Star Wars: The Old Republic's Update 7.1 Launches Next Week, Adds New Story, Zone, NPCs, Gear, And Improvements

Bioware recently wrapped up their live stream for Star Wars: The Old Republic, giving players a look at what's coming in Update 7.1 on August 2. Titled "Digging Deeper," the content patch will add a new zone, story questlines, unique NPCs, higher-tiered gear, and improvements to the game.

Even though soon-to-be-former Creative Director Charles Boyd will depart the studio after Update 7.1, he kicked off the live stream and discussed briefly what major additions were coming with the patch. Players will go through two story questlines, "Digging Deeper" and the R-4 Anomaly, each storyline headed by Narrative Director Ashley Ruhl and Lead Writer Caitlin Sullivan Kelly.

“Digging Deeper” is a short story update where players will uncover clues following Malgus’ attack on Darth Nul’s temple, as well as the fate of Sa’har Kateen, the Jedi Padawan he dueled in the ancient ruins of Elom.

— The Old Republic (@SWTOR) July 28, 2022

"Digging Deeper" is a short update where players will uncover clues following Malgus's attack on Darth Nul's temple, eventually learning the fate of Sa'har Kateen, the Jedi Padawan he dueled in Elom. The R-4 Anomaly is group-friendly story content focused on fighting an obscure Sith cult. A team of eight players can group up and battle through the content with four new bosses in Story and Veteran Mode.

Heading to SWTOR is also a new zone, Manaan Daily Area, where some of the upcoming story beats and NPCs will reside. Manaan will be a helpful foothold for players looking to expand their faction's influence. Republic ambassador Minn Ishkah of the Republic Diplomatic Corps and Sith Intelligence officer Qrukk are two new faces players will encounter alongside others.

Additionally, higher item-level gear is on the way and the devs are bringing back mods for endgame itemization. The new UI/UX improvements in 7.1 will also add some visual clarity to enemy mechanics and adjust the look of the Outfitter feature.

You can watch the live stream VOD on Twitch if you're interested in learning more!