SWTOR

Star Wars Galaxies and SWTOR Solved the Same Fantasy in Completely Different Ways

Two armored Star Wars characters in a cinematic sci-fi setting used as a header image for an article comparing Star Wars Galaxies and SWTOR.

Every Star Wars MMO is secretly trying to answer one impossible question: How do you let players live in Star Wars? Not just visit it. Not just swing a lightsaber through a hallway while someone shouts about destiny. Actually live there. Star Wars Galaxies and Star Wars: The Old Republic both tried to solve that fantasy. They just came at it from completely different directions. One gave players a sandbox and said, “Go make a life.” The other gave players a story and said, “Go become someone.” Both answers worked. Both answers failed in places. And together, they explain why Star Wars MMOs still fascinate people years later. Star Wars Galaxies Made the Galaxy Feel Like a Place Star Wars Galaxies was not built around making every player feel like the main character. That was part of the magic. You could be a crafter. A dancer. A doctor. A scout….

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Star Wars Galaxies Was the MMO That Let Players Live in the Galaxy Before SWTOR

Star Wars Galaxies inspired header image showing a lightsaber duel in a natural landscape with title text about the MMO that came before SWTOR

On June 26, 2003, Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided launched in the United States. It did not arrive like a Death Star blast. It arrived carefully. Quietly, even. For a massive Star Wars MMO from LucasArts and Sony Online Entertainment, that was almost strange. This was not just another licensed game. This was the dream: a living online Star Wars galaxy where players could become smugglers, scouts, entertainers, medics, artisans, bounty hunters, rebels, Imperials, merchants, citizens, weirdos, and eventually, if the galaxy felt especially cruel, Jedi. Before Star Wars: The Old Republic gave players cinematic class stories and fully voiced BioWare drama, Star Wars Galaxies offered something different. A place. Not just a story to follow. A galaxy to live in. Galaxies Was Built on a Different Fantasy Most Star Wars games put the player near the center of history. You are the Jedi. The commando. The pilot. The…

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Before SWTOR Launched, Threat of Peace Started Building the Treaty That Broke the Galaxy

Header image showing Star Wars: The Old Republic Threat of Peace comic covers in a collage with title text about how the pre-launch comic built the treaty that broke the galaxy.

On June 19, 2009, Star Wars: The Old Republic was still more than two years away from launch. There were no guild arguments over loot yet. No flashpoint queues. No Sith Warriors dramatically threatening people in dialogue wheels. No one had spent 45 minutes in character creation trying to decide whether their Jedi looked noble or just tired. But SWTOR was already telling its story. That day marked the end of Threat of Peace Act 1: Treaty of Coruscant, the first act of the pre-launch webcomic that helped set the stage for BioWare’s Old Republic MMO. And looking back, it is hard to overstate how important that setup was. Because SWTOR was not built on a clean war. It was built on a bad peace. The Treaty of Coruscant Was SWTOR’s Original Wound The Treaty of Coruscant is one of the most important events in SWTOR’s entire backstory. The Sith…

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SWTOR’s Most Important Update Might Not Be Ryloth. It Might Be DirectX 12

SWTOR DirectX 12 header image showing a futuristic Old Republic scene with a holographic engine modernization interface.

Ryloth is exciting. Game Update 8.0 sounds like a proper next step for Star Wars: The Old Republic. A new planet, level 85, Dynamic Encounters, combat updates, and a fresh Operation will always get attention. But SWTOR’s most important future update might not be a planet. It might be DirectX 12. Not as flashy? Sure. Less likely to make a dramatic trailer with Sith staring into fog? Absolutely. But if we are talking about the long-term health of SWTOR, the move away from DirectX 9 could matter more than almost anything else on the roadmap. SWTOR Is Still Modernizing Under the Hood SWTOR’s technical team has explained that modernization remains a major priority for the game. Over the past few years, that has included visual updates, character refreshes, environment improvements, and the move to a 64-bit client. DirectX 12 is the next big technical mountain. And from the sound of…

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The Best Star Wars Games to Play With Friends in 2026: Co-Op, Multiplayer, Couch and Online Picks

Header image for a guide to the best Star Wars games to play with friends in 2026, featuring Battlefront II, SWTOR, LEGO Star Wars, Squadrons, and other multiplayer picks.

