The small print on the Official Pre-Order page has been updated, to spill the beans on how early “early access” will be:
Here’s the relevant bit:
CUSTOMERS WHO PRE-ORDER STAR WARS™: THE OLD REPUBLIC™ WILL BE ABLE TO PLAY THE GAME BEFORE THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH. “EARLY GAME ACCESS†IS THE PERIOD OF TIME BEFORE THE OFFICIAL GAME LAUNCH WHEN PRE-ORDER CUSTOMERS MAY ACCESS THE GAME. EARLY GAME ACCESS MAY BE UP TO 5 DAYS. THE LENGTH OF YOUR EARLY GAME ACCESS DEPENDS ON THE DATE AND ORDER IN WHICH YOU REDEEMED YOUR PRE-ORDER CODE AT THE CODE REDEMPTION CENTER. SEE PRE-ORDER FAQ FOR MORE DETAILS.