The Force is with SWTOR testing

Many rumors have been floating around regarding Star Wars: The Old Republic's beta testing status. What's being tested, exactly? Who's conducting the testing? This week, another one of those rumors has been let out of the proverbial bag. The rumor we've received from several tipsters says that -- although BioWare is not moving to an open beta -- the team is moving to another phase of testing this week. The deals of what is involved in this week's testing are sketchy at best, but multiple sources have reported to us mentioning they are testing. Providing more info than that would surely break their NDA, and we wouldn't report on that anyway.

Blaine Christine, the Live Producer for SWTOR, is the man in charge of testing, as he told us at PAX. He has his work cut out for him with the number of fans banging at the door to get into testing -- as evident by the number of tweets to @swtor asking to sell or do strange things in return. However, there is only one way to get into game testing: Register at the official website, go click the account button at the top, click the radial button which states, "Yes, I would like to be considered for testing," then follow the instructions on how to allow the site to snag your system information.

We wish you luck getting into any form of testing that BioWare is conducting, and we wish BioWare luck in this current phase. May the Force be with you.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

Reader Comments (20)

When did Shaq become a jedi?

Since he signed up for game testing.

WoW in Star Wars clothing, weeeee!

I'm assuming it's NA only again, not a problem of course as it's still very early days for testing. After all Testing is testing and we all like testing because testing tests our willingness to test.
I'd love to see something regarding EU testing but I won't be expecting anything next phase.

Well BW themselves have said that you are allowed to say you're in the game testing and that it exists without breaking the NDA(though nothing else). Sure they can't say what the next phase is about, but they can say they're in. That at least would lend credence to the tips on more testing.

With much love and respect: unless you're in the beta yourself, reporting what other people say about it doesn't mean you're breaking an NDA. That's what journalists do, after all. :)

True, but it doesn't stop journalists from getting in trouble. :-P

What exactly was the point of this? Is telling us there are rumors really reporting?

Nothing like an implied threat to have someone self-censor. It's called a "chilling effect" in legal parlance...

I'm sure Massively wants to retain access to Bioware, which is why they are not reporting what they've heard, but its not exactly valuable jounalism...

However, I really enjoy coming to Massively.com, they do a great job in collecting various mmo info - just a little disappointed...

Not sure what the point of this article is, other than to say "There might be testing but we're not sure but we can't talk about it because of NDA anyway."

Not taking a dig at anyone, but we already knew this.

I like your choice of Picture :P

I tried to get signed up for beta testing way back when they first had the option to. But my computer's graphics card is hinky and their system scan couldn't find it and got hung up.

Now I'm a bitter, broken, shell of a man who has no chance of getting into beta.

I'm pretty sure this how Sith get started.

Yes, yes! Goooood. Use your anger. Let it flow through you.

Part of why they can't report on any leaked info is because they don't want to be blacklisted by BioWare/EA/Lucas Arts. But another part is that swtor Forum members who read leaked information here, and then talk about it on the Official Forums, are then subject to sanctions - up to, and including being banned from ever playing SW:TOR even after launch (more likely though, just being banned from Game Testing).

Ticking off BW/EA/LA is one thing, but ticking off their readers by getting them warnings/bans on the swtor Forums is NOT a good way to keep readers.

Sorry, what?

You can't save idiotic morons from themselves. If a poster gets angry at Massively because of something they posted that got them in trouble on SWTOR.com, they have.... issues.

Some people assume that things reported on by Massively are verified and authorized info, and not leaked/bootleg info. Thus, it comes as a surprise to them when they get a warning/ban for talking about it on the swtor Official Forums.

I would imagine that enough of them used that exact complaint to BioWare and to Massively that Massively decided that it was bad policy to post leaked info. Remember, people that have a good experience with a place will tell 1-2 friends about it (on average), but people that have a bad experience will tell 10 - 12 people (on average).

Massively doesn't require IQ tests, Common Sense tests and hasn't (that I have noticed) placed "This is leaked info and could get you banned for talking about it" warnings around its leaked info. Most game companies just aren't as sensitive about leaked info as BW/EA/LA are with TOR in my experience.

Massively isn't so stupid that they want to deliberately tork off or drive away their customers. Losing 100 customers who get warnings/bans isn't a major blow. Losing the other 600 - 2,000 of their friends who they complain to when it's just as easy to avoid it...*that's* stupidity. Not to mention the whole thing of losing any special access to exclusive interviews with people from BW/EA/LA....

Yes, because I know that when I have a bad experience on the internetz I tell all my friends about it.

Actually, I was talking statistically, not about any one person. If people have a bad experience with a place/product, they mention it to their friends. Sometimes in passing. Sometimes via blogs, etc. And, when it comes from a friend, people are more likely to listen and put weight to it.

The author of this article already said that someone got in trouble for publishing previous leaked info. So I highly doubt future leaks will be hosted here. Of course, if someone *really* wants leaked info, there are plenty of other sites that will host it, I'm sure.

Roomate got an invite, hope Im not breaking any NDA's by saying this, but the email had limitations of how he can play:

Sep. 29 to Oct. 1
Planet Hutta only
Only Human smugglers and impreial agents
Only up to level 10

I've been signed up for the SWTOR beta for ages though nothing's ever come about because of it. Just recently I updated my system specs on my account over there and still nothing from BioWare lol
Ah well there's other stuff to do

The Force is with SWTOR testing

Reader Comments (20)

Posted: Sep 28th 2010 11:21AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Sep 28th 2010 11:22AM Larry Everett said

Posted: Sep 28th 2010 7:08PM Arsinek said

Posted: Sep 28th 2010 11:32AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Sep 28th 2010 11:32AM RogueJedi86 said

Posted: Sep 28th 2010 11:51AM Darkdust said

Posted: Sep 28th 2010 1:13PM Larry Everett said

Posted: Sep 28th 2010 1:46PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Sep 28th 2010 2:20PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Sep 28th 2010 2:48PM Solp said

Posted: Sep 28th 2010 2:39PM IveDefected said

Posted: Sep 28th 2010 4:06PM Archebus said

Posted: Sep 28th 2010 4:57PM Syesta said

Posted: Sep 28th 2010 5:02PM Daelda said

Posted: Sep 29th 2010 6:54AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Sep 29th 2010 8:04AM Daelda said

Posted: Sep 29th 2010 2:52PM Avick said

Posted: Sep 29th 2010 3:06PM Daelda said

Posted: Sep 29th 2010 6:31AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Sep 29th 2010 4:18AM (Unverified) said

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