Star Wars: The Old Republic Update 1.5 Released

Star Wars: The Old Republic hasn't been in the news much the last few weeks, but that hasn't stopped BioWare from unleashing their long-planned 1.5 update for the game. Most notably, it adds genuine free-to-play gameplay as an option, instead of the previous extended demo, as well as HK-51, last seen in Knights of the Old Republic II, as a companion character.
With this Game Update, we are extremely proud to bring you the re-imagination of one of our favorite characters from the universe of the Old Republic. BioWare has a long history of memorable companion characters, not the least of which is HK-47. With the release of Game Update 1.5, all players will have access to the newest model of this infamous Assassin Droid HK-51. You begin your adventure to find HK-51 in the new mission area called Section X and must complete a set of compelling missions to ultimately unlock HK-51 for use as a fully featured companion character.

Additionally, we are introducing a brand new mission area called Section X, where players can find daily challenges to satiate their appetite for more adventure. In Game Update 1.5 we will also be adding Nightmare Mode for Operation: Explosive Conflict that will certainly give our end game players something to puzzle over for a while.

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Last, but certainly not least, our Free-to-Play option has arrived! For players who want to experience the dynamic world of Star Wars: The Old Republic without committing to a monthly fee, there is a truly viable option to experience all of the incredible content the game has to offer. Free-to-Play players can now play all eight classes up to level 50 without committing to a monthly fee. We also now have our Cartel Market up and running so players can purchase unique items like the Gamorrean Axe or Cartel Packs that hold fantastic treasures such as the Kowakian Monkey Lizard and the Overlord's Command Throne, in addition to allowing Free-to-Play folks the opportunity to purchase unlocks for Free-to-Play restrictions.
One has to wonder how he's back considering canonically the droid factory was destroyed in the previous game, and the mission to capture the Exile kind of ended, well, badly. I know I'll be taking a look at the update shortly to see what's new.