Star Wars Galaxies: Jump to Lightspeed, launched by Sony Online Entertainment on October 27, 2004, marked the initial expansion for the MMORPG Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided.
Players were, for the first time, given the opportunity to engage in space exploration and combat across ten distinct sectors. They could pilot over twenty different starship types from the era spanning Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope to Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back. These included well-known vessels like X-wings, TIE Fighters, and YT-1300s (the same class as the Millennium Falcon), alongside entirely new ships designed by the development team. The expansion introduced real-time space shooter mechanics, creating a unique blend with the existing turn-based ground combat. Jump to Lightspeed also brought a plethora of space-based missions and four new professions specific to space. Additionally, two new playable species were introduced: Sullustan and Ithorian. Space-based fighting was a key addition. Within the new Pilot sub-profession, characters could align with one of three factions: the Rebel, the Imperial, or the Freelance. The available sectors included the space surrounding the game's ten planets, in addition to Kessel and an area known as "Deep Space." Combat occurs in real-time, demanding quick reflexes akin to a first-person shooter, and players have the option to use a joystick. A new Artisan profession, called Shipwright, was also implemented. This profession allowed players to create ships, shields, armor, weapons, and more. Furthermore, Shipwrights could reverse engineer looted components found in space to produce superior items.
Currently, Jump to Lightspeed is automatically included during the game's installation, regardless of the specific version.
Previously, before its automatic inclusion with all game versions, Jump to Lightspeed was sold as a boxed set. Customers who pre-ordered the expansion received an exclusive, non-tradeable Flash Speeder as a player vehicle. Following the boxed set release, the expansion was later integrated into The Total Experience compilation.