Create a family legacy that can rival the Skywalkers! BioWare, a Label of Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) and LucasArts today released Game Update 1.2: Legacy, the highly anticipated content update for Star Wars: The Old Republic. This massive update delivers an incredible amount of new high level gameplay content for players and also includes the evolution of the Legacy System, a feature that ties all of your characters together into one family, regardless of class or faction, and allows them to unlock custom new abilities. Game Update 1.2 will also include some of the communities’ most sought-after game enhancements including user interface customization and guild banks along with gameplay and balancing fixes.

To celebrate the release of Game Update 1.2 and thank fans for their support, BioWare also announced that it would offer Star Wars: The Old Republic players a number of in-game rewards:

All subscribers with active game accounts on April 12, 2012 or April 21, 2012 will be rewarded with an in-game Legacy Reward: the Tauntaun Ram Pet via in-game mail.

New players who subscribe to The Old Republic before April 21, 2012 will also receive the Legacy Tauntaun Ram Pet.

All active subscribers who have achieved a level 50 character by April 12, 2012 will receive 30 days of game time at no charge as a reward for their loyalty to the game.

Former subscribers with inactive accounts are invited back to play Game Update 1.2 for up to seven days at no charge starting April 13, 2012.

"Game Update 1.2: Legacy is a huge milestone for The Old Republic and clearly demonstrates what we mean when we talk about this game being a full-fledged, ongoing service," said Dr. Greg Zeschuk, General Manager of the BioWare Label’s MMO Business Unit and Co-Founder of BioWare. "Not only is Game Update 1.2 the largest update for The Old Republic, but it also addresses a lot of the game features and enhancements our players have been asking for since we launched a little over three months ago, We are incredibly proud of the team for being able to deliver an update of this size and quality, in a relatively short amount of time."

Game Update 1.2 is highlighted by the next evolution of the Legacy System, giving players the ability to give all of their characters a strong familial bond in the form of bonus abilities and character customization. Players will link their different characters together into a single family tree, giving them the power to unlock and share special Legacy-only abilities, and new convenience items for player ships including the Galactic Trade Network terminal. The Legacy System will also give players the ability to unlock new races for new characters and will be advantageous in strengthening companion characters affection and moral alignment through bonuses.

In addition to the Legacy System, the Game Update 1.2 will introduces other game features, including improved UI customization, Guild Banks and valuable new in-game items. This game update will also introduce challenging new high-level content for both experienced and new players to enjoy:

Flashpoint: Lost Island continues the story of Flashpoint: Kaon Under Siege from Game Update 1.1 – Rise of the Rakghouls. Players must survive a menacing island of mystery on Ord Mantell as they hunt for clues to the Rakghoul virus outbreak that ravaged the Tion Hegemony. But the answers to this riddle may prove fatal! This flashpoint is for groups of four Imperial or Republic players with characters at level 50.

Operation: Explosive Conflict sends players to a new zone on the planet of Denova, where traitors and mercenaries are selling the rare explosive mineral baradium to the highest bidder. Players will battle through hordes of droids, mercenaries and deadly creatures all fighting for control of the planet and its valuable resources. This Operation is for groups of eight or sixteen Imperial or Republic players with characters at level 50.

Warzone: Novare Coast pits two teams in an epic battle to control multiple mortar locations and use them to bombard vulnerable enemy bases. Like the Huttball Warzone, Novare Coast can be played Republic vs. Empire or with players of the same faction fighting each other in a thrilling contest of wills to determine each side’s greatest champions. Like all Warzones, Novare Coast is available for characters over level 10.

The Old Republic is set thousands of years before the classic Star Wars movies, with the Galactic Republic and Sith Empire locked in the middle of an epic, galactic war. By choosing one of eight iconic Star Wars characters, including the Jedi Knight, Jedi Consular, Smuggler, Trooper, Sith Warrior, Sith Inquisitor, Bounty Hunter and Imperial Agent, players become the hero or villain of their own personal Star Wars saga. Players team up with friends online, fighting in heroic battles reminiscent of the films, immersing themselves in a galaxy full of vibrant characters and planets, while experiencing visceral Star Wars combat.