When Sony Online Entertainment said it would shut down Star Wars: Galaxies by the end of the year, many teeth were gnashed and many garments were rent. A lot of people, thinking SOE failed to consider this, postulated about taking the game to a free-to-play model, and voila, the orphanage is saved! If only they wanted to save it, right?
Well, SOE and LucasArts both considered that long ago, smart guys. And while hypotheses are free, putting them into effect costs money. LucasArts said as much in a statement to GamePro, who went asking about the free-to-play chances of the eight-year-old MMO.
"[T]hat model just isn't financially viable," LucasArts told GamePro. "Changing the business model for an experience like Star Wars Galaxies takes a major investment and overhauling of the existing infrastructure of the game. We're unfortunately at a point in our life cycle where a change of this magnitude is just not possible. The harsh reality is that we've reached a point where the game is no longer a sustainable business."