Everything You Need To Know About The KOTOR Remake
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is one of the best, if not the best, Star Wars games ever made. Fans have been clamoring for more from the series since the release of the 2003 game and its later sequel. The Old Republic MMO which released in 2011 scratched that itch for a lot of fans, but it still wasn’t quite what fans wanted. Also, since the MMO’s launch, news has been silent concerning anything to do with Knights of the Old Republic. Rumors circulated for years that there would be a remake of the game, and some fans even started recreating it in Unreal Engine IV. However, nothing concrete had been announced, and with the Disney purchase of Lucasfilm and the de-canonizing of most of that story, it was uncertain if Revan would ever get to see fame in a game again until now. Last week's confirmation was seemingly given that a remake of KOTOR is in the works currently.
In a recent interview with MinnMax, Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier said,
“This is public at this point. I’ve basically confirmed that Aspyr, which is the company that has ported a bunch of KOTOR games, is working on it.”
Schreier’s statement was also backed up by Eurogamer who noted they had,
"Separately heard of Aspyr’s involvement, and that while the developer is known for often releasing straight ports, work is currently underway to make the project more of a remake instead.”
This is not far from a definite confirmation of the remake people were hoping for; it is the first time there have been enough plausible statements from reliable sources about the remake's existence. Combine that with the rumors that have been circulating for years about the remake's existence and the fan-mod of the game in Unreal Engine IV that was shut down for legal reasons, it is fairly solid evidence that something is coming down the pipeline for KOTOR fans.
For the uninformed, Knights of the Old Republic was a Star Wars game created by Bioware in 2003. It adapted Dungeons & Dragons' D20 system into a Star Wars world for the video game, and it helped create a massive RPG game set in the Star Wars universe roughly 4,000 years before the rise of the Galactic Empire. The game allows players to create a variety of characters with different classes and abilities. Players could take that character down either the light or dark side of the Force through a story that involves epic battles, a wide cast of varied characters, great Force abilities, numerous player choices, and galactic danger.
The remake has no concrete details as of yet, and there is no set release date at the moment. Aside from this loose confirmation attached to a studio name, there is not a lot known about the potential remake. However, since the news about the remake has gotten traction, more rumors have spread about the game. The newest rumor states that along with a graphical overhaul, the game will also update its gameplay style. According to the rumor, the remake will move from the original game’s real-time turn-based combat in favor of a more action-oriented RPG style. This has not been confirmed by any sources, however.
The story of Knights of the Old Republic and fan favorite character Darth Revan have been part of the Legends continuity for years. Bits and pieces of KOTOR have managed to crawl through the cracks to become canon. The events on Malachor are alluded to when the planet appears in Star Wars Rebels. The Rise of Skywalker: The Visual Dictionary says that the cultists who follow Darth Sidious are grouped into legions named after ancient Sith Lords. One of those legions is named after Darth Revan, thus officially bringing Darth Revan into the current Star Wars canon. Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy has also hinted at KOTOR projects in the past, so it would seem that Lucasfilm is tip-toeing its way into bringing Knights of the Old Republic into the current Star Wars canon. Needless to say, we will be excited about any KOTOR content we can get, and this remake will hopefully just be the start of so much more.
Source(s): Inverse