Development on the troubled Star Wars: KOTOR Remake looks set to continue soon after reports claimed that developer Saber Interactive will split from Embracer Group. The developer will become a privately owned company and plans to continue the game’s development once the deal is complete.

Saber Interactive may get help from other studios on Star Wars: KOTOR Remake

Saber Interactive is set to be sold to a group of private investors in a deal worth up to $500 million according to sources who spoke to Bloomberg. This figure would also allow Saber Interactive to take multiple Embracer subsidiaries alongside them to help with the development of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remake.

While part of Embracer Group, several other companies have already been merged into Saber Interactive; these include Demiurge Studios and New World Interactive. However, the sources did not specify which companies could be leaving Embracer alongside Saber.

The deal will be part of cost-cutting measures at Embracer Group following a failed $2 billion investment from a gaming group associated with Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund. This triggered a spate of layoffs and game cancelations.

Star Wars: KOTOR Remake was rumored to be one of those canceled games. Originally in development at Aspyr Media, development seemed steady until a vertical slice demo of the game was shown to Lucasfilm and Sony. Initial reports suggested both companies were happy with the game’s progress, but then Aspyr’s design director and art director were fired shortly after.

The game was delayed indefinitely before development was transferred to Saber Interactive, who had been assisting Aspyr Media with the remake. Rumors suggested development had ceased completely, although Embracer has always refused to confirm whether these rumors were true. The split from Embracer means Star Wars: KOTOR Remake development finally gets a chance to be completed.

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Development on Star Wars: KOTOR Remake has seemingly ground to a halt at all of Embracer Group’s studios. This likely spells cancellation, according to the latest reports.

The rumors are fueled by Embracer CEO Lars Wingefors’ refusal to talk about the game during the company’s latest financial earnings investor call.

Star Wars: KOTOR Remake is “not being worked on right now”

The Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake is “not being worked on in any way at any studio” according to renowned industry insider Jeff Grubb on the latest Game Mess Mornings podcast. During the latest Embracer Group investor call, as transcribed by Seeking Alpha, the publishing group’s CEO refused to clarify the game’s status, simply saying “I noticed that anything I say to this becomes a headline, so that is my only comment.”

The game was delayed indefinitely in 2022. Developer Aspyr Media previously created a vertical slice demo of the game to show to Lucasfilm and Sony. While initial reports suggest both companies were happy with the game’s progress, Aspyr’s design director and art director were fired shortly after.

Star Wars: KOTOR Remake was then passed on to Saber Interactive, the developer that assisted Aspyr Media with the remake. According to Grubb, development was then transferred again to another unnamed Embracer studio before being halted completely.

Since then, Sony has been removing all traces of the PS5 exclusive from the internet, including Twitter and Youtube, although the official reason for this is expired licensing rights on the trailer’s music.

The remake wasn’t the only project to be canceled at Aspyr Media. Development was also halted on the Restored Content DLC for Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II on Nintendo Switch. In a recent court case filing, as spotted by Axios, Aspyr said it “believed it would be able to release the content, but a third party objected and Aspyr was unable to do so”. The identity of the third party is unclear.

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The status of the planned Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake has been unknown for some time now. Thankfully, the game is still in the works according to the Embracer Group.

What’s the latest on the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake?

During the company’s year-end report (published earlier this month), Embracer Group had a section that detailed all planned games released or in development as of May 24, 2023.

The list of games includes the likes of Embracer’s planned Tomb Raider game, Remnant 2, Ride 5, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II, and the Knights of the Republic remake. According to the report (via Insider Gaming), the game is set to release on PC and PlayStation 5. Development is being led by an “internal” studio at Embracer, although no further details are known.

The history of the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake is a turbulent one. The game was initially revealed in 2021 when developer Aspyr showed off a brief teaser and revealed it was working on the game.

Since then, reports from Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier in 2022 noted Aspyr would no longer work on the game and that Saber Interactive — another subsidiary of the Embracer Group — would take up development. It’s unclear what, exactly, caused Aspyr Media to put the game on pause, but the game does seem to still be on track for a release at some point in the future.

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The Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic Remake is reported to be in serious trouble after Aspyr Media fired two of the project’s directors. Apparently, the Star Wars KOTOR Remake is now indefinitely delayed and the developer is looking for new contracts and development opportunities.

Star Wars KOTOR Remake delay is surprising

Star Wars KOTOR Remake was in development at Aspyr Media for almost three years before it was indefinitely delayed. According to Bloomberg, Aspyr showed off a vertical slice demo of the game to Lucasfilm and Sony, who were pleased with the game’s progress and believed the project was hitting its targets. A week later, Aspyr fired design director Brad Prince and art director Jason Minor, a decision that seems to be unexpected. Sources then claim the Aspyr studio heads themselves were not happy with the game’s progress and that it was taking up too much time and money.