Some Star Wars games are perfect solo experiences. You sit alone, choose the dark side “just to see what happens,” and suddenly your Jedi has become a walking HR complaint with lightning hands. But Star Wars is also brilliant with friends. Sometimes that means online squads. Sometimes it means couch co-op. Sometimes it means MMO guild nights. Sometimes it means one person flying an X-wing directly into a Star Destroyer while insisting, very loudly, that “the controls are weird.” So if you are looking for the best Star Wars games to play with friends, this guide breaks down the strongest options in 2026. Not just the best Star Wars games overall. The best ones for co-op, multiplayer, couch chaos, online battles, long-term guilds, strategy nights, space dogfights, and friendship-ending hero picks. You can also explore the wider history of playable Star Wars in our Complete List of All Star Wars…

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After Legacy Reborn, SWTOR’s Real Future Might Be Ryloth

SWTOR 8.0 Ryloth header image showing the planet Ryloth in space for an article about the next era of Star Wars: The Old Republic.

Legacy Reborn may be the finale, but it is not the end of the road for Star Wars: The Old Republic. In fact, the most interesting thing about SWTOR right now might be what comes after the ancient Sith machinery, Darth Jadus, Darth Nul’s masterworks, Khar Shian, and everyone’s favorite galaxy-ending “please stop touching old Sith things” problem. Because Game Update 8.0 is already being positioned as the next era of SWTOR’s story. And the big headline is Ryloth. Ryloth Is a Smart Choice for SWTOR The official livestream recap for Game Update 7.9 revealed that 8.0 will introduce Ryloth, the Twi’lek homeworld, as a new planet with Dynamic Encounters. That is a very good pick. Ryloth has always had strong Star Wars identity. It is not just another rocky planet with dramatic lighting and a suspicious number of ruins. It carries history, occupation, resistance, culture, clan politics, and one…

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Before SWTOR Launched, Blood of the Empire Made the Sith Empire Feel Dangerous

Star Wars The Old Republic Blood of the Empire logo

On June 18, 2010, Star Wars: The Old Republic was still more than a year away from launch. Players had not yet rolled their first Sith Inquisitor. Nobody had rage-quit a flashpoint over loot. Nobody had spent too long choosing between two nearly identical robes because one had slightly better villain energy. But SWTOR was already building its world. That day marked the release of Blood of the Empire Act 2: The Broken World, the second chapter of the pre-launch webcomic that helped define what BioWare’s Old Republic era was going to feel like: political, brutal, ancient, and very comfortable with Sith making everyone’s day worse. This Was SWTOR Before SWTOR Before the MMO arrived, Blood of the Empire gave fans a taste of the Sith Empire from the inside. Not as a vague evil faction. Not as a faceless army of red lightsabers and dramatic robes. But as a…

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SWTOR’s Legacy Reborn Trailer Is Late, But It Still Makes the Sith Finale Look Dangerous

SWTOR Legacy Reborn launch trailer image featuring Darth Jadus and the Old Republic logo for an article about the Legacy of the Sith finale.

