Star Wars: The Old Republic is the latest EA game to hit Steam
I hate sand.
A long time ago, on a launcher far far away, you couldn't play Star Wars: The Old Republic on Steam. But the old EA order has given way to the new, and for the past month, a fleet of games once exclusive to Origin have found their way into Valve's orbit. Today, The Old Republic joined that armada, bringing the venerable MMORPG alongside its Star Wars brethren on Steam for the very first time.
There might be no real signs of any proper Knights Of The Old Republic follow-up visible from here to the outer rim - but in the meantime, you can get some of your laser-sword RPG cravings on Steam from EA's long-running Star Wars MMO. Running for just shy of a decade, The Old Republic dips into singleplayer stories enough that you may as well forget there are thousands of other Jedi running all over the shop.
I gave Star Wars: The Old Republic a bash a good half-decade ago, but kinda bounced off it hard. It was very much another World Of Warcraft, I reckoned, and the Old Republic style has never been a kind of Star Wars I'm into. Still, EA have kept the MMO running with new expansions and story content all this time, with the game's latest Onslaught expansion dropping late last year. It may be caught in MMO trappings, but I hear The Old Republic is a good spot for some KOTOR-style RPG adventures.
All expansions have likewise found their way to Steam, as does an optional subscription that provides access to all DLC plus a monthly stipend of "Cartel Coins" and increased XP gains. EA has given SWTOR the full Steam treatment, with Trading Cards and emoticons and all that guff. Steam achievements will arrive at later date, retroactively applying to any in-game cheevos you might've already earned. As should be expected of an MMO, all your progress will carry over regardless of where you launch the game.
As per EA's other Steam arrivals, you'll still need to go through Origin before picking up a lightsaber. Still, if you've been waiting nine years for Star Wars: The Old Republic to make its way to other platforms, you can pick it up on Steam right now for free.