This announcement is almost redundant at this point since we’ve had so much confirmation from Star Wars The Old Republic developers already, but here it is anyway: Yes, SWTOR is officially moving from the EA-owned BioWare to the EA-backed Broadsword studio, with 40 of its developers in tow.
“[W]hile EA will remain SWTOR’s publisher, development of the game will move to our partner and friends at Broadsword, a boutique studio with expertise in managing online games,” BioWare GM Gary McKay says in his letter today. “Both the Broadsword studio and SWTOR team members will be joining forces and working tirelessly to support “every player, every day,” ensuring that these worlds and these communities continue to thrive and grow. Their Founder and President, Rob Denton, even has direct experience with SWTOR, having helped lead the team during the development and launch of the game during his time at EA.”
As previously noted, the studio will remain remote, and SWTOR devs not making the transition to Broadsword will apparently be moved to “new roles within EA.”
SWTOR boss Keith Kanneg, who’s addressed the community on the topic already, also includes a message about the future of the game under Broadsword, a studio that already operates two of EA’s older MMOs, Ultima Online and Dark Age of Camelot.
“Even after almost 12 years, I see so much room for growth and so much potential in SWTOR. I know decisions that impact our people are the hardest part of change and evolution, but I believe Broadsword is the right studio to continue to enhance and modernize our game—and also expand the number of people who can play it. […] We are excited about the future of SWTOR, and once we get our feet firmly planted at Broadsword, we look forward to sharing plans for game direction and improvements. Until then, rest assured that all the current plans are still in motion!”
By “current plans,” he means the 7.3.1 and 7.4 updates on deck, in addition to “even more on the horizon.”
Almost 12 years after launch, BioWare is handing the development of Star Wars: The Old Republic to Broadsword, who will continue to grow and evolve the game.https://t.co/itHPMQhdS8#SWTOR pic.twitter.com/zADKhxGtVM
— BioWare (@bioware) June 27, 2023
