EA has revealed that it will limit both retail and digital sales of BioWare's upcoming MMO, Star Wars: The Old Republic, at launch.
Speaking during a Gamescom presentation, the publisher said itself and BioWare have decided to forcefully limit all sales of the game in order to ensure a smooth launch with regards to server stability.

It's not uncommon for the launch-day rush to bring MMO servers to a crashing halt and with a game as widely anticipated as The Old Republic, EA's concern is understandable. The publisher says it would rather limit sales and ensure a quality service than sell as many copies as possible and have gamers endure the chaos that may ensue.

This means that, despite being available as a digital download, you will still have to worry about getting a copy before it sells out. EA refused to share numbers, but says retail copies will be limited and it will cut off digital sales at a set number at launch.

On the bright side, BioWare confirmed earlier this month that "there are no plans to 'region lock' or 'IP block' players from the game," essentially winking at Australian gamers who are not likely to see their release until after US and EU regions.
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/316181/ea-will-limit-star-wars-old-republic-digital/retail-sales-at-launch/