Star Wars KOTOR remake – everything we know so far
The Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake was first revealed in 2021, alongside a tantalizing teaser trailer. Though we’ve not heard much in the meantime, the game is still presumed to be in development.
A remake of BioWare’s original Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR) released way back in 2003, Saber Interactive and Lucasfilm games are working on a modern recreation of the original, presumably with enhanced visuals and maybe even with changes to the game’s mechanics.
The Star Wars: KOTOR takes place four millennia before the Star Wars films, in a period where the Galactic Republic and the Empire were two rival stellar powers in open conflict. Blazing a trail that would be crucial to the development of the Mass Effect and Dragon Age series, Star Wars: KOTOR featured a cast of memorable characters and a range of dramatic setpieces all while presenting the player with difficult moral choices.
Perhaps one of the most anticipated upcoming games of its kind, the Star Wars: KOTOR remake is set to stay true to the original story, placing it in contrast with the likes of Final Fantasy 7 Remake. Read on to find out everything we know about the anticipated RPG.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remake: cut to the chase
- What is it? A remake of the classic Star Wars RPG
- When is it coming out? TBC
- What can I play it on? PC and PS5 (as a timed console exclusive)
Star Wars KOTOR remake release date and platforms
A Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake release date hasn’t been confirmed yet. However, we don’t expect to get another look at this Star Wars RPG any time soon. The first developer Aspyr confirmed that the game was still in early development before its parent company Saber Interactive took over, so it seems unlikely to launch for a few more years.
The KOTOR remake will launch on PC and as a timed console exclusive on PS5. That means it will likely come to Xbox Series X|S after a short while, though an Xbox release date or window hasn’t been confirmed yet.
Knights of the Old Republic remake trailer
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake was officially announced at the PlayStation Showcase 2021, with a brief teaser trailer. The trailer, seen below, has the voice of Bastilla Shan, one of the recruitable characters in the original title, and shows off a pivotal character, Darth Revan.
We haven’t seen any more trailers since this first look, but if you want to keep your eye out for more, then check out PlayStation’s official Youtube channel.
Knights of the Old Republic remake story and setting
Set over 4,000 years before the events of the original Star Wars trilogy; the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake has you play as a Jedi fighting against the evil forces of Darth Malak, who has set out to destroy the Galactic Republic.
Unlike the Star Wars films where the Sith are skittering about in the shadows, the Sith of the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake have an empire of their own and are a force to be reckoned with.
It’s hard to overestimate just how big of a deal this game was upon its original release. The BioWare original game offered unparalleled choice when directing your characters’ story and personality. Like BioWare’s later games, the player was able to make numerous choices over the course of the game that would affect the trajectory of the story. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic was an impressively open take on the Star Wars universe, during a time when the franchise still felt like it had mysterious uncharted corners of lore to explore.
Knights of the Old Republic remake gameplay
The original Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic title was an RPG that saw players travel to different planets and choose various plot decisions that would slowly progress the narrative and allow you to collect either Light Side or Dark Side points. These points would eventually determine whether your character walked the path of the Dark Side or the Light Side, while also allowing access to certain powers.
We haven’t seen any footage for the remake yet, but players can expect it to stay largely similar to the original. “We’re rebuilding one of the greatest RPGs of all time for a new generation”, Aspyr’s Lead Producer, Ryan Treadwell, said in a PlayStation Blog post, “while maintaining the integrity of the story and characters that we’ve come to cherish”.
Knights of the Old Republic remake news
KOTOR Remake is still in development
As reported by Insider Gaming, Embracer Group revealed a quarterly report for Q4 (FY 2022-2023), which lists all games currently in active development. KOTOR Remake was listed, meaning that the game is indeed still being worked on in some capacity.
Who is making the Knights of the Old Republic Remake?
After what seemed like an indefinite pause in development under Aspyr, the parent organization Embracer Group has confirmed that Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remake will be under new management. Embracer wrote in a blog post that the change was made to “ensure the quality bar is where we need it to be for the title.”
The responsibility has now passed up the chain to Aspyr’s parent company Saber Interactive to complete the development of the RPG. Saber Interactive was already reportedly overseeing the production of KOTOR Remake, so this switch hopefully means that we won’t see a massive change in direction for this anticipated sci-fi title.
Check out our list of the very best Star Wars games while you wait for more news on KOTOR remake.