New updates, new designers and a sad note

There's been a lot of news this past week for Star Wars Galaxies. Starting with last week's Friday Feature, looking in-depth at the coming Battle for Echo Base. Chapter 11 will feature an amazing encounter on the frozen planet of Hoth!

Become a part of a landmark battle in Chapter 11: The Battle of Echo Base! Fight for the Galactic Empire or the Rebel Alliance on the icy fields of Hoth in a Star Wars Galaxies experience unlike any other. This breathtaking heroic encounter puts you at the controls of a Rebel snowspeeder or an Imperial AT-ST as you and your friends jump into the fray at Echo Base.

In personnel news, Thomas "Blixtev" Blair will be stepping down as Lead Designer to take a position over at DC Universe Online. He will be replaced by Jesse "Loche" Benjamin, the current Assistant Lead Designer.

I will miss all of you fans who have devoted the majority of their after hours to SWG. Your continued support of this project is an amazing thing to be a part of and I will miss being involved with you all on a daily basis (even a middle of the night posting spree).

As a team the SWG Developers truly are a squad of ARC troopers, highly trained, elite and dedicated to accomplishing any mission. I hand that squad off to a very capable Loche, who will continue to entertain and immerse you in the Star Wars Universe.

Also, there is a sad note in the Star Wars Galaxies Community. Jeff Freeman, a former member of the team who many saw as heavily involved in the unpopular "New Game Enhancements", took his own life last week at the age of 39. He is survived by his wife, two sons and step-daughter. While some might think this was induced by the flames of the community, the family urges gamers not to take the blame on themselves.

"I want everyone to know that it was not SWG that lead him to take his life," added Archer on the forum. "He has been troubled for sometime. There were [a lot] of personal issues that tore at him. Regardless of how SWG turned out, we must admit that many of the great things we enjoyed about [the pre-combat update game] was because of his work."

Regardless of the reasons, we here at Ten Ton Hammer feel sympathy for Mr. Freeman and his family. We wish there was something more that could have been done to help him in his troubled time.

For more information about the Battle of Echo Base, please check the Star Wars Galaxies official site.

For more informaiton about the changing of the guard at Lead Designer, please check out the Offical SWG Forums.