SWTOR: Perfect Launch- or- Left Out In The Cold?

It seems most blogs I read have something to say about SWTOR, either they got into the early release and they are singing the praises to the game or they are waiting around still, feeling rather dejected and left behind. There seems to be a lot of confusion and disappointment and I wonder if this really is the right way to go about things. Isn't part of a launch suppose to be the huge rush with friends and other players, the excitement of everyone being part of something huge? A one time event that you were either there for or you weren't, with your friends and the rest of the community.

Low populated servers for an early access release hardly sound exciting. Feeling left out doesn't sound so perfect either. Sure, most people will be happy to get in by the 20th or whenever it is they actually get in. They will be so glad they forget it all like a bad dream. How many will feel left behind though? Many of their friends and guild members already having moved on ahead of them. Is this really the smartest way to launch? It seems to me the company is so afraid of having queues or crashes that in the process they take the excitement away and do themselves an injustice, or is it just more hype for the SWTOR train pulling in? Choo-choo, all aboard- except you!

Is this really the right way to go about things? Is this a good foot to start off on? Isn't that what pre-ordering is partly about, getting everything prepared for the masses joining in, being ready. So you might have a few extra servers in the long run, you've already spent millions anyhow, why jade the big event? I'm not convinced this was the best execution.

Players don't like being left behind and 'gated'. People want to feel part of the community and share on the excitement. Not letting players knowing dates either and basically handing out a 'whenever we do, we do'... Well, isn't that more of the same stuff we already deal with? First impressions are everything. I thought things sounded odd when it was announced that there were 'limited' copies of the digital pre-order. You're limiting a digital item so you can have a controlled environment? So, maybe it was the early access being limited, because until last week they were still bombarding me with emails to pre-order.

I'm not here to down BioWare, I wish them the best of luck, I truly love the company but I don't think this is a launch I would have wanted to be part of especially as I read so many blogs focused on it this week. If I get it for Christmas then I get to skip it all anyhow, ha! As a kid I was a huge SW fan but the whole scene isn't as appealing for a MMO to me now. I wasn't really into SWG either though, so why would I all of a sudden want to play a new SW MMO?

The main reason I will play SWTOR is that it is by BioWare (<3). I enjoy the stories that unfold in their games, the companions and the general feel of their RPG games. I really love the BioWare games I play/have played and I know I will enjoy this one too. I'm not sure it will be what I want in an MMORPG but I will eventually join in and explore what this story has to offer.

May you all get in early access so early it knocks your socks off! Hope everyone has a great time at launch. For now I'm quite content playing my BioWare single player RPG games. /sits back with the popcorn