Star Wars: The Old Republic is a powerful MMORPG by BioWare that takes on Star Wars from an era hundreds of years before Luke and the Empire. It’s also dying slowly. What could bring down a game built on the twin pillars of Star Wars and BioWare? The answer is simple enough. It ends. MMO players have been trained by years of leveling and grinding to burn through a game to the end, where characters are dressed in the full measure of their power. Sadly, SWTOR isn’t that sort of game, it’s a story. When the story ends, what’s left? Right now, no one at BioWare has an answer. Check out this article about why the biggest license in town is slipping away. 1UP has the story.
Games within games. The best way to keep people playing is to fill your game with smaller games they can play. Star Wars: The Old Republic doesn’t know this wisdom, and the only game it gives to players is a story to explore. That’s fine, but an MMORPG needs more because you want the player to stick around. Stories can’t last forever. Games can.