As one Star Wars MMO rises, the old one falls.  With Star Wars: The Old Republic due out in the near future, Sony Online Entertainment and LucasArts announced that they will end all service to the aging MMO Star Wars Galaxies on December 15, 2011.  The game will see a scaled rollback of all of its services, beginning with an end to the pre-paid subscription packs this weekend.  In September, you will no longer be allowed to buy the game and further, account creation or restoration will be cut off.  In October, all billing will stop, but as a thank you to fans, registered members will get access to a series of free game trials which will run through the end of the year.

Finally, in December, it all comes to an end.  On December 15 this year, when the Star Wars Galaxies service ends, Sony and LucasArts have announced that it will end "with a bang with a galaxy-ending in-game event."  Here is to hoping it is rewarding to all those players who stuck with the game for all these years.

While not announced as the specific reason, one can't help but wonder if Sony's hand was forced by The Old Republic.  At least now the Galaxies players wont have to choose between their eight year old or their potential Old Republic newborn anymore.