It seems a large number of players are having issues with logging into the game today. There are several reasons this might be happening but the most common is that you have not set up a subscription on your swtor account properly. For those of you getting the error “no active subscription” or that your “account requires additional activation steps before you can log in” that probably means you did not complete the setup of your account properly. The proper steps to set up your account for play (now that the early access and grace period are over) are:
 

1. Complete your contact information
2. Create/setup three to five security questions on your swtor.com account page
3. Redeem an official Game Product Registration Code (you got the code when you bought the game – on the box or in the email if digital copy)
4. Sign up for a subscription! (you will have to enter your credit card number and choose a subscription plan. you will NOT be charged until the first 30 days are up. This is standard procedure for all subscription based MMORPG games)

 
All of these can be completed at the “My Account” page on swtor.com. Be warned that it seems a lot of people did not read the instructions when they were setting up their account and now a lot of them are trying to log into their account and do the steps above. If you are greeted by a page that asks politely to wait until you log in, just wait for a few minutes and you will be able to log in. I tried it and it really is about a one minute wait.
 
Your account should look like this once you do all the steps above:
 

 
If you are still having problems please check out these official sources for possible solutions
Facebook Q&A page
swtor.com blog entry on Activating your account

There was a great disturbance in the Force. It is as if hundreds of thousands gamers sighed in relief and clicked on the Login button!
 
The day has finaly come and EVERYONE that applied for the SWTOR beta will get to experience it. So far things are doing alright. There are a ton of servers available (as you can see from the image above). Please keep in mind that the purpose of this test is to STRESS Test the severs and not to provide you with an enjoyable gaming experience. I am starting this post in order to keep you updated about any issues that might arise and any possible solutions to these problems. Here’s a first couple:

• There is an official Launcher Troubleshooting Guide available on the official forums http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=65403
• If your play button is grayed out please double check your email, your start date and time is likely tomorrow and not today.
• We’re continuing to bring up more EU servers; another EN one going up soon.
• If you are unable to load characters from a previous Weekend Test we recommend you create a new character at this time. Thanks!
• Official SWTOR: We have now opened 3 more EU servers! We thank you as you continue to #TestSWTOR.
• Rockjaw: If you are unable to see a server list, you probably need to re-allow SWTOR via Windows Firewall. Known issue we’re fixing.
• Rockjaw: European folk: Yes there will be more EU servers, specifically English. Remember we’re trying to stress-test this weekend.
• Rockjaw: Anyone with questions about servers: these are not the final numbers or distribution.
• It takes a while for the game to load and start. Do not panic if you are “stuck” on a single screen or nothing is happening when you click the Login button on the launcher. However, waiting for more than 5-10 minutes probably means something is wrong
• Doctordake: This must be like what an Air Traffic Control center feels like. Or a newsroom command center. Or an MMO Live team.

 
If you are like me and woke up to find a couple of emails from EA/Bioware mentioning SWTOR game testing – do not get your hopes up. There has been a mistake in the Bioware offices last night and a huge number of emails were sent to swtor.com members. One of the emails asked people to take a survey about their game testing experience (as if you are a participant) and the second email thanked you for your participation in game testing and offered to pre-order the game. Both of these were not intended for all the recipiants and were sent to a much larger group than they should have. Just a human error. So, no – you did not somehow miss your game testing invite email. This was just a honest mistake. As always, the best way to see if you are a tester or not is to log into www.swtor.com and check www.swtor.com/tester page. Here’s the official statement:

Earlier today, two e-mails were sent to members of the Star Wars: The Old Republic community. These e-mails were sent to a larger group than intended, and have caused some confusion in the community. We can confirm that these e-mails were from EA and BioWare and apologize for any confusion they have caused. Please note that receiving these e-mails does not affect your chances to be invited to test the game. Thank you all for your understanding!

 

 
Am I the only one that cried a little inside when I realized the emails were an error?