The fate of the game is now in doubt. Aspyr employees claim they’ve been told the company is now looking for new contracts and development opportunities and Star Wars KOTOR Remake has been put on hold indefinitely. Saber Interactive had been brought in to help out on the game and some Aspyr employees are hoping Saber takes over the development of the project completely. Either way, the game will definitely not be hitting its original release window for the end of 2022. If development continues, 2025 would be a more accurate release window now. Both Aspyr Media and parent company Embracer have refused to comment.

In other news, Sony is reported to be “really interested” in acquiring Square Enix Japan but not in their western studios, hence why they were sold at a low price. Elsewhere, Sony gave us an early look at the user experience in PSVR 2, including customizable play spaces.

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Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic – Remake is being built “from the ground up” to bring it into the modern age of gaming. Not only does this mean a graphics upgrade, it seems like the gameplay is getting quite an overhaul too. According to the latest rumors, the remake will be scrapping the original’s take on a turn-based combat system for a more action-based approach instead.

How will the Star Wars: KOTOR Remake gameplay change?

The Star Wars: KOTOR – Remake is being built “from the ground up with the latest tech to match the groundbreaking standard of innovation established by the original”. YouTuber MrMattyPlays claims his sources have said the remake may no longer have combat that features some form of taking turns, instead opting for a completely action-based combat system. The system is apparently drawing inspiration from games like God of War and Nioh 2.

This information was backed up by a couple of job listings from Aspyr Media to work on a AAA RPG. The first was for a Combat Designer where the ideal candidate will “create engaging encounters in a rich and immersive world” and needs experience in “defining combat roles and crafting AI behaviors to build interesting enemies and bosses”. The second is for an AI Engineer who will specifically be working on a AAA action RPG. While there is always the chance that the developer is just upgrading the existing combat system, other remakes like Final Fantasy VII Remake have proven that changing a combat system is possible without being detrimental to the game. Regardless, take the rumor with a pinch of salt.

In other news, PUBG: Battlegrounds has switched to a free-to-play model and introduced some changes with today’s update. Elsewhere, Sony has asked UK retailers to remove PlayStation Now cards in a hint towards the potential introduction of Project Spartacus.

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Opening yesterday’s PlayStation Showcase was the announcement of a Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake in development for PS5 by Aspyr Media. But it looks like original developer BioWare and publisher EA aren’t involved in the project. The Game Awards organizer and host Geoff Keighley reached out to BioWare and EA to inquire about their involvement after the initial announcement on the PlayStation Blog failed to mention either of the companies at all. (The trailer also only ended with logos for Aspyr, PlayStation, and Lucasfilm Games.)

The reply Keighley received from an EA spokesperson was a non-answer that talked a lot around the subject, never directly answering his inquiry.

I asked Bioware (and EA) if they are involved in the STAR WARS: KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC remake announced yesterday and just received this response.

So I guess that’s a no? pic.twitter.com/mwa1FDdbjE

— Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) September 10, 2021

The reply from EA in full reads:

We are proud of our long-standing collaboration with Lucasfilm Games, which will continue for years to come. Our talented teams have created some of the most successful games in the history of the Star Wars franchise, including Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Star Wars: Battlefront, Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes, Star Wars: The Old Republic, and Star Wars: Squadrons. We love Star Wars and look forward to creating more exciting experiences for players to enjoy.

In listing out the “successful” games, the EA spokesperson does not mention BioWare’s beloved Knights of the Old Republic from 2003 (though the MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic is loosely part of that series). They do not directly address Keighley’s question about if the developer or publisher are involved with the PS5 remake, which is leading most people to assume that they are not.

EA recently lost exclusive video game rights for the Star Wars license, with Disney forming Lucasfilm Games to give many publishers and developers the opportunity to play around in that universe. While EA won’t be creating Star Wars title exclusively anymore, they do still retain a number of successful Star Wars franchises that they continue to work with in various capacities (it’s rumored a sequel to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is in development).

Given that EA originally said that none of its new Star Wars games would be announced until next year, this makes it even more unlikely that they have any involvement with the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake. How exactly Lucasfilm Games came to hand the rights to KoTOR off to Aspyr and PlayStation is currently unknown. Previously an Xbox console exclusive, the limited-time PS5 exclusivity of the KoTOR remake is a massive shift for the title.

It also calls into question Knights of the Old Republic’s place within Star Wars canon. After Disney took over in 2014, it relegated all previous expanded media to the “Star Wars Legends” label that it declared was no longer canon. This included Knights of the Old Republic’s story. However, the Remake under Lucasfilm Games could indicate that it is being reintroduced to the canon, though the developer promises it will remain faithful to its original story and characters. Aspyr has also gathered a veteran team of Star Wars developers, some who even worked on the original game, so rest assured it’s in good hands.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remake currently doesn’t have a release date.

