Club Jade

StarWars.com just announced that Electronic Arts has locked up a multiyear licensing agreement with Lucasfilm and Disney Interactive to be the exclusive developer of Star Wars titles for the main gaming markets: console, PC, tablet & mobile. While not stating exactly how long the license will last, EA (which includes Bioware, producer of the popular Knights of the Old Republic game and The Old Republic MMO, as well as other EA studios like DICE and Visceral) will pretty much be the only game in town for Star Wars titles, with the exception for some casual games from Disney Interactive.

“Our number one objective was to find a developer who could consistently deliver our fans great Star Wars games for years to come,” said Kathleen Kennedy, President of Lucasfilm. “When we looked at the talent of the teams that EA was committing to our games and the quality of their vision for Star Wars, the choice was clear.”

“This agreement demonstrates our commitment to creating quality game experiences that drive the popularity of the Star Wars franchise for years to come,” said John Pleasants, co-president of Disney Interactive. “Collaborating with one of the world’s premier game developers will allow us to bring an amazing portfolio of new Star Wars titles to fans around the world.”

“Every developer dreams of creating games for the Star Wars universe,” said EA Labels President Frank Gibeau. “Three of our top studios will fulfill that dream, crafting epic adventures for Star Wars fans. The new experiences we create may borrow from films, but the games will be entirely original with all new stories and gameplay.”

Or check out the full press release on EA’s site. With LucasArts downgraded from a game development company into a game licensing company last month, it looks like all eyes will be on EA’s stable of development studios for keeping Star Wars alive in the video game industry.

At Penny Arcade Expo this past weekend, a group of Calrissian aficionados held a protest against the lack of Lando in the Star Wars: The Old Republic online game. Members of The Lando Society chanted “Never forget!” and donned mustaches and capes to draw attention to their cause: to ensure that everyone’s favorite baron-administrator (or a distant relative, which is more likely for a game taking place 3,500 years prior to Lando’s time) appear in the upcoming Bioware MMO title.

Want to support their drive to have the galaxy’s smoothest businessman (or his ancestor) included in the game? The Lando Society’s got a petition. Although, judging from this video of the society encountering a TOR developer, Bioware has its own in-house Lando fans, with Lando Calrissian’s moustache and outfit in mind for the game, due to release this holiday season. At least we now know who bought all the excess Lando ‘staches from Celebration V.

• Red Tails moving forward. We’ve got an update on George Lucas’ Tuskegee Airmen movie, namely that offers have gone out to actors Terence Howard, Andre Royo, Nate Parker, NeYo, David Oyelowo, Barry Pepper and Bryan Cranston.

• People: Artist Cat Staggs getting some local coverage.
• Licensees: Bioware is setting up a new team in Montreal, though only Mass Effect 2 gets namechecked.

LucasArts and Bioware debuted the first video documentary on the upcoming Old Republic MMO today, including some brand-new play footage.

Gamasutra reports that LucasArts and Bioware are holding a media event at LucasArts’ San Francisco office on October 21st. They describe the invite:

The postcard, which proclaims “The wait is over” and promises “the official unveiling of the game that’s been rumored about for years,” makes no explicit reference to Star Wars. It is branded with the LucasArts and BioWare logos and depicts floating robots and hooded figures in futuristic interior locations reminiscent of the sci-fi franchise.

It certainly sounds (and looks!) like KOTOR, but I guess we’ll see… (via)

EUC points us towards an article from CVG saying that LucasArts and Bioware will unveil the long-rumored Knights of the Old Republic MMO with 30 days.

Electronic Arts CEO John Riccitiello confirmed it to reporters at E3 this week, according to Portfolio’s Tech Observer blog:

“We’ve got two of the most compelling MMOs in the industry in development,” said Riccitiello. The first title, based on the Warhammer property, will launch soon. “And the one that people are dying for us to talk to them about — in partnership with Lucas, coming out of BioWare, which is, I think, quite possibly the most anticipated game, full stop, for the industry at the point when we get closer to telling you about it.”

Does Riccitiello mean the oft rumored Knights of the Old Republic Online? “Yes,” he said.

But LucasArts told TFN “nope”. Covering for an official annoucement at Celebration Japan or SDCC? Or is is really all wishful thinking yet again?

Yes, it’s time for our latest installment in the saga of the KOTOR MMO that may or may not exist! (via)

The two have hooked up to “create an interactive entertainment product,” perhaps the long-rumored KOTOR MMO.

I spotted The Star Wars Vault at Barnes & Noble today, though the TOS is listing it for October 30th release. Interesting.

Drew Karpyshyn talks about the recent EA buyout of Bioware, the Rule of Two manuscript and an event that happened… last Saturday. Whoops.

R.A. Salvatore talks a bit about his Star Wars novel experience about halfway through his interview with Fantasy Book Critic. The SW bits handily start just about where you see the Vector Prime book cover.