SWTOR has released a new launch trailer for Legacy Reborn, and yes, it is a little funny that the “launch trailer” arrived after many players have already launched themselves directly into ancient Sith trouble. But timing jokes aside, the trailer does something useful. It reminds everyone what Legacy Reborn is really about: Darth Jadus, Darth Nul’s masterworks, Khar Shian, Naga Sadow’s forgotten fortress, and the kind of Old Republic Sith nonsense that makes this game still feel uniquely valuable in Star Wars. You can watch the new Legacy Reborn launch trailer below: Jadus Is Back Where He Belongs: Making Everything Worse The trailer’s setup is simple and sharp. Darth Jadus has stolen the key to Darth Nul’s masterworks, and the race to Khar Shian has begun. That is a very SWTOR sentence. Most Star Wars stories would be content with “bad guy stole dangerous thing.” SWTOR, being SWTOR, turns that…

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SWTOR Is Finally Turning Darth Nul From Mystery Into Myth

Hooded futuristic warrior with glowing red-eyed mask

For years, Star Wars: The Old Republic has been at its best when it remembers that Sith lore should feel dangerous, ancient, and slightly like something nobody sane should have opened. Enter Darth Nul. Not just another red-lightsaber problem. Not just another name carved into some old ruin because the Sith apparently never met a wall they did not want to monologue on. Darth Nul has become one of SWTOR’s most interesting mysteries because she sits at the center of several things the game does unusually well: forgotten Sith history, dangerous relics, personal obsession, and the uncomfortable idea that some secrets should probably stay dead. Darth Nul Is More Than a Holocron The recent Legacy Reborn storyline puts Darth Nul’s holocron right at the heart of the chaos. Darth Jadus has stolen it. Heta Kol and the Hidden Chain have reconstructed Darth Nul’s ultimate machine on Khar Shian. Darth Malgus…

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SWTOR PvP Season 10 Is Asking Players to Grind for Honor Again

PvP Season 2 “Piercing the Veil”

SWTOR PvP players, it is time to return to the arena, pretend this match will be calm, and then immediately watch someone leap into chaos like credits are falling from the ceiling. PvP Season 10, Honor in Battle, is now live in Star Wars: The Old Republic, bringing a new reward track, new armor sets, decorations, titles, flairs, achievements, and vendor items. And because this is SWTOR PvP, the real question is not “are there rewards?” The real question is: how badly do you want them? The Honor in Battle Grind Is Live According to the official SWTOR update, Free-to-Play and Preferred players receive 4 Weekly Objectives, while Subscribers receive 6 Weekly Objectives after the weekly reset. All players can complete up to 4 objectives per week to progress the reward track. That keeps the structure simple enough. Play PvP. Complete objectives. Earn progress. Try not to type anything regrettable…

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SWTOR’s Next Galactic Seasons Week Is a Pretty Good Excuse to Log In

Sometimes Star Wars: The Old Republic does not need a massive update, a dramatic Sith prophecy, or a galaxy-shaking betrayal to pull players back in. Sometimes it just needs a weekly checklist that quietly says: “Go on. You know you want the Conquest points.” SWTOR’s Galactic Seasons 10, Secrets of the Syndicate, continues with Week 15 running from June 16 to June 22, and the latest objective list is actually a solid excuse to log in if your character has been parked in a stronghold pretending to be retired. According to the official SWTOR Galactic Seasons objectives post, Week 15 once again asks players to complete any 7 out of 11 weekly objectives, with the usual daily goal of earning 25,000 Personal Conquest Points across your Legacy. Altuur Zok Adon Gets the Spotlight This week’s companion-focused objective is built around Altuur zok Adon. Players can earn 200,000 Personal Conquest Points…

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SWTOR’s Swoop Rally Is Back, and the Galaxy Desperately Needs the Stupidity

Not everything in Star Wars: The Old Republic needs to be about ancient Sith threats, galactic war, emotional betrayal, or Darth Malgus standing around like the galaxy’s angriest motivational poster. Sometimes, the game just needs speed, explosions, and people making terrible transportation choices for entertainment. Good news: The All Worlds Ultimate Swoop Rally is back. According to the official SWTOR June 2026 in-game events schedule, the Swoop Rally runs from June 9 to June 16, beginning and ending at 12:00 PM GMT. The event is available for players level 20 and above, and sends swoop fans to Dantooine, Tatooine, and Onderon for one of the galaxy’s loudest excuses to ignore its many problems. What Is the All Worlds Ultimate Swoop Rally? The All Worlds Ultimate Swoop Rally is SWTOR’s big racing event, built around three swoop gangs: Horizon’s Razor, the Pit Screamers, and the Blatant Beks. Each gang brings its…

