An MMORPG where story is king, but level gates lock you out of half the galaxy until you grind.
Star Wars: The Old Republic is BioWare’s first MMORPG. It launched in 2011. It is built around eight faction-locked classes, each with a three-act, level-gated storyline. Players choose Republic or Sith Empire but can align morally anywhere on the light/dark spectrum. Advancement comes through missions, exploration, and combat. Skills unlock automatically. Heroic missions require multi-player cooperation and reset daily. Player choices permanently alter storylines and affect NPC companions. All dialogue is fully voiced and uses a Mass Effect–style system. BioWare Austin was founded in March 2006 specifically for this project, with assistance from BioWare Edmonton. In 2023, BioWare Austin handed the game to Broadsword Online Games.
BioWare’s first MMORPG — and their attempt to scale narrative design to thousands of concurrent players.
2:52
Story Is Structured, Not Open
Eight classes, two factions, three-act stories — all level-gated and mission-driven.
4:23
Consequences That Stick
Every dialogue choice changes companion loyalty and closes off story branches — permanently.
5:42
Design Decisions That Define Play
No skill trees. No solo endgame. Just automatic unlocks and daily co-op missions.
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A Studio Built for One Game
Built by a studio founded in 2006 solely for this game — then handed off in 2023.
Worth your time?
Yes. Play the whole thing.
3.5/ 5
What works
Mass Effect–style dialogue system gives weight to choices
Companion relationships shift meaningfully with decisions
Each class has a distinct, self-contained narrative arc
Heroic missions force cooperative play without requiring permanent group formation
What does not
allow cross-faction story access
offer skill customisation
support open-world progression
Play it if
players who value authored, voiced, consequence-driven storytelling in an MMO
players who accept that 'choice' means branching paths, not systemic freedom
Skip it if
players seeking sandbox exploration
players seeking build flexibility
players seeking cross-faction interaction
The written brief1 min read
What the game is
Star Wars: The Old Republic is BioWare’s first MMORPG. It is a story-first, faction-locked, level-gated, fully voiced online RPG set in the Star Wars universe.
How it actually plays
You pick one of eight classes, each locked to Republic or Sith Empire. Your class storyline unfolds in three acts, gated by level. You advance by doing missions, exploring planets, and fighting enemies. Skills unlock automatically as you level. Dialogue is fully voiced and uses a Mass Effect–style wheel. Choices permanently lock or unlock story branches and change how companions behave. Heroic missions require grouping and reset daily.
What works
The Mass Effect–style dialogue system gives weight to choices. Companion relationships shift meaningfully with decisions. Each class has a distinct, self-contained narrative arc. Heroic missions force cooperative play without requiring permanent group formation.
What does not
It does not let you cross faction lines for story content. It does not allow skill customisation — new abilities arrive on schedule, not by choice. It does not support open-world freedom: progression is linear, act-by-act, and tied to level thresholds.
Who it is for, and who it is not
It is for players who value authored, voiced, consequence-driven storytelling in an MMO — and who accept that ‘choice’ means branching paths, not systemic freedom. It is not for players seeking sandbox exploration, build flexibility, or cross-faction interaction.
Is it worth your time
It is worth your time only if you want a story-driven MMORPG with persistent moral consequences and full voice acting — and are willing to accept its rigid level-gated pacing and faction-locked structure.