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Sony opened its PlayStation Showcase with confirmation of a rumor that’s been doing the rounds for several months. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is being remade. It is not being done by BioWare; instead, Aspyr Media is holding the development reins. What’s more, because they’ve teamed up with Sony Interactive Entertainment, the game will be exclusive to PlayStation 5 for a limited period.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic – Remake is being built “from the ground up with the latest tech to match the groundbreaking standard of innovation established by the original.” The teaser trailer featured the briefest of glimpses at one of the remake’s Sith lords. It’s fair to say the graphics are much improved from the 2003 original:

The acclaimed RPG is set 4,000 years before the Galactic Empire was formed. The Galactic Republic is being attacked by a Dark Lord of the Sith, known as Darth Malak, and his Sith armada. Your character is the one tasked with setting out across the galaxy to take him down. Along the way, his actions will decide whether he belongs on the Light Side or the Dark Side of the Force.

Aspyr Media has already ported many Star Wars titles, including the KotOR games, to mobile platforms. Their team also includes several ex-BioWare developers who worked on the original Knights of the Old Republic game. Previous rumors surrounding the developer have suggested the remake will include aspects of Knights of the Old Republic II: Sith Lords too, and will try to reintroduce at least some parts of the game back into the Star Wars canon.

The collaboration between Aspyr Media, Sony Interactive Entertainment and Lucasfilm Games is described as a “tremendous undertaking.” The game is still in the early stages of development and doesn’t yet have a release window.

[Source: PlayStation Blog]

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Rumors of a remake of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic have been circulating for over a year without official confirmation from EA or original development studio BioWare. In an interview with MinnMax, Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier alleges that the remake is not only real, but it’s in development at Aspyr Media.

Previous rumors had already stated that the project was not in development at BioWare, nor even internally at EA. Instead the project was in development at a studio that “is just not a household name most people are aware of.” Aspyr Media certainly fits that bill and they have a pedigree with the franchise. The studio has already ported many Star Wars titles, including the KotOR games, to mobile platforms.

Rather than this version being a simple port to more modern consoles, it will reportedly be more of a remake with a few changes. The game is said to include aspects from both KotOR and its sequel, Knights of the Old Republic II: Sith Lords. The current problem is that both games are no longer included in the Star Wars canon since Disney redefined many elements of the franchise. The remake reportedly aims to introduce the games, or at least some parts of them, back into that canon.

The development of the title away from EA shouldn’t be a surprise now that the publisher’s Star Wars license exclusivity has been removed. The publisher originally grabbed an exclusive deal to use the Star Wars license for ten years, due to expire in 2023. However, at the start of this year the Lucasfilm Games banner was created to house all officially licensed Star Wars games. This was closely followed by an announcement from Ubisoft Massive Entertainment that they’re developing an open-world Star Wars game using their Snowdrop engine. EA has stated they’ll continue to make Star Wars games in the future, one of which is reported to be a sequel to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.

[Source: Youtube]

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The PlayStation 5 has been out a few months now and even with the stock issues, sales have been fairly strong. There are plenty of games on the horizon, but it hasn’t stopped myself or our staff from thinking of game series we would love to see make a return to audiences with PlayStation 5 releases. We plan to cover a couple of different genres over the next little bit, but today is all about Role Playing Games, with a heavy focus on Japanese series we want back! So without too many more words, here is our list of twelve RPG series that Sony should help us reconnect with as PS5 RPGs.

Series We’d Love to See Return as PS5 RPGs

Dark Cloud

Developed by Level-5 and published by Sony, the Dark Cloud series was last heard from in 2016, when Dark Cloud 2 released as a PS2 Classic on the PS4. The series staples are all about moving through procedurally-generated dungeons, collecting items, and then rebuilding the world around you. We’d love to see what the PS5 could do with these concepts that originally launched on the PS2.

Sakura Wars

Yes, we know they just released a new Sakura Wars game in 2020, but we are looking for a return to the tactical days of past, not the action-based battle system that came about in the latest entry. The last game before 2020 was Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love, which released back in 2005 for the PlayStation 2 and Nintendo Wii.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

It seems like you can’t do a list like this without touching on Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic. The series is highly requested by fans and those in the industry, so how great would it be to get it on PS5? The last game in the series, Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords was released way back in 2004. Sure, it looks like a remake of some sort might be on it’s way, but we can have both right?