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SWTOR’s Republic Trooper Just Joined The Black Series, and That Actually Matters

Star Wars clone trooper action figure with blaster

The Old Republic refuses to stay buried. Hasbro has opened pre-orders for STAR WARS The Black Series Republic Trooper Gaming Greats, a 6-inch figure inspired by Star Wars: The Old Republic. On paper, it is another collectible. Nice box. Cool armor. Big blaster. Shelf space acquired. But for SWTOR fans, this one hits a little differently. Because every time The Old Republic gets new merchandise, it feels like a tiny reminder that this era of Star Wars still has weight. A Republic Trooper From SWTOR Gets the Gaming Greats Treatment According to the official Hasbro Pulse listing, the figure is part of The Black Series Gaming Greats line and is inspired by Star Wars: The Old Republic. It is listed as a 6-inch scale action figure with multiple points of articulation, a premium game-accurate sculpt, and a gaming-inspired blaster cannon accessory. In other words, this is not just a generic…

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SWTOR 7.9a Is Small, But These Are Exactly the Fixes Players Notice

SWTOR 7.9a header image showing an armored bounty hunter and another character aiming a blaster during a tense in-game scene.

Not every Star Wars: The Old Republic update needs to arrive with a new planet, a cinematic betrayal, and Darth Malgus looking dramatically annoyed in the corner. Sometimes, a good patch is just the one that fixes the weird stuff players have been grumbling about for days. That is basically the story with SWTOR Game Update 7.9a. It is not a huge content drop. It is not trying to reinvent the galaxy. It is a small bug-fix patch following the launch of Game Update 7.9 “Legacy Reborn,” and honestly, those can be some of the most welcome updates in an MMO. Because when a map is broken, a raid interaction refuses to behave, or your character’s feet decide to vanish inside a pair of boots, nobody cares how epic the story is supposed to be. They just want the game to stop acting like a cursed holocron. What SWTOR 7.9a…

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On This Day: The Lost Suns #1 Expanded SWTOR’s Galaxy

Star Wars: The Old Republic - The Lost Suns #1 comic-inspired header image featuring Theron Shan and Old Republic-era spy drama.

On June 8, 2011, Star Wars: The Old Republic – The Lost Suns #1 arrived in comic shops and quietly did something very important for SWTOR. It made the galaxy feel bigger before the game had even fully launched. Written by Alexander Freed, with art by Dave Ross, The Lost Suns was not just another tie-in comic drifting around the edge of a marketing campaign. SWTOR’s own 2011 coverage described it as a story that tied directly into Star Wars: The Old Republic, with events beginning around the same time as the game. That matters. Because The Lost Suns was not simply explaining lore. It was building the mood of the era. Theron Shan Steps Into the Spotlight The series follows Theron Shan, a Republic spy with one of the most complicated family trees in the galaxy. He is the son of Jedi Grand Master Satele Shan, descended from the…

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SWTOR 7.9 Patch Notes Fix the Small Stuff Players Actually Notice

SWTOR 7.9 Patch Notes header image featuring Darth Malgus-style artwork with purple lighting and title text about small fixes players notice.

