No local servers for you
All three servers are being merged into North American ones, with no date set as yet for when this will occur.
The full explanation from Eric Musco at BioWare:
Hey everyone,
I have an update for you on our long term plans for the APAC servers. Before I do that though I want to let you know up front that we still have quite a bit of work to do to make this happen so I cannot provide any timeframes for you today.
We know that when we asked you, the community, for your opinions on what we should do, we received quite a variety of suggested solutions. Some people wanted to be able to transfer to higher populated North American servers, some suggested merging the three existing APAC servers into one large APAC server, and then there were a host of other ideas as well. However, the one common theme from the suggestions, which we heard clearly, is that everyone wants the opportunity to play on higher populated servers. With this in mind, we have evaluated all of the options and determined that the best solution, that will offer the best long term play experience, is to merge the APAC servers with higher populated North American servers.
Getting to the point of being able to merge the servers is going to be a multistep process. First off we need to update our Free Character Transfer System to include the game changes that we have made recently along with the upcoming changes in Game Update 2.0 and the Digital Expansion: Rise of the Hutt Cartel. We will then offer Free Character Transfers to anyone currently playing on an APAC server to a North American server of the same gameplay type, specifically:
Mastar Dar’Nala (PvP) will transfer to The Bastion (PvP)
Gav Daragon (RP-PvE) will transfer to Begeren Colony (RP-PvE)
Dalborra (PvE) will transfer to The Harbinger (PvE)We will also need to update our server merge technology at which point we will ultimately merge each of the APAC servers into the corresponding North American servers as indicated above. We are moving as quickly as we can to make this happen, but we want to make sure this is a smooth transition, so it will take some time.Why did we decide not to merge the three APAC servers into one large APAC server? We decided this for two main reasons. 1. The issue in doing this is that two play-styles (PvE, PvE-RP, or PvP) would need to sacrifice their desired play-style in order to have one server with a higher population. We feel that it is important that each player is allowed to continue to play SWTOR in their preferred play-style. Therefore, accommodating all the existing play-styles was a primary goal. By allowing you to move to a NA West server, you will be able to keep your play-style. 2. The move to North American servers better delivers on our ultimate goal of providing the best play experience, with the most possible players, long term.
I will continue to provide updates as soon as I have them. I know the next big question will be “when” and as soon as I have that information to release, I will do so. Thank you for your continued patience on this. I know it took longer than you would have liked but I intend to continue to give you information as soon as I can!
It’s sad that local servers are being lost, and I can sort of understand the rationale for not moving to one local server, although cost must have come into that decision as well.
What’s your take? Also – we’re running a poll on the issue – it’s on the right-hand sidebar of the page you’re on now, up towards the top.
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Nobody cares anymore. nobody plays it.
You must care enough to have commented on the article.
That sux! I enjoy raiding but with a ping of 400 I doubt I will enjoy anymore. And what about toon name and Legacy? This will be the nail in the coffin for many APAC SWTOR fans. I hope they reconsider.
The “rationale” for not creating an APAC super-server is ridiculous. The overwhelming majority of APAC players, whether they be PvP, RP or PvE focused players were in support of a super-server. There is so little RP happening on Gav Daragon that it would hardly be noticeable. The PvPers are happy to give up their open-world PvP for regular WZ pops in a low-ping environment.
If BioWare had really listened to their subscribers, they would have merged all three servers and arranged free transfers for anyone not willing to play on an APAC super-server. I love the bits about “preferred play-styles” and “best play experience”. My preferred play-style is with MINIMUM server lag. There were more than enough players on all three APAC servers to have regular WZ and Group Finder pops. This decision has finally killed the game for many of us.
Well it won’t make me rage quit but with 7 50s, I am running out of class quests anyway, so if the pings are annoying will probably drop to Preferred.
I really hope they reverse this decision.
I love the game but wont play on an oversea server. If you are all as incensed by this decision as I am please write something to this affect over at the swtor forum mentioned in the article above.
Fighting against a mindless giant like Bioware/EA might seem an uphill battle but I’d rather fight the decision with words in the right forum than lie down and let them steam roll over us.
Doc
Best solution would have involved several processes, including:
1. Merge the servers into one super server (desired by the community)
2. Offer transfers for those who’d rather be on NA servers (good Customer Service move)
3. Increase advertising in Oceanic regions to draw in new customers (gotta spend money to make money)
This is not the best solution, it is the most convenient solution. After surviving the Red Zone, staying subscribed through F2P and most my friends leaving, this continued policy of DECIDING what’s best for us instead of listening to what’s best leaves me rather sad about the apparent future of Bioware as a company.
*Disclaimer: The above post is entirely the poster’s opinion and has no relation to the site on which it is posted.
Double XP weekends to finish off my Agent and Sorc class quests then I’m done. Seriously BW call a spade a spade, this was not in the best interests of anyone but EA. We all know it was financially driven at least have the balls to say it rather than playing dumb and insulting and infuriating your player base. Our guild will probably dissolve in the move as our 2 main tanks (me being one) will be leaving.
There goes my character names. I’m not a regular player, but I pay the sub and I’ve spent quite a lot on cartel coins – that’s money they won’t be getting from me if the ping is crap.
The initial reason for us wanting a local super server is, it is local, servers run with optimum latency!
I’m a premium subscriber too, and it’s a big reason why I still play swtor. I don’t understand with all the funding bioware why they can’t come with a better idea!! Cross server group finders or pvp!!
If thier plan turns out worse in future in connection compared to what it is currently.
I’m leaving the game no questions asked…
It seems bioware have been dicking subscribed members, in favour of F2P
They so can make a server that combinds pvp, pve and RP. they should make a new preference button that keeps your flagged for pvp status as on or off. You should stay flagged for pvp even when logging off untill you turn the preference button off.