Shadow Hearts

First gracing PlayStation platforms back in 1999, Shadow Hearts is a dark and gritty tactical RPG series that touched on themes such as World War I, vampires, and demons. The last release in the series, titled Shadow Hearts: From the New World released on the PlayStation 2 back in 2006. While developer Sacnoth, also known as Nautilus, is no more, we can only hope that someone will pick this franchise up and rekindle a very strong RPG for the PS5.

Suikoden

For those who have been reading PlayStation LifeStyle over the years, you should know about the staff’s love of this series… well, really my love of this series, mostly. Dubbed by mostly myself as the best RPG series of all time, this would be a very welcome addition to the PlayStation 5, seeing as the world hasn’t seen a Suikoden game since 2012 on the PSP. Sure, we are getting a spiritual successor in Eiyuden Chronicle, which is developed by a large group of Suikoden vets, but it’s just not the same.

Final Fantasy Tactics

One of the best tactical RPG series out there is a subseries of a series, and it has been awhile since we got to visit the tactical battles in Ivalice. The last release was Tactics S on iOS and Android, with the last proper console release way back in 1997 with the release of the original Final Fantasy Tactics. Though Final Fantasy XVI is being made by Tactics vets, we’d love to see the classic tactics gameplay brought back too. PlayStation 5 would do itself a lot of favors with fans if they were to revisit this wonderful series with a new installment.

Parasite Eve

Developed by Square (before they were Square Enix), the Parasite Eve series follows the adventures of New York City police officer Aya Brea as she tries to stop the destruction of the human race. With survival horror elements added to modern graphics, this could be a home run for the PlayStation 5. The series started in 1998, with the latest game, The 3rd Birthday, releasing on the PlayStation Portable in 2011.

White Knight Chronicles

Another series in this list developed by Level-5, the White Knight Chronicles series is newer than most on the list, with the original game releasing on the PlayStation 3 in Japan back in 2008, with the latest release coming on the PlayStation Portable three years later. The series featured a rewarding combat system similar to Final Fantasy XII, and the Georama system allowed players to create a town to share online. With the sharing and online capabilities of the PlayStation 5, it would be great to see this series return.

Arc the Lad

Arc the Lad is a series that first debuted in 1995 on PlayStation, releasing eight games in the nine years that followed. The series actually saw a rebirth back in 2018 with Arc the Lad R, which released for both iOS and Android.  Now would be the perfect time for Arc the Lad to resurface on consoles again with a PlayStation 5 release.

Wild Arms

The next series on the list makes just too much sense, as it has been a Sony exclusive franchise through its history. The Wild Arms series began in 1996 on the PlayStation and was last seen on the PSP with Wild Arms XF. Games in the series all take place on a planet called Filgaia and feature heavy influences of firearms and a need to restore the world around you.

Breath of Fire

Developed by Capcom, the Breath of Fire has been around since 1993 and saw its last console release back in 2002. The game did get renewed interest in 2016 with a F2P title for Windows, Android, and iOS, along with a release of a few titles on Nintendo Switch’s SUPER NES library. The series commonly follows players as they take on an adventurer who can shapeshift into varies different kinds of dragons. Maybe we will see this series again one day for the PlayStation 5.

Xenosaga

The last series on our list, but certainly not the least, the Xenosaga series first showed up on the PlayStation 2 back in 2002, with the last release coming four years later, also for the PlayStation 2. Xenosaga follows a group of characters and their battle against the Gnosis and multiple human factions fighting for control of a god-like energy called U-DO.

Let us know what you think of our list and if there are any RPG series we missed that you would love to see continued on the PlayStation 5.

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Last year, rumors surfaced that a new Knights of the Old Republic project, which is possibly a remake or a reimagining of the original, is in the works. According to multiple new reports, it looks like the game’s original developer – EA subsidiary BioWare – is not involved in the project.

As reported by Video Games Chronicle, one of the sources who confirmed this news and corroborated the existence of a new KOTOR is trusted Star Wars insider Bespin Bulletin.

“Amongst my digging, I heard there is a Knights of the Old Republic project in development somewhere,” said Bespin Bulletin. “I talked to a couple of people, and I also found out that [Bloomberg journalist] Jason Schreier said that it’s not with EA, and we’ll ‘never guess’ who the studio is that’s making this game.”

Another trusted insider and Wushu Studios’ employee Nate Najda, better known as Shinobi602, also corroborated Bespin Bulletin’s report. According to him, we won’t be able to guess who’s making the upcoming KOTOR because the developer “is just not a household name most people are aware of.” “It’s not as mysterious as you think,” he added.

Lucasfilm recently announced that it has ended its Star Wars exclusivity deal with EA, and has opened the franchise to other developers. One of those developers is Ubisoft. However, considering Shinobi602’s comment, the new KOTOR is unlikely to be a Ubisoft project.

Not much is known about the title beyond this. We’ll update our readers as soon as we have more information.

[Source: VGC]

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