Regarding Bioware Austin, subsidiary of Electronic Arts Inc:
RE: Star Wars: The Old Republic Player-vs-Player (PvP) Server populations and future plans for said servers

The purpose of this petition is to address Bioware / EA’s limited communication / action regarding the population issues on the United States PvP servers (Prophecy of the Five, The Bastion, and Jung-Ma).

We, the SWTOR PvP-server community, would like to propose the following:

1. If it is feasible from a logistical (hardware) standpoint, we request that these (3) affected US servers be merged due to their similar game-play type and because they all share a similar population issue

2. If point #1 is not possible, we formally request that the remaining PvP communities on the (3) affected US servers NOT be merged with Player-vs-Environment (PvE) servers as a result of these population issues

3. We request that Bioware / EA communicate with the members of these affected US servers and explain any pending plans for correcting the population issues, whatever they may be

Over the last 4-6 months, we have witnessed a dramatic drop in the populations of our servers. This is due to a lot of factors: the implementation of reduced-rate transfers, Epic Story boost for subscribers, and the general vibe that “PvP servers are dead – roll on another server”…among other reasons. We, however, are still on these servers, and we feel like we are suffering for remaining where we choose to be. We feel that we are not paying for the same game experience that those on the PvE servers are getting. We would also like the almost-instant queue pops, the ease of finding a group if guild members are not available, and the choice to do what we want to do, not what the current population allows.

Having said that, we also feel that most (if not all) of these issues could be rectified by merging the PvP servers in the US. It is very likely, with the influx of new faces and more activity, that our new “mega-PvP” server could have a population which rivals the largest on the PvE side. A thriving community with this game type could attract those who have left because of said reasons above, it could draw new players who have shied away from the game because the PvP servers were suffering, and it could retain the ever wary members of the existing PvP communities who are on the fence because they do not know what their future will be.

Server merges seem to be the only way to go. Many guilds and players that have been questioned have clearly stated that, if Bioware / EA decide to bring PvP servers into PvE ones, they will leave the game. There are great deals of players who enjoy this form of play, where you are at risk all the time. They like the extra adrenaline rush of turning a corner and not knowing if someone from an opposite faction is going to be there. It is a fun way to play, and most of us feel like we’re being penalized for sticking with what we like.

Other considerations include guild assets. Even if a guild from one of these servers wanted to give up their game style, Bioware / EA does not give these communities a way to move their ships, strongholds, and banks…not to mention that their name may not be available on a new server. Guilds work extremely hard to purchase their ships / strongholds, but on top of that, it then takes weeks or months of time / money to completely outfit said establishments with their decorations, customizations, and the like. While this may sound like a minor annoyance, we do not feel that way due to the hours of time we all spend on building them up.

If there is a future plan which Bioware / EA has yet to share, now would be the time. The silence has been deafening, and we feel that is part of our frustration. The PvP servers are dying, and the desire to remain on a ghost town is causing our population to either leave or question where they want to be. However, there are currently enough people left on each of the (3) PvP servers that, if a merger were to happen, it could instantly create a thriving community once again…as it used to be. We would prefer to go back to enjoying the game, rather than worrying about whether a queue is going to pop or if we will be the only ones on our server on a given day.

Thank you for your consideration, and we eagerly anticipate your response to our concerns.

Regards,
SWTOR US PvP Servers