Bioware, the long-time developer of the popular Star Wars: The Old Republic massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), has announced a major shift in their development of the game. The game, released in 2011, was the first full-scale MMORPG set in the popular Star Wars universe. However, Bioware has now revealed that they will be transitioning from the development of The Old Republic to a new studio within their parent company, EA, called Broadsword.
Broadsword, under the leadership of programmer Ian Frazier, has been busy developing an entirely new game engine for the game that is compatible with the new engine architecture set forth by the game’s publisher, Electronic Arts. This new engine, which is said to be heavily based on Unreal Engine 4, promises to bring a number of improvements to both the game’s visuals and performance, such as more detailed 3D models, higher frame rates, improved textures and real-time shadows. The new engine is expected to support the game well into the future.
Bioware isn’t abandoning the game altogether, however. They will still be taking the helm of the game’s general operations and live service, including updates, patches and the implementation of major new content drops.
The Old Republic will continue to receive support from both Broadsword and Bioware, and it’s expected that this new arrangement will deliver a much smoother gaming experience for players. The game has already seen a significant increase in players with the release of new content drops, expansions and updates, and this new partnership is expected to keep the game at the forefront of the MMORPG market.
