EA to launch Star Wars Galaxies in Japan

Publisher Electronic Arts' Japanese division has entered into an agreement with LucasArts which will see it launching the firm's massively multiplayer PC title Star Wars Galaxies in Japan this December.

LucasArts is set to fully localise the game for the Japanese market, while EA Japan will be handling all the operations of the title in that territory, including hosting and customer support.

The game, which was operated in North America by EverQuest publishers Sony Online Entertainment, will be shipped in Japan along with the Jump To Lightspeed expansion pack, in a move similar to Square Enix' decision to bundle existing expansion packs for free with Final Fantasy XI when it launched overseas.

The Jump To Lightspeed expansion adds space exploration to the game and will allow players to own their own ships; it is expected to arrive in North America this October.