LucasArts and Electronic Arts have announced that their upcoming MMORPG, Star Wars: The Old Republic, is officially launching in 2011. Electronic Arts will be taking over most of the marketing and distribution duties.

The Old Republic will be developer BioWare's first entry into the world of MMORPGs, and the company hopes to bring an extra dose of storytelling to the genre. Players will be able to choose from a variety of races and professions, and can be aligned with either the Light or Dark side of the Force. For those who are interested in making this conflict more personal, here is a recent preview of a player versus player warzone area: