SOE: Upcoming contract expiration, Old Republic release led to Star Wars Galaxies closure

SOE president John Smedley has said that the upcoming closure of Star Wars Galaxies is due to numerous factors, including the expiration next year of its contract with LucasArts on the MMO.

Smedley also said that the release later this year of BioWare's The Old Republic and "other business things" with Lucas resulted in the closure.

"It was time to turn it off," said Smedley. "We have a contractual relationship that's ending in 2012, The Old Republic launching, a bunch of other business things with LucasArts.

"And then you look at the odds of a pretty large portion of the audience moving to TOR, which looks like a terrific game. I think that's going to be really well-received by the population.

"But it hurts. We knew, with the checkered past [of Galaxies], that this would not be a popular decision, but it was just one that we had to make."

Smedley's comments came at SOE's Fan Faire event last week. Thanks, The Escapist.