During the keynote address at the Eurogamer Expo, BioWare co-founders Dr. Ray Muzyka and Dr. Greg Zeschuk announced that Star Wars: The Old Republic will launch in North America on December 20, 2011 and in Europe on December 22, 2011. Set thousands of years before the rise of the most notorious villain in the Star Wars universe (Darth Vader), Star Wars: The Old Republic is a massively multiplayer online game that promises epic quests, dynamic combat across familiar worlds in the Star Wars galaxy (Tatooine, Alderaan, Hoth and more) and eight primary classes to choose from,

"In 1977, Lucasfilm created magic with the release of Star Wars. Our goal is to capture some of that magic when we go live with Star Wars: The Old Republic on December 20," said Dr. Ray Muzyka, Co-Founder, BioWare and General Manager, BioWare Label. "This is an incredible moment for everyone at BioWare and our partners at LucasArts who have dedicated so much of their lives to building this extraordinary game."

Added Dr. Greg Zeschuk, Co-Founder, BioWare and General Manager of the MMO Business Unit of BioWare, "We appreciate the patience of the millions of fans who have been waiting for the game's release. When we launch this groundbreaking MMO with world class storytelling this holiday season, we hope you will agree that it was worth the wait."

Star Wars: The Old Republic is available for pre-order now at participating retailers while supplies last. All players who pre-order will receive a redemption code that will unlock Early Game Access, granting them access to the game before December 20, 2011 in North America and before December 22, 2011 in Europe. Pre-order quantities are limited and Early Game Access will only be available to those who pre-order the game and redeem their code before the game's official release. Included with the purchase of every copy of Star Wars: The Old Republic is 30 days of access to the game, after which players can continue to play through subscribing*** at either $14.99 per month, $41.97 for 3 months ($13.99 per month), or $77.94 for six months ($12.99 per month).