Kotaku reports that today’s Star Wars Galaxies update adds Hoth battles.  From Kotaku:

Star Wars Galaxies players are are getting some hot snowspeeder versus AT-ST combat with Chapter 11: The Battle of Echo Base. Live today, the update adds what is essentially a giant battleground, with players on both sides of the Galactic Civil War taking on quests to help their side triumph, with the Empire on assault and the Rebel Alliance on run like hell duty. Of course no Hoth battle would be the same without giant walking vehicles being tripped by small flying vehicles. Groups of up to 8 players will be able to hop into the cockpits of Imperial walker or Rebel snowspeeders and do what comes natural. Hope they packed plenty of tow line.

Hit the link above to read the rest of the article, see press release, and view some screenshots.

Source: Kotaku

StarWars.com has just published the second episode of the HoloNet News!  The episode comes a month and a half after the first one, and discusses the pirate attacks on Rodian supply lanes.

There are many ways to get the HoloNet News.  You can:

• Download directly from StarWars.com and/or see episode details
• Subscribe to the RSS feed
• Subscribe to the podcast in Zune
• Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

One thing I noticed was the URL for the episode details on StarWars.com.  Interestingly, it ends in “hnn/003.html.”  Since the first episode was “hnn/001.html,” does this mean there is a ‘lost’ episode?  Changing the three to a two only gives you a Page Not Found error.  Very interesting…

Source: StarWars.com

One of the features in the New Xbox Experience (NXE), the brand-new redesign for the Xbox 360, is the ability to install games to the hard drive.  This optional feature allows you to speed up load times and decrease the wear on your game discs and optical drive.  The game disc is still required to be in the console for verification purposes, but once the game is installed, it plays off the hard drive instead.

How does this relate to Star Wars?  The Force Unleashed, while a great game, has very long and annoying load times.  Even supposedly simple things like opening up a menu to change your lightsaber color or costume can take a while.  But with the ability to install the game to the hard drive, loading times are decreased by at least half!  (As far as I can tell.)  It makes The Force Unleashed a much “faster” game.  Now, my one annoyance with the game, is gone!

If you have an Xbox 360 console, the New Xbox Experience (it is a free update), Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, and 6.6 GB of free hard drive space, I recommend you try installing the game to your hard drive.  Trust me, it’s worth it!

Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Robot Chicken Star Wars Episode II are now available for download on the Xbox LIVE Video Marketplace!  You can rent Star Wars: The Clone Wars in HD or SD for 480 MSP ($6) and 320 MSP ($4), respectively, or buy Robot Chicken Star Wars Episode II in standard-definition for 240 MSP ($3). 

If you have the New Xbox Experience, which was released earlier this morning, you can use Xbox.com to purchase and queue up the videos for download the next time you turn on your console!  Click on the links above to head on over to Xbox.com’s new Marketplace!

If you don’t have access to a Blu-ray player, but you own an Xbox 360, this is a great way to see The Clone Wars movie in HD!

Source: Xbox LIVE Marketplace

Robot Chicken Star Wars Episode II came out on Sunday.  But if you want to see a great behind the scenes video, you can check out Inside Xbox on your Xbox 360.  The video talks about how they wanted to be a little more “focused” with the sequel, and about how great Billy Dee Williams was to work with.

As a side note, if you turn on your Xbox 360 after tomorrow, you will be greeted with a brand new interface, dubbed the “New Xbox Experience!”  Inside Xbox will now be located on it’s own channel, instead of on the Xbox LIVE blade like it currently is.

Source: Inside Xbox

Well, it’s actually one of Blu-ray’s ten hopes, according to TechRadar.  Blu-ray still hasn’t taken over DVD yet, and some people don’t think it is selling as well as it should.  That’s why TechRadar has released a list of the ten movie releases that could save Blu-ray.

9. Star Wars

Yes, you bought the remastered DVD release. You probably coughed up for the original version of the trilogy in disc form. And you may even have paid out for Episodes I-III. But even in these credit-crunching times the idea of The Star Wars Trilogy on Blu-ray is an enticing one.

There’s been no word about Lucas’ plans for Blu-ray, but as the Clone Wars BD is soon to be released on the format, it’s definitely more ‘when’, rather than ‘if’.

If you want to hear what a John Williams THX score would sound like on Blu-ray, then the latest Indiana Jones Blu-ray release has been given the THX seal of approval.

Release date: TBA

For the full list and the reasons why they think each one could save Blu-ray, click here.

Source: TechRadar

In a recent interview about their new World of Warcraft expansion, developer Blizzard revealed that they see potential in Star Wars: The Old Republic.  This is pretty good, considering they are the developers of the largest MMO in world, with over 11 million subscribers.

"They have as good a chance as anybody. I wouldn’t bet against them, that’s for sure," Sams [Blizzard’s COO] confessed to Eurogamer, adding, "They are an excellent company and they’re utilizing a well-known franchise as the backbone for that game. I think the combination of those two things bodes well for them, just because not everybody can say [that]."

You can read the entire article over at 1UP.com

Source: 1UP

StarWars.com has put up a neat article with fun facts from the new Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Jedi Alliance game for the Nintendo DS.  You can find the article here.

Source: StarWars.com

Now available on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace and the PlayStation Network is the first Character Pack for Star Wars: The Force Unleashed!  It is 400MSP on the Xbox 360, and $4.99 on the PlayStation 3.

The pack includes: Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke Skywalker, Imperial Commando, Darth Sion, Ki-Adi-Mundi and Kit Fisto. Also you’ll get 3 all new Secret Apprentice costumes including Hooded Combat Gear, General Starkiller and Sith Assassin.

Every three months, the NPD Group puts out a list of the top games worldwide for the previous three months.  On the July 2008 through September 2008 list, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed placed at #3.  This is impressive considering the fact that The Force Unleashed was only available for 15 days in September!

Source: Kotaku