How the first Star Wars: The Old Republic cinematic trailer changed everything

What were you doing 12 years ago? Chances are, if you’re reading this article now, you might have been re-watching the first Star Wars: The Old Republic cinematic trailer for the 100th time. The good news is, you can watch it 100 more times – now in the best quality it’s ever been.

The Star Wars: The Old Republic Twitter account announced this past weekend that it will celebrate 10 years of the game by re-releasing its series of cinematic trailers in 4K, the first of which debuted in 2009. The nostalgia is real. The quality? Almost perfection.

We’ve all seen 2009 video graphics. They were fine. But they weren’t ultra HD.

“Deceived” was released about 2 years before SWTOR launched in 2011. So when the trailer originally dropped, it left Star Wars fans potentially more excited for a game than they’d ever been. This wasn’t a Knights of the Old Republic remake or really like most of the video games released under the Star Wars brand at that point. It was an online experience players could share with friends and strangers alike. It had a KOTOR feel, but it was still new enough to spark interest.

But even more than that, the trailer gave fans a glimpse into the Old Republic they’d never seen before: the moment the Sith and Jedi went to war in great numbers. Cue the crashing ship. The lightsabers. The destruction.

Before this, a sea of red lightsabers igniting in the darkness wasn’t something we’d seen on-screen like this. The same way Attack of the Clones was the first time fans saw Jedi fighting in great numbers, this was a chance for everyone to see just how terrifying the Sith were when there were way, WAY more than just two.

Since its official launch in 2011, SWTOR has attracted thousands of players, released countless updates, and created a community of players who have stuck with the MMO/RPG game since the beginning. Why? Because the game managed to combine just the right amount of “old” and new Star Wars to appeal to a massive Star Wars audience. This is a Star Wars game that continues to update and change with the times. And as far as we know, it’s not going anywhere anytime soon.

It seems the key to a successful Star Wars project these days – ideally – is a mix of healthy nostalgia, familiar Star Wars elements, and enough new content to make it feel unique. Over the decades, Star Wars storytelling has changed as the world has, and if games like SWTOR keep up with this constant evolution, we’ll be seeing re-releases of these updated cinematic trailers leading up to the 20th launch anniversary.

Star Wars: The Old Republic is available to play online now.