Near the end of the Thursday panel that included representatives from Microsoft, LucasArts and Terminal Reality who were working on the game, due for the Xbox 360 this holiday, R2-D2 made an entrance to massive applause rolling into the room. Microsoft, LucasArts and developer Terminal Reality also announced that the game will include a podracing campaign. Also on the receiving end of the crowd's adoration: a new Xbox 360 with R2-D2-styled coloring and a C3P0-emblazoned controller. And fans oohed and aahed when they were told that the console emits R2-D2 beeps and tweets when it is turned on and the disc tray opens. Panelists at Comic-Con should have seen it coming: of course they were going to be upstaged by the droids. "Early on we came up with the idea that you were a Jedi and these were your droids in the living room," said Microsoft's Richard Hanks.

  First, in case you haven’t heard, the game is available for pre-order NOW, and as a special pre-order bonus, Bioware will give you both an exclusive lightsaber crystal and they promise that as soon as it launches people will be invited to play... And a special VIP opportunity to play through some of the game. I also got a chance to sit down and play this bad boy for almost 40 minutes, engaging in a PvP “flashpoint” battle on Alderaan, the point of which is to capture three separate cannons, which then fire on orbital spaceships. Let me tell you, I had 0 interest in playing I got stuck playing a Republic Smuggler in the Gunslinger build. This PvP was not only beautifully conceived and perfectly balanced but incredibly fun.