You have to wonder. Some have to wildly hope. But the announcement that Lucas Arts and game developer BioWare arecollaborating on an interactive game product has made people suspect that a Star Wars online roleplaying game might be in the works. There’s even precedence of a sort. The two companieshave worked together before, creating the game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic in 2003. Unsurprisingly, neither company is saying exactly what they’ll be working on –what’s life without a tease and some anticipation, after all? – but there’s plenty of speculation that it will be associated with Star Wars, and the tantalizing idea of amultiplayer online game has fans salivating, especially as a press release about the venture promises something “to push the boundaries of the gaming market.” “LucasArts hasa deep commitment to developing compelling stories and characters for the unique medium of interactive entertainment, and we have been searching for a developer that shares this value. We found thisin BioWare," said Jim Ward, president of LucasArts. "Through our previous collaborations, we know that BioWare has an impressive ability to blend gripping stories with technologicaladvancements, and we believe that our upcoming product will deliver an experience that will span the traditional boundaries of video game entertainment." And BioWare said nothing todampen the flames of gossip. “BioWare’s mission is to deliver the best story and character-driven games in the world, delivering powerful emotional experiences to our fans." saidRay Muzyka, chief executive officer, BioWare Corp. Added Greg Zeschuk, president of BioWare Corp., "The collaboration with LucasArts allows us to combine our passion for creating high qualityand innovative experiences with those of a company dedicated to bringing only the finest games to market." No release date for the final product was announced, but it’s hoped thatthe force will be with them.
Tag Archive: Jim Ward
Lucasfilm Goes Back to Star Wars 1.0
In spite of strong statements from creator George Lucas that 2004’s digitally remastered, restored, and enhanced versions of his original Star Wars triology were the definitive versions of his films, Fox and Lucasfilm have announced they will release new two-disc DVD sets that will include the original versions of Star Wars,The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi as they were originally shown in theaters when released in 1977, 1980, and 1983, respectively, along with the remastered “definitive” version. The movies will be priced at $30 each and will go on sale September 12, 2006, and be available only until December 31, 2006.
‘Star Wars Galaxies Enters Japanese Market
Under this agreement, the parties will begin offering the MMORPG in Japan, starting with the launch of the first expansion, Star Wars Galaxies: Jump to Lightspeed.
Developed and operated by Sony Online Entertainment (SOE), Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided launched in June 2003 in North America and quickly became the fastest growing online RPG with over 500,000 registered users to date. Star Wars Galaxies: Jump to Lightspeed is the highly anticipated first expansion, slated for release in late October in the United States. In Japan, a fully localized Japanese version is planned to be shipped in December, together with the original product: Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided.
Star Wars Trilogy To Be Released On DVD
All of the unforgettable heroism, villainy and epic adventure of George Lucas’s STAR WARS trilogy comes to the ultimate home-entertainment format for the very first time around the world this September from Lucasfilm Ltd. and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, ending the wait for the most-anticipated DVD release ever.
The four-disc collection will be released on Sept. 21 in the U.S. and Canada, with international release dates following closely. “We know how long fans have waited for this release and how much they have been looking forward to it, so everyone has been working overtime to make sure that the STAR WARS TRILOGY on DVD is an awesome experience,” said Jim Ward, Vice President of Marketing and Distribution for Lucasfilm Ltd. and the DVD collection’s Executive Producer.
