The Press Release from Sony Online Entertainment:

LUCASARTS AND SONY ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT LAUNCH THE STAR WARS GALAXIES™ ONLINE TRADING CARD GAME

The First Release of the Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game, “Champions of the Force” Now Available

AUGUST 27, SAN FRANCISCO – LucasArts and Sony Online Entertainment announced today the launch of the Star Wars Galaxies™ Trading Card Game and its first release: Champions of the Force.

Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game: Champions of the Force marks the first ever Star Wars® trading card game offered exclusively online. Available to both current and former Star Wars Galaxies subscribers*, the Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game provides players an entirely new gameplay experience by combining the challenge of a trading card game with the adventures and community of the massively multiplayer game. For the first time online, players can:

-Choose between the light and dark sides of the Force and build their own Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game decks to fight virtual matches for the Rebel, Imperial, Jedi or Sith;
-Enhance their digital card decks with 15-card Booster Packs;
-Find more than 20 “loot” cards in the first release, Champions of the Force, that can be redeemed for fantastic virtual items for use within the Star Wars Galaxies massively multiplayer game for players with a Star Wars Galaxies account*;
-Challenge their skills in story-based solo-play or against other Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game players in epic one-on-one matches, cooperative Heroic Encounters, and official tournaments.

In addition, all Star Wars Galaxies subscribers with current, valid, paid accounts in good standing are eligible to automatically receive five digital trading card Booster Packs each month included with their paid Star Wars Galaxies subscription at no additional cost, providing a simple way for them to quickly and easily build their decks.

More than 250 unique virtual cards are available for players to collect in the Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game, all of which feature beautifully detailed original Star Wars­ artwork depicting scenes from the story-based solo mode. In the story mode, players will battle through ten scenarios that revolve around an ancient Jedi holocron, the Codex of Tython, which players must work to reassemble and ultimately use against their enemies.

Anyone wishing to try the Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game: Champions of the Force can do so at no charge through a downloadable trial that includes limited access to a tutorial and practice games with a provided virtual Starter card deck.

The Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game: Champions of the Force may be also be accessed from inside Star Wars Galaxies, including trial participants while taking advantage of the Star Wars Galaxies 14-Day Trial. This trial, offered at no charge for up to two consecutive weeks, also includes all the content of the base game, Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided™ and its first expansion, Star Wars Galaxies: Jump to Lightspeed™. Available by download from www.StarWarsGalaxies.com, the 14-Day Trial gives players a chance to meet and fight with or against their favorite Star Wars characters as they explore this massive online universe filled with thousands of other Star Wars fans.

As a bonus for trying the Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game: Champions of the Force, players are eligible to receive a loot card that can be redeemed in Star Wars Galaxies for the choice of either a Rebel or Imperial flight suit*. Plus, becoming an active, current, paying Star Wars Galaxies subscriber, after trying the Trading Card Game, offers additional benefits including:

-One Starter Deck of their choice: Jedi, Rebel, Imperial or Sith;
-A Cybernetic Experience Chip, which gives a 20% experience point increase that can be used up to 50 times in Star Wars Galaxies when redeemed*;
-The complete third expansion, Star Wars Galaxies: Rage of the Wookiees™.

All current and former* Star Wars Galaxies subscribers with valid accounts in good standing are able to access and play the Star Wars Galaxies™ Trading Card Game and will be able to purchase additional booster packs and starter decks through Sony Online Entertainment’s Station Store at www.store.station.sony.com. As a thank you to players who make their first purchase of at least $9.99 of Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game products through the Station Store, they are also eligible to receive a one time bonus loot card, Han’s Hydrospanner, which gives a 20% increase on all experience points earned for one hour when redeemed in the Star Wars Galaxies MMO*. If the Star Wars Galaxies subscriber wants to redeem this loot card for a character that has already reached level 90, this loot card will grant the character one random collection item instead.

More information about the Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game and its first release, Champions of the Force, along with the game’s trial can be found at www.StarWarsGalaxies.com/tradingcardgame.

About Star Wars Galaxies
Star Wars Galaxies, developed and published by LucasArts and Sony Online Entertainment, is one of the longest-running and most popular online experiences, bringing gamers of all ages and skill levels together in the ultimate Star Wars® journey. Begin aboard the Millennium Falcon helping Han Solo and Chewbacca fend off the notorious Darth Vader. Along the way, join with Star Wars characters on missions that span the galaxy. Ally with the Rebels to fight against the Galactic Empire, or join forces with the dark side and crush the Rebel scum. Heroic adventurers can seek their fortune in space or on the ground as a bounty hunter, smuggler, Jedi or a host of other unique Star Wars professions.

About LucasArts
LucasArts, a Lucasfilm Ltd. company, is a leading developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software worldwide for video game console systems, computers and the Internet. Based in San Francisco, Calif., as well as on the Internet at www.lucasarts.com, LucasArts was created in 1982 by George Lucas to provide an interactive element to his vision of a state-of-the-art, multifaceted entertainment company.

