star-wars-the-clone-wars posts

George Lucas's universe continues to be a powerful force (hehe) on pop culture. Today Sony Online announced that its family friendly MMO free-to-play game Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures has already signed up 1 million registered players since the game launched on September 15.

This fast growth out paces the launch last year of Sony Online's first free-to-play game Free Realms which took about two and a half weeks to sign up its one millionth player. In order to celebrate the 1 million player mark, all players in Clone Wars Adventures will be getting a free in-game Golden Mouse Droid pet for their characters. The game will be sold in retail stores in October.

[Via email press release]

While BioWare is busy with their AAA MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic, Sony Online is prepping a new free-to-play MMO in the Star Wars universe that's based on the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated TV series. Today Sony Online and LucasArts announced their plans for Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures.

Due out this fall, the game is similar to Sony Online's debut free-to-play MMO Free Realms in that it is designed specifically for younger players as well as families. The title will boast a number of mini-games, achievements, lots of customization and even a collectible card game played within the MMO. While the title can be played online for free players can choose to opt for a monthly subscription (no pricing yet) along with micro-transactions via Sony Online's Station Cash system. You can check out the first screenshots from the game below and the game's official web site is now online.

Sony Online has had lots of folks sign up for their recently released free-to-play MMO Free Realms. So it stands to reason that the company might be wanting to expand that success to another game or games. Ten Ton Hammer reports via "an inside source" that Sony's next such game could be based on Star Wars.

The rumor is that Sony has partnered with its Star Wars Galaxies publisher LucasArts to make a Free Realms-style free-to-play browser based on the Clone Wars period of Star Wars history. It certainly fits with the current animated Clone Wars series being targeted for kids and families but as of this moment neither LucasArts nor Sony Online have commented on the rumor.

Last night's Star Wars panel at the San Diego Comic-Con had the big reveal for the PC/Mac edition of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. However there was also news on another Star Wars-based game that was previously announced a few months ago.

We are talking about Star Wars The Clone Wars Republic Heroes. The third person action game based on the Cartoon Network animated series, was supposed to be released by publisher LucasArts on September 15. However the panel revealed that the game would not make that date. Instead look for the game, developed by Krome Studios, to ship to stores a few weeks later on October 6.

Earlier this week we reported on the first gaming panel programming that was announced for the first day (Thursday) for the 2008 San Diego Comic-Con on July 25-28. Now the convention's web site has revealed the panel programming for the rest of the show and Friday and Saturday seem to be packed with game and game related events (Sunday seems to be free of gaming related panels).

On Friday convention attendees can go to panels about Midway's fighting game Mortal Kombat Vs DC Universe, the upcoming MMOs Stargate Worlds and DC Universe Online, and the upcoming Ghostbusters game (with actors Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson scheduled to attend). There will also be a World of Warcraft panel and the big Star Wars panel will have segments on the upcoming LucasArts Clone Wars and The Force Unleashed game titles. Capcom will hold a panel on how to break into the game industry and there will also be a Penny Arcade panel. There will also be a panel on the upcoming movie adaptation of Prince of Persia (with the game's original creator Jordan Mechner scheduled to attend) and a panel on the upcoming CGI movie Resident Evil: Degeneration.

On Saturday, Comic-Con will hosts a Telltale Games panel where the creators will announce plans for a third episodic game series to join their Sam and Max and Strong Bad series. A Warhammer Online panel will also be held and THQ will host a panel on Warhammer 40,000 Dawn of War II and Deadly Creatures. Cliff Bleszinski and Peter Molyneux will attend a panel to talk about Gears of War 2 and Fable 2, respectively. EA will host a Dead Space panel and Capcom will also host a Bionic Commando panel at the show.

If you haven't bought your tickets for Comic-Con yet, you are out of luck if you want the four-day pass or one-day passes for Friday and Saturday. Some tickets for Thursday and Sunday are still available for purchase.