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The new trend in MMOGs seems to be that if a game has been around for a bit, it deserves to be immortalized in a collectible trading card game. With the recent launch of "Champions of the Force", Star Wars Galaxies joins the annals of paper warfare. The Ten Ton Hammer staff has the press release with all the info you've been looking for on the release of this trading card game, as well as some spiffy artwork and screenshots from the game for you to enjoy! Want more "Champions of the Force" goodness? Check out our exclusive interview with Darla Freeze, Associate Producer of SOE-Denver.

The First Release of the Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game, "Champions of the Force" Now Available

AUGUST 27, SAN FRANCISCO – LucasArts and Sony Online Entertainment announced today the launch of the Star Wars Galaxies™ Trading Card Game and its first release: Champions of the Force.

Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game: Champions of the Force marks the first ever Star Wars® trading card game offered exclusively online. Available to both current and former Star Wars Galaxies subscribers*, the Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game provides players an entirely new gameplay experience by combining the challenge of a trading card game with the adventures and community of the massively multiplayer game. For the first time online, players can:

• Choose between the light and dark sides of the Force and build their own Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game decks to fight virtual matches for the Rebel, Imperial, Jedi or Sith;
• Enhance their digital card decks with 15-card Booster Packs;
• Find more than 20 “loot” cards in the first release, Champions of the Force, that can be redeemed for fantastic virtual items for use within the Star Wars Galaxies massively multiplayer game for players with a Star Wars Galaxies account*;
• Challenge their skills in story-based solo-play or against other Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game players in epic one-on-one matches, cooperative Heroic Encounters, and official tournaments.

In addition, all Star Wars Galaxies subscribers with current, valid, paid accounts in good standing are eligible to automatically receive five digital trading card Booster Packs each month included with their paid Star Wars Galaxies subscription at no additional cost, providing a simple way for them to quickly and easily build their decks.

More than 250 unique virtual cards are available for players to collect in the Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game, all of which feature beautifully detailed original Star Wars¬ artwork depicting scenes from the story-based solo mode. In the story mode, players will battle through ten scenarios that revolve around an ancient Jedi holocron, the Codex of Tython, which players must work to reassemble and ultimately use against their enemies.

Anyone wishing to try the Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game: Champions of the Force can do so at no charge through a downloadable trial that includes limited access to a tutorial and practice games with a provided virtual Starter card deck.

The Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game: Champions of the Force may be also be accessed from inside Star Wars Galaxies, including trial participants while taking advantage of the Star Wars Galaxies 14-Day Trial. This trial, offered at no charge for up to two consecutive weeks, also includes all the content of the base game, Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided™ and its first expansion, Star Wars Galaxies: Jump to Lightspeed™. Available by download from www.StarWarsGalaxies.com, the 14-Day Trial gives players a chance to meet and fight with or against their favorite Star Wars characters as they explore this massive online universe filled with thousands of other Star Wars fans.

As a bonus for trying the Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game: Champions of the Force, players are eligible to receive a loot card that can be redeemed in Star Wars Galaxies for the choice of either a Rebel or Imperial flight suit*. Plus, becoming an active, current, paying Star Wars Galaxies subscriber, after trying the Trading Card Game, offers additional benefits including:

• One Starter Deck of their choice: Jedi, Rebel, Imperial or Sith;
• A Cybernetic Experience Chip, which gives a 20% experience point increase that can be used up to 50 times in Star Wars Galaxies when redeemed*;
• The complete third expansion, Star Wars Galaxies: Rage of the Wookiees™.

All current and former* Star Wars Galaxies subscribers with valid accounts in good standing are able to access and play the Star Wars Galaxies™ Trading Card Game and will be able to purchase additional booster packs and starter decks through Sony Online Entertainment’s Station Store at www.store.station.sony.com. As a thank you to players who make their first purchase of at least $9.99 of Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game products through the Station Store, they are also eligible to receive a one time bonus loot card, Han’s Hydrospanner, which gives a 20% increase on all experience points earned for one hour when redeemed in the Star Wars Galaxies MMO*. If the Star Wars Galaxies subscriber wants to redeem this loot card for a character that has already reached level 90, this loot card will grant the character one random collection item instead.

More information about the Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game and its first release, Champions of the Force, along with the game’s trial can be found at www.StarWarsGalaxies.com/tradingcardgame.

New Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game: "Champions of the Force" Screenshots: