Japan-based electronic giant Sony, and American game developer LucasArts have decided to shut down the Star Wars Galaxies MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online) service and the related Trading Card Game.

Sony announced that this has been a tough decision for the company to take, although, no real reason has been stated for the decision.

The game’s servers will be stopped on December 15. The Trading Card Game service will also cease one month prior to its actual date of shut down. On October 15, all the paid subscriptions will also shut down. Sony, however, will let the current subscription holders play the MMO for free till December 15.

The Japanese company has begun by ending the long-term subscription plans which are of three, six and twelve months respectively. Same has been the story for the Trading Card Game service. The company will re-fund any user having a long-term plan within October 15.

Sony, however, has assured that the company is planning a “galaxy-ending” event in December, the details of which will be revealed in next few months, and has also promised that it will be a grand event where all the game subscribers will be expected.

Games like Free Realms, Ever Quest, Ever Quest II and DC Universe will be made free-for-play from October 15 to December 31. Sony will let users switch their accounts within this time.

BioWare’s Star Wars: The Old Republic, which is set for release later this year, will be expected to be a substitute for the game, the Geek reported.