Star Wars KOTOR Remake – Everything We Know So Far
While there isn’t much recent news about the game, we are working on it Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR) remake is underway. That said, since we haven’t seen any substantial updates since the short teaser released in 2021, it seems likely that the role-playing game (RPG) is still a ways off.
In the original KOTORPlay as a mysterious Force user who becomes embroiled in a war between the Galactic Republic and the sinister forces of Darth Malgus. If you’re lost, don’t worry, KOTOR takes place thousands of years before the Star Wars movies, an approach that gave the game much more room to maneuver when it came to telling its own unique story. With this freedom the original KOTOR could offer a story full of memorable characters, weighty moral choices, and fantastic set pieces.
The KOTOR remake comes courtesy of Saber Interactive, a US-based developer that until recently was owned by the Embracer Group – a Swedish media conglomerate. However, the original KOTOR was developed by BioWare, a veteran studio known for making some of the best RPGs and best story games. We’ve gathered all the information about the upcoming game to find out if Saber can live up to BioWare’s legacy. Read on to learn more and see our predictions.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remake: Cut to the point
- What is it? A remake of the classic Star Wars RPG
- When does it come out? TB
- What can I play it on? PS5 (timed console exclusive)]
- Who makes it? Saber interactive
Star Wars KOTOR Remake – What We Know So Far
A release date for the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake has not yet been confirmed. Given the lack of material available for the game from official sources, we don’t expect to get another look at this Star Wars RPG anytime soon. The original developer, Aspyr, confirmed that the game was still in early development before Saber Interactive took over, and now Saber has split from parent group Embracer and reportedly taken KOTOR with it.
Since the Embracer Group split earlier this year, Saber has confirmed that KOTOR Remake is still in development. No further details have been given.
However, we do know that the KOTOR remake will launch exclusively on PS5 as a timed console. That means it could be coming to Xbox Series
While you wait for more news, you can also take a look at our Star Wars Outlaws review, to see if the latest Star Wars gaming adventure is worth checking out.
Knights of the Old Republic remake trailer
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake was officially announced on the PlayStation Showcase 2021with a short teaser trailer. The trailer, seen below, features the voice of Bastilla Shan, one of the recruitable characters in the original title, and shows off a crucial villain from the story: Darth Revan.
In a strange turn of events, the trailer has since been removed from the official PlayStation YouTube channel, although it can still be accessed on other channels. It is unknown whether this reflects development issues or simply a whim of Sony’s media department.
We haven’t seen any trailers since this first look, but if you want to see more, check it out The official PlayStation YouTube channel.
Knights of the Old Republic remakes the story and setting
Set over 4,000 years before the films, with the Sith lurking in the shadows, the original game has you playing as a Force user caught in a war between the Galactic Republic and the evil forces of Darth Malak.
Unlike the Star Wars movies, the Sith of KOTOR have an empire of their own and are a force to be reckoned with, making them a much more concrete threat. The events of indeed KOTOR is set against the backdrop of an ongoing war, with the opening taking place in the aftermath of a battle with a Sith armada. It’s likely that the remake will follow a similar, if not identical, path.
It’s hard to overstate how influential this game was upon its original release. Before then, the BioWare-developed original offered unparalleled choice in directing your character’s story and personality. The player could make numerous decisions throughout the game that would affect the trajectory of the story, an innovation that would later influence the development of the story. Mass effect, Dragon Age, and a host of other later RPGs. KOTOR was an impressively open look at the Star Wars universe, released at a time when the franchise still felt like there were mysterious, uncharted corners of history to explore.
KOTOR is also known for its memorable companion characters. Each with their own goals and backstories, the RPG’s supporting cast is well-written and memorable. It will be exciting to see how Saber approaches the likes of the stoic Bastila Shan or the amusingly amoral HK-47.
Knights of the Old Republic Remake Gameplay: Will It Be Close to the Original?
The original Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic title was an RPG in which players traveled to different planets and chose different plot decisions that would slowly advance the story and allow you to collect Light Side or Dark Side points. These points would ultimately determine whether your character followed the path of the Dark Side or the Light Side, while also granting you access to certain powers.
We don’t know exactly how much Saber will follow the original KOTOR in the Remake, but it seems very likely that we will see the Light Side and Dark Side points return in some form, as this kind of duality is fundamental to the Star Wars setting.
Fight in the original KOTOR was a hybrid of traditional ‘computer role-playing game’ (CRPG) mechanics and more modern action-oriented offerings. Battles could be paused midway through to give you time to think, but the battles themselves would play out in real time. You can also queue up different attacks and techniques.
We haven’t seen any footage of the remake yet, but players can expect it to remain largely similar to the original. “We’re rebuilding one of the greatest RPGs of all time for a new generation,” said Aspyr’s lead producer, Ryan Treadwell, in a PlayStation blog post“while maintaining the integrity of the story and characters we have come to cherish”. That said, since the KOTOR remake is no longer in Aspyr’s hands, it’s not yet confirmed whether Saber will take a similar approach – although a stark departure from Treadwell’s goals seems unlikely.
Knights of the Old Republic remake news
Embracer group sells Saber Interactive studios and assets
Beacon Interactive, a holding company founded by Saber co-founder Matthew Karch, purchased Saber along with a series of subsidiary studios and ongoing projects, including the KOTOR remake. Given Embracer’s recent instability, this could mean good things for Saber and, by extension, for the remake.
KOTOR Trailer removed from Sony’s YouTube channel
The announcement trailer for Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic has been removed from Sony’s official YouTube channel. Saber Interactive and its then-parent company, Embracer Group, reportedly declined to comment on this move (via TheGamer), which fuels fears of the game getting stuck in the development area.
Who makes the Knights of the Old Republic Remake?
After what seemed like an indefinite pause in development under Aspyr, parent organization Embracer Group has confirmed Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remake will be under new management. Embracer wrote in one blog post that the change was made to “ensure the quality bar is where we need it for the title.”
Responsibility has now been passed to Aspyr’s parent company Saber Interactive to complete development of the RPG. Saber Interactive was reportedly already overseeing the production of KOTOR remakeso this move hopefully means we won’t see a huge change in direction for this anticipated sci-fi title.