About Sony Online Entertainment
Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) is a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games, with hundreds of thousands of subscribers around the globe. SOE creates, develops and provides compelling entertainment for the personal computer, online, game console and wireless markets. Known for its blockbuster franchises and hit titles including EverQuest®, EverQuest® II, Champions of Norrath®, Untold Legends™, and PlanetSide®, as well as for developing Star Wars Galaxies, SOE continues to redefine the business of online gaming and the creation of active player communities while introducing new genres on various entertainment platforms. Headquartered in San Diego, CA, with additional development studios in Austin, TX, Seattle, WA, Denver, CO, and Taiwan, SOE has an array of cutting-edge games in development.

*Active or former Star Wars Galaxies or Station Access™ subscription required. Former Star Wars Galaxies or Station Access subscribers with accounts in good standing are also able to access and play the Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game. Star Wars Galaxies or Station Access accounts no longer in good standing may result in inability to play, use or access Star Wars Galaxies trading cards. Booster packs, starter packs, loot or promotional cards received as part of a promotion or included at no additional cost with valid, current, paid Star Wars Galaxies subscription are non-transferable and non-tradeable. Redeemed items are non-transferable and non-tradeable; may be limited to one per account; access to redeemed items available only with current, paid Star Wars Galaxies subscription in good standing or with Star Wars Galaxies trial account (but only for duration of such limited trial account—ie, up to 14 days). Internet connection required. Players are responsible for all applicable internet fees. Additional recurring subscription fees apply to Star Wars Galaxies and Station Access accounts. Bonus loot card (and items redeemed from such cards) limited to one per account. Items are non-tradable and non-transferable. Booster pack cards included at no additional cost with valid, active Star Wars Galaxies subscription are non-transferable and non-tradeable. Additional starter packs and booster packs sold separately. Star Wars Galaxies and the Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game are digital files only. No physical boxes, trading cards, disks, software, documentation or other tangible materials will be sent to you.

LucasArts and the LucasArts logo are registered trademarks of Lucasfilm Ltd. Star Wars Galaxies is a registered trademark of Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd. SOE and the SOE logo are registered trademarks of Sony Online Entertainment LLC. © 2002-2008 Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd. or Lucasfilm Ltd. & ® or TM as indicated. All rights reserved.

SOE, the SOE logo, EverQuest and PlanetSide are registered trademarks of Sony Online Entertainment LLC. Untold Legends and Legends of Norrath are trademarks of Sony Online Entertainment LLC. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.

ESRB Rating: Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game: E10+: Mild Blood, Mild Fantasy Violence, Violence

ESRB Rating: Star Wars Galaxies: Teen, Violence

Online Interactions Not Rated by the ESRB

With the release of Chapter 10: Game Update 5, fully integrated voice chat can now be found in Star Wars Galaxies. Coming to Star Wars Galaxies players at no additional cost, voice chat can now be used to chat with your guild and groups!

The integration of the in-game voice chat brings several brand new UI elements: the Voice Bar, the Voice Users Window, and a new voice tab in the Options window. In addition to these improvements, there will be a speaking indicator in the group window, a target window, and you will see a name plate of those using voice chat above their characters.

For more information on all of the improvements and how to use the new chat feature, check out the announcement article for the voice chat here. It seems pretty simple to me and a lot of fun. Looks like an awesome time to join SWG to me as well.

Source: SWG Official Site

Today marks the fifth anniversary of the first, and only, Star Wars MMO, “Star Wars: Galaxies.” Since 2003, SWG has been making living in Star Wars Universe possible. There are a lot of events planned for the celebration in-game, so check them all out here. The main event is entitled “Empire Day” and it begins today!  Chapter 10 is also online, so you’ll have an added surprise when you log on; check out the information on Chapter 10 here. If you haven’t already, this is a perfect time to join in on the fun and buying and playing Galaxies. Happy fifth Galaxies, and here’s to five more!

Although many SWG fans may have joked about it in the past, we can now confirm, thanks to the Official SWG Forums, that the planet Hoth will be coming Star Wars: Galaxies! It’s called the Hoth Heroic Instance, which means that it will probably just be one battle or event on Hoth, but it still will be fun. More information will be made available this week, we’re told. Images of a few parts of Hoth can be seen below:

Source: The Official Star Wars Galaxies Site

On Thursday, April 29, at 4:00 AM PDT all U.S. and European galaxies will be taken down for server maintenance and a live update.When the update is complete, all galaxies will be live but unavailable while we complete final testing. All galaxies will be made available after that time.

For the Publish Notes, click here. Remember, this is a big update for Jedi and Bounty Hunters, so if you’re one (or might become one), you’re going to want to check this out.

Source: The Official Star Wars Galaxies Site 

The path of the Jedi has never been easy. The choices of sides makes this path even harder. In an effort to help players truly see the sides of the Force, the Official Star Wars: Galaxies site released a featured article to help explain how the Jedi Path works in Galaxies, and what powers are opened to you, depending upon which side you choose.

According to the Friday Feature, “the expertise system gives Jedi a choice of the path they wish to follow in the universe of Star Wars Galaxies. Choose a side and your role as a Jedi with the Path tree in the expertise system, now with several new abilities added in Game Update 3.”

To learn all about the paths and powers offered with it, check out the entire feature here.

Remember, in Game Update 3 expertise points for Jedi will be cleared and you begin with a blank slate. Your decisions and the path you choose will determine your fate in the galaxy! If you haven’t checked out Star Wars: Galaxies yet (currently on Chapter 9: The Fury of Exar Kun), I highly suggest checking it out now!

Source: The Official Star Wars: Galaxies Site