BioWare brought their MMORPG Star Wars: The Old Republic with them to New York Comic Con. At the convention they unveiled a new gameplay trailer entitled "Signs of War."

The Old Republic begins in the wake of the Sith Empire and Galactic Republic signing a peace treaty. The Empire sacked the Republic's capital of Coruscant during the peace negotiations, forcing the Republic to accept very unfavorable terms. Needless to say, their truce is an uneasy one.

The trailer examines the small-scale conflicts that have broken out between the Empire and Republic throughout the galaxy. For example, Balmorra is an independent world coveted by the Empire for its weapon manufacturing capabilities. They're struggling to keep the planet under control, though, because the Republic is aiding the local resistance fighters.

Players can join either side of the showdown when the Old Republic launches later this year. The game is set to be released on December 20th in North America and on the 22nd in Europe. Pre-order customers will get >early access.