Star Wars: The Old Republic Update 1.2 Detailed, Delayed to April, Friends Trial Coming Tomorrow

Giuseppe Nelva March 5, 2012 11:25 AM EST

BioWare announced today with a press release that the awaited Star Wars: The Old Republic game update 1.2 will now come early April, instead of March as scheduled. This is as far as the bad news goes.

Game Update 1.2 (now dubbed “Legacy“) has been detailed and will include improved UI customization, PvP warzone rankings, guild banks (with up to seven tabs), valuable new in-game items, in game events, appearence customization and a lot of bug fixes and smaller improvements.

Game Update 1.2 will also present the first real iteration of the Legacy system. Players will be able to link their different characters together into a single family tree, giving them the power to unlock and share special Legacy-only abilities. Players will be able to further customize new characters by unlocking different species from any class in their family tree. The Legacy system will also also provide new convenience items for player ships, including an on-board mailbox and Galactic Trade Network terminal. Companion Character affection and moral alignment will also benefit from Legacy bonuses, giving players even more control over their crew mates. .

Last but not least, the patch will include a new flashpoint, a new operation and a new warzone:

Flashpoint: Lost Island continues the Kaon Under Siege Flashpoint 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!

Operation: Explosive Conflict sends groups of eight or sixteen Imperial or Republic 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.

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.

Dr. Greg Zeschuk, General Manager of the BioWare Label’s MMO Business Unit and Co-Founder of BioWare said:

Prior to release, our main priority for Star Wars: The Old Republic was to deliver a high quality game and service, right from day one. Now that we’ve achieved that, we have shifted our focus to adding more content to the game and improving and refining the experience for our fans. Legacy is our biggest update yet and a great example of the kind of content players can expect for the months and years ahead.

Unrelated to patch 1.2 the “Friends Trial” program will start tomorrow, March the 6th. Current subscribers will be able to invite up to three new players for a free seven days trial (up to level 15) of the game.

Trial members will also receive a limited time offer to purchase the digital version of Star Wars: The Old Republic on Origin.com at a special promotional price.