. Available for $19.99 (USD), or at half price for current Subscribers ($9.99 USD), players can extend their personal Star Wars™ saga, with exciting new playable missions, new features and a striking new planet, Makeb. Playing through Rise of the Hutt Cartel will raise the game’s level cap to 55, and allow players to access a host of new higher level group content in the recently released Game Update 2.0: Scum and Villainy.
“We’ve worked so hard over the last year to ensure we were listening to player feedback and acting on it. This month we’re not only adding hours of new story-driven content and features with Rise of the Hutt Cartel, but we are also adding depth and content to the end game with our latest Game Update 2.0: Scum and Villainy,” said Jeff Hickman, Executive Producer of Star Wars: The Old Republic. “All of this new content, combined with a much larger, more active and engaged community since the addition of the Free-to-Play option last year, makes this the best time to join or return to The Old Republic™!”
In Rise of the Hutt Cartel, players will explore a new storyline on the beautiful and vibrant new planet of Makeb. Here players will continue their faction storylines as they fight against a nefarious new threat, the Hutt Cartel, attempting a take-over of the planet and all its resources. As players progress through the new levels they will earn new gear and abilities along with access to new Elder Game content. As part of the experience, players will also be able to acquire new technological gear including Macrobinoculars and Seeker Droids, which take players on galaxy-spanning new missions to unlock valuable rewards.
Star Wars: The Old Republic is set thousands of years before the classic Star Wars movies. Players are immersed as they team up with friends online to fight in heroic battles reminiscent of the films, exploring a galaxy of vibrant planets, experiencing visceral Star Wars combat, all set to a sweeping musical score. Now, players can experience the complete storylines of the eight iconic Star Wars classes, all the way to Level 50 without having to pay a monthly fee. The new Free-to-Play option complements the existing subscription offering, providing greater flexibility in how to experience Star Wars: The Old Republic.
About Lucas Arts
Founded in 1982 by filmmaker George Lucas, LucasArts is a leading publisher and developer of interactive entertainment. With development facilities in San Francisco and Singapore, LucasArts leverages the global skills, technology and resources of the Lucasfilm family of companies -- including visual effects leader Industrial Light & Magic, Lucasfilm Animation and Skywalker Sound -- in addition to strategic partnerships with best-in-class external partners, to further the boundaries of game development. LucasArts is dedicated to delivering deeply immersive, visually spectacular and engaging experiences that inspire and amaze generations.
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company delivers games, content and online services for Internet-connected consoles, personal computers, mobile phones, tablets and social networks. EA has more than 220 million registered players and operates in 75 countries.
In fiscal 2012, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $4.1 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for critically acclaimed, high-quality blockbuster franchises such as The Sims™, Madden NFL, FIFA Soccer, Need for Speed™, Battlefield, and Mass Effect™. More information about EA is available at http://info.ea.com.
EA, BioWare, The Sims, and Need for Speed are trademarks of EA Inc. Battlefield is a trademark of EA Digital Illusions CE AB. BioWare Mass Effect, Jade Empire and Dragon Age are trademarks of EA International (Studio and Publishing) Ltd. Madden, NFL and FIFA are trademarks of their respective owners and used with permission.