In August this year, EA confirmed that it would be capping the number of Star Wars: The Old Republic copies available at launch through both retail and digital channels to ensure server stability.

　　The publisher announced it has already established what the exact number of copies sold will be, but it refused to make this figure public. Once this figure is reached, EA plans to cease selling Star Wars: The Old Republic while it expands server capacity and resume sales only after the player load is accommodated.

　　Aussie gamers will have to wait to swing a lightsaber.

　　Earlier this week, the publisher revealed the game will debut on December 20 in North America and December 22 in Europe, but it said no more about other territories.

　　However, it is now confirmed that Australia is not a launch country for the game, with EA telling GameSpot AU today:

　　"Star Wars: The Old Republic will be available at launch in the US, Canada, and 20 European countries including Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia (standard edition only), Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom."

　　EA would not comment on whether the game would be released Down Under before Christmas this year or whether Aussie users will have to wait until next year. EA also did not comment when asked if the decision to leave Australia out of the launch territories had to do with its aforementioned plan to ensure server stability at launch by capping the number of copies sold.

　　Aussie EB Games stores also seem to have no knowledge of when the game will launch in Australia and is advising customers to import copies of the game if they wish to play it at launch.