Big story updates get the headlines. Patch-note housekeeping gets the quiet nod from players who just want the game to stop being weird in tiny, annoying ways. That is where Star Wars: The Old Republic Game Update 7.9, Legacy Reborn, does some useful work. Yes, 7.9 brings the finale of Legacy of the Sith. Yes, PvP Season 10 is here. Yes, there are new Cartel Market items and Dantooine updates. But buried in the official SWTOR Game Update 7.9 patch notes are the kinds of fixes players tend to notice during normal play. Not glamorous. Very welcome. PvP Gets Some Cleaner Navigation A few PvP Season interface issues have been cleaned up, which is good news for anyone who likes their reward tracking to behave like it understands its one job. Clicking PvP tracked objectives now correctly sends players to the objectives tab in the PvP Season window. The “Open”…

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SWTOR’s June 2026 Events Bring Swoop Racing and Rakghoul Panic

SWTOR In-Game Events for January 2024

June in Star Wars: The Old Republic is giving players two very different reasons to log in: high-speed swoop chaos and a fresh outbreak of the Rakghoul plague. Broadsword has posted the official SWTOR in-game events for June 2026, confirming that the month will feature The All Worlds Ultimate Swoop Rally and Rakghoul Resurgence on Corellia. So yes, June is basically engines first, plague later. The All Worlds Ultimate Swoop Rally Returns The All Worlds Ultimate Swoop Rally runs from June 9 to June 16, beginning and ending at 12:00PM GMT. Players need to be level 20 or higher to join in. The event sends swoop fans and riders across Dantooine, Tatooine, and Onderon for challenge courses, gang rivalries, big jumps, and the kind of reckless speed that would make any sensible insurance droid shut down immediately. Featured rewards include swoop rally mounts, swoop gang outfits, promotion droid mini-pets, stronghold…

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SWTOR Update 7.9 Adds Mandalorian and Grogu-Inspired Cartel Market Items

This armor set comes with two chestpieces, one with the backpack and the other without

SWTOR is leaning straight into the Mandalorian and Grogu hype with Game Update 7.9, Legacy Reborn. Broadsword has revealed the next batch of Cartel Market additions, and the headline is clear: new items inspired by Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu are coming to Star Wars: The Old Republic. The official Cartel Market Additions: Game Update 7.9 post confirms several new cosmetic items tied to the film, alongside weapons connected to the new Legacy Reborn story. In other words, SWTOR is doing what SWTOR does best: taking the wider Star Wars moment and turning it into fashion, weapons, and very serious outfit planning. The Tundra Enforcer Armor Set Leads the Drop The main film-inspired armor addition is the Tundra Enforcer Armor Set. The set comes with two chestpieces, one with a backpack and one without, which is exactly the kind of small customization detail SWTOR players notice immediately. Half the…

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SWTOR’s Last Road to Khar Shian Makes the Legacy Reborn Finale Feel Personal

SWTOR Legacy Reborn loading screen featuring Darth Malgus, Shae Vizla, Nerva, and key characters before the Khar Shian finale

The road to Khar Shian is apparently paved with bad plans, old grudges, and one Sith Lord who absolutely refuses to make things easy. BioWare and Broadsword have released a new official Star Wars: The Old Republic short story, Last Road to Khar Shian, setting the mood for the upcoming Legacy Reborn finale. And while the title points toward Khar Shian, the real focus here is not just the destination. It is the people trapped on the way there. Shae Vizla, Darth Malgus, and Nerva are all moving toward the same nightmare, but this story makes one thing very clear: nobody on this shuttle is comfortable with the arrangement. Which, for SWTOR, usually means something interesting is about to explode. Shae Vizla Is Carrying More Than a Mission Shae Vizla has never been a character built for hesitation. She is a fighter, a leader, and someone who has spent a…

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SWTOR Adds Age Verification for Players in Brazil

SWTOR age verification screen with Brazil-themed holographic interface for Brazilian players

Star Wars: The Old Republic is getting a small but important account change for players in Brazil. According to the official SWTOR update, EA is working to comply with Brazil’s Digital ECA Law, which is affecting features and services across EA titles. That now includes SWTOR. Starting May 28, players located in Brazil who have not yet verified their age will be prompted to log in to their SWTOR account page and complete an age verification process. What Changes for Brazilian Players? The key part is simple: players in Brazil who do not meet the age requirements will not be able to play the game or make purchases through the SWTOR website. This follows a similar compliance pattern we saw with Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes, where underage players in Brazil recently had chat disabled as part of a server update. SWTOR’s change is broader, because it affects access to…

