Star Warsis seemingly in a new renaissance. Games and other extended media like the variousDisney+ showshave been more popular ever, meeting both critical and fan standards in a big way. One rumored project that’s drawn a lot of attention online has been a potential remake ofKnights of the Old Republic. The original and its sequel still sit amongst the most popular games the franchise has ever created, and the current climate could not be better for a remake. That being said, the window for an official announcement of aKOTORis getting smaller so it might be the perfect time for the game to make an appearance.
One of the biggest news to come forStar Warsgames in recent memory has been the expiration of EA’s exclusive license to the franchise. This means that for the first time in a decade, other publishers will be able to take a shot at adapting the classic sci-fi series. Notably, aUbisoft-madeStar Warsgamewas announced, albeit without much detail. This was surprising not so much in and of itself, but because it came before any mention ofJedi: Fallen Order 2. The latter will be the follow-up to the most critically laudedStar Warsgame sinceKOTOR. So, if EA really wants to end its exclusivity on a strong note, theKOTORremake could be its best bet.
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Now Might Be the Best Time to Announce the KOTOR Remake
Games likeStar Wars Jedi: Fallen Orderhave done a lot to inspire confidence in what can come from single-playerStar Warsgames in the modern era. The game was lauded for blending a level of production that felt on par with many of the franchise’s major releases with gameplay that fit into the modern space. Not shying away fromthe brutal difficulty of the Soulsborne format while embracing the character-driven story of theKOTORfranchise proved very successful. But the future ofStar Warsgames is likely looking to embrace all of its fans.
Remakes and remasters are inarguably popular right now. A mix of nostalgia and modern game mechanics and expectations about graphical fidelity has come together in recent years. AKOTORremake would be coming in the wake ofsuccessful projects likeFF7 Remake,which proved that old-school mechanics can be updated to modern expectations of what an action RPG should look like.FF7 Remakesits as a shining example of what theKOTORremake could achieve. Many classic fans will be reticent about any changes to the turn-based mechanics thatKOTORexemplified. But modern remakes and remasters have shown that satisfying even the most veteran fans is definitely possible.
With a slew ofStar Warsgames unconfirmed, but likely on the way after the loss of EA’s exclusivity, now is likely a great time to announce such a prestigious remake. It’s unlikely that EA doesn’t appreciate how lucrative theStar Warsbrand can be, so it should aspire to go out with a bang. Excitement aboutJedi: Fallen Order 2is already very high, but closing out with a project as prestigious as aKOTORremake could help cement EA as the premier publisher forStar Warscontent. The current gaming climate is very amenable to quality remakes of classic IPs asFF7 Remakeand other projects have shown. EA would be wise to go ahead and announce such a lofty project sooner rather than later. Again this is all based on whether the rumors about aKOTORremake are true or not. But if they are true, EA might do themselves a big favor by announcing theKnights of the Old Republicremake soon, because now might be the best possible time.
AKnights of the Old Republicremake is rumored to be in development.
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