A significant announcement emerged from the PlayStation Showcase back in September 2021, when Aspyr revealed plans to remake the iconic Knights of the Old Republic, a beloved RPG originally developed by BioWare in 2003. However, the journey of this ambitious project has been anything but smooth, resembling a series of unfortunate events that have left many in the gaming community both puzzled and amused.
Development Challenges
The project faced its first major hurdle in 2022 when it was declared “delayed indefinitely.” Following this, Sony began to erase any mention of the game from its social media platforms, leading to speculation about its fate. Embracer Group CEO Lars Wingefors notably avoided discussing the remake during a conference, treating it with a level of secrecy akin to that of a forbidden topic.
Despite these setbacks, there were signs of life approximately a year ago, although it became clear that the release would be postponed for at least another year. In a significant shift, the development responsibilities were transferred from Aspyr to Saber Interactive, a move that raised eyebrows and questions about the project’s direction.
Matthew Karch, CEO of Saber, confirmed that the KOTOR remake is indeed still in development within their studios. However, he indicated that the studio prefers to allow Disney to take the lead in communicating updates about the project.
Current Status
In a recent update on social media platform X, Saber’s Chief Creative Officer Tim Willits reiterated that “everything we have talked about is still in development.” He emphasized that the studio would only share information when they have something substantial to announce. This statement, however, suggests that there may not be any exciting news on the horizon just yet, leaving fans in a state of anticipation.
While the last few years have proven to be challenging for the KOTOR remake—and indeed for many associated with the Embracer Group—the situation has fostered a somewhat humorous tradition of annual reminders about the game’s ongoing existence. As a long-time fan, I find myself intrigued by how this saga will ultimately unfold. Personally, I have expressed a preference for a subtle remaster of the original KOTOR, complete with gamepad support and enhanced 4K resolutions, rather than a complete remake. Nevertheless, I remain open to whatever the developers have in store. After all, in the realm of KOTOR, there is no death—only the Force.