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SWTOR’s Forgotten Fortress Is Exactly the Sith Weirdness We Needed

Dark Sith fortress corridor with chains, lanterns, and title text for SWTOR’s Forgotten Fortress article

Star Wars: The Old Republic is going back to the kind of place SWTOR does better than almost anyone else: a frozen Sith ruin full of ancient bad decisions. The latest spotlight around The Dark Lord’s Forgotten Fortress points players back toward Khar Shian, the icy moon tied to the legendary Sith Lord Naga Sadow. Before the Great Hyperspace War, this was where Sadow shaped a fortress, plotted galactic domination, and generally behaved like a Sith Lord with access to architecture, ambition, and absolutely no healthy hobbies. Now, in SWTOR’s upcoming Game Update 7.9: Legacy Reborn, those ruins are about to matter again. And honestly, this is exactly the kind of deep-cut Sith history that makes The Old Republic still feel like its own corner of Star Wars. Khar Shian Brings the Old Darkness Back According to the official SWTOR Game Update 7.9 livestream recap, Legacy Reborn brings the current…

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SWTOR Bounty Contract Week Returns Next Week

The galaxy is about to reopen its most respectable excuse for legally questionable bounty hunting. Bounty Contract Week returns to Star Wars: The Old Republic from May 26 to June 2, giving players another chance to sign up with the Bounty Brokers Association and chase targets across the galaxy for credits, reputation, weapons, armor, mounts, and the warm inner glow of making someone else’s problem disappear. Professionally, of course. According to the official SWTOR May 2026 in-game events calendar, the event begins and ends at 12:00 PM GMT and is open to players at level 15 and above. Time to Dust Off the Contract List Bounty Contract Week is one of SWTOR’s most straightforward recurring events, and that is part of why it still works. You pick up contracts from the Bounty Brokers Association, track down your target, gather intel, confront the problem, and decide whether you want the job…

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SWTOR Double XP Ends Tomorrow, So This Is Your Last Alt Warning

SWTOR: The Legacy Continues with New Music for Heta Kol and the Duel

This is it. The final stretch. The dramatic last-minute montage where your abandoned SWTOR alt stares at the login screen and wonders if today is finally the day. According to SWTOR’s official May 2026 event schedule, the current Double XP Event ends on May 22 at 12:00PM GMT. That means the easy leveling window is almost closed, and the ancient player ritual of saying “I’ll level that character later” is about to become legally invalid. Later is now. Sorry. The calendar has spoken. Double XP Is Still the Best Excuse to Log In SWTOR’s Double XP event is not complicated, which is exactly why it works. You log in.You pick the alt you have neglected since 2021.You start doing story missions, heroics, flashpoints, PvP, Galactic Starfighter, or whatever path causes the least emotional damage. The event is especially useful if you have been meaning to replay a class story, prepare…

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SWTOR Double XP Ends May 22, So Stop Pretending You’ll Level Later

SWTOR character standing in front of a fiery explosion with headline text reminding players that Double XP ends May 22.

There are two kinds of Star Wars: The Old Republic players. The ones using Double XP to level alts right now, and the ones confidently lying to themselves that they will “probably get around to it later.” Well, later is getting very small. SWTOR’s current Double XP Event runs until May 22 at 12:00PM GMT, according to the official May 2026 in-game events schedule from Broadsword. That gives players a final window to push characters, clean up class stories, grind Legacy progress, or finally level that alt they created during a moment of heroic optimism in 2021. We believe in you. Mostly. Double XP Is Still the Best Alt Excuse Double XP in SWTOR is not complicated, which is exactly why it is useful. More XP means faster leveling, quicker class story progress, easier catch-up, and fewer excuses for leaving half your character roster stranded somewhere between “great concept” and…

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