Knights of the Eternal Throne-the Best Gift to SWTOR’s Fifth Anniversary

As Star Wars: The Old Republic approaches its fifth anniversary on December 20, 2016, the gaming community reflects on an incredible journey that began with development ten years prior. BioWare’s ambitious vision was to create an immersive MMORPG where players could truly experience life in the Star Wars universe as the central character of their own epic narrative. This groundbreaking approach allowed gamers to embody diverse roles including noble Jedi Knights, powerful Sith Lords, or charismatic Smugglers, shaping their destinies through meaningful decisions that defined their personal Star Wars saga. The game’s enduring success is evident in the dedicated fanbase willing to invest in their galactic adventures.

The current player statistics reveal staggering engagement numbers, with over 87 million characters actively participating in SWTOR stories. Detailed breakdown shows 42,175,031 characters defending the Galactic Republic while 43,710,711 fight for the Sith Empire, demonstrating nearly balanced faction participation. Collectively, players have dedicated over 1.5 billion hours to exploring the rich game world, a testament to the compelling content and replayability that keeps the community engaged year after year.

To commemorate this significant milestone, BioWare announced Knights of the Eternal Throne, a major digital expansion scheduled for release in fall 2016. This represents one of the most substantial content updates since the game’s initial launch in 2011, featuring enhanced cinematic storytelling that has become BioWare’s signature strength. The expansion introduces innovative gameplay mechanics and system improvements designed to appeal to both new players and veteran subscribers. According to details from Comicbook.com and official EA announcements, the development team has incorporated valuable lessons from previous content releases to deliver a more polished and engaging experience.

Creative Director James Ohlen emphasized that the expansion will blend familiar characters with exciting new additions, building upon the foundation established in Knights of the Fallen Empire. “We’re elevating the narrative scope and ensuring player choices carry greater consequences than ever before,” Ohlen stated, highlighting the team’s commitment to meaningful player agency. The development approach focuses on creating more epic storylines while maintaining the cooperative and competitive elements that define the MMO experience.

Ohlen acknowledged that The Old Republic’s evolution involved identifying both successful elements and areas needing improvement. This reflective process directly influenced the design philosophy behind the Knights expansions, which aim to recreate the heroic journey feeling that made the original Knights of the Old Republic games so beloved. The intentional use of “Knights” in expansion titles pays homage to this legacy while signaling a return to core Star Wars fantasy themes.

Prior to the new expansion’s launch, players will experience the conclusive chapter of Knights of the Fallen Empire. Chapter XVI: The Battle of Odessen has been rescheduled from July 28 to August 11, 2016, allowing the development team additional time to perfect the emotional climax of the Fallen Empire narrative arc. This strategic delay ensures the finale delivers the dramatic impact worthy of the extensive story buildup, following the tradition of great Star Wars narratives that leave audiences anticipating more.

The extended development period enables BioWare to refine the chapter’s pacing, character moments, and narrative payoff. Players should prepare for significant story consequences that will likely influence their experience in the upcoming Eternal Throne expansion. As experienced SWTOR credits providers, we recommend reviewing the top four chapters of Knights of the Fallen Empire to fully appreciate the storyline continuity and character development leading into this climactic conclusion.

“The original Knights of the Old Republic titles achieved massive popularity by positioning players as the ‘Luke Skywalker’ of their adventure, surrounded by memorable companions they’d genuinely want beside them on a real galactic journey,” Ohlen reflected. “We’re continuing this tradition with both Knights of the Fallen Empire and Knights of the Eternal Throne, delivering that authentic Star Wars feeling alongside unexpected narrative twists.” The deliberate inclusion of “Knights” in expansion names serves as both homage and brand identity, connecting the MMO to its single-player RPG heritage.

Ohlen summarized the expansion as “a completely new, epic narrative complemented by engaging cooperative content.” The concluding chapter of Fallen Empire arrives in several weeks, enabling players to experience the entire sixteen-chapter expansion from beginning to end. “It genuinely captures the spirit of being the successor to the Knights of the Old Republic series,” he affirmed. New players can sample the experience through the freely available first chapter of Fallen Empire.

For those planning their class selection and character development strategies, understanding these narrative foundations proves crucial for maximizing enjoyment and making informed gameplay decisions throughout both expansions.

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