BioWare and LucasArts announced today that the latest free game update for the award-winning MMO, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Game Update 1.3 – Allies, is available now. Allies delivers many of the game features the community has been asking for, including Group Finder, Ranked PvP Warzones, Adaptive Gear, new enhancements to the Legacy system and more.

Matthew Bromberg, General Manager of BioWare Austin said:

“We are living up to our commitment in setting a new bar for what players should expect from a premium MMO service. In just six months, we have already released three major game updates that have added new content and game features that have addressed the feedback from our fans. And we are just getting started. By the end of this year, we are adding more Warzones, more Flashpoints, more Operations, more updates to the Legacy System, new companions, new storylines and more. We are very excited about the future.”

Game Update 1.3 – Allies includes the following new features:

· Group Finder – will make it much easier for players to join up with others in the game. This feature allows you to connect with other players who want to tackle the same Flashpoint or Operation that you do while also ensuring the group is filled out with combat disciplines that complement each other. Together you’ll be better prepared to take on the more advanced challenges in the game.

· Ranked Warzones – make PvP more challenging and more rewarding. You can now create a group, compete in ranked warzones, and then track your personal performance and measure your skills against other players.

· Legacy Character Perks – perks give you the opportunity to customize the leveling experience for your Legacy characters. You can focus on the parts of the game you like best, whether that’s space combat, PvP,or Group Missions and Flashpoints, you can choose which activities earn the most experience. The perks give you other bonus opportunities as well, like piloting a vehicle at level 10, earning bonus affection with companions, and even being able to reallocate your skill points in the field.

· Adaptive Gear – allows you to wear your favorite social gear into combat while still enjoying the bonuses you receive from your best combat gear. We’ll almost certainly be seeing more eccentric-looking groups tackling high-level operations, but that’s part of the fun.

Star Wars: The Old Republic went live last December to critical acclaim around the world. Prior to today’s release of Allies, BioWare has already released two major free game updates. Game Update 1.1: Rise of the Rakghouls went live just one month after the launch of The Old Republicand introduced a new Flashpoint and the conclusion of the Karagga’s Palace Operation. Game Update 1.2: Legacy was one of the largest free content updates in the history of subscription MMOs, with a new Flashpoint, Operation, Warzone, new game features like the Legacy System and the game’s first live event, the “Rakghoul Outbreak.” Recently, BioWare has made character transfers available, seeing a huge engagement from the community as server populations become more balanced, improving the overall gameplay experience.