To say the development of the Star Wars: Knight of the Old Republic Remake has been a bumpy road would be an understatement. But in a recent interview with IGN, Matthew Karch, CEO of Saber Interactive, confirmed that the studio was still working on the game despite its split from Embracer Group last month.
"It's clear and it's obivous that we're working on this," Karch told IGN. "It's been in the press numerous times. What I will say is that the game is alive and well, and we're dedicated to making sure we exceed consumer expectations."
We still don't have a release date for the highly anticipated remake, but during an investor call following the announcement of Saber's departure, Embracer CEO Lars Wingefors suggested the game is still at least a year away. During the call, Embracer said it was still publishing a number of Saber games, including “a previously announced AAA game based on a major license" which was assumed to be the KOTOR remake.
Wingefors didn't confirm if it was KOTOR he was referring to, but was asked if this game would launch within the next 12 months. He responded: “No, I think that kind of game needs some deep love and respect, so without giving full color, I think it’s some time left until that is released."
The Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remake was first announced during the PlayStation Showcase event in September 2021. At the time, it was announced as a timed PS5 console exclusive.
The game was initially billed as a collaboration between developer Aspyr and production partners Lucasfilm Games and Sony Interactive Entertainment. Shortly after, there were reports that Aspyr had stopped working on the game, with Embracer eventually confirming that Saber Interactive was now working on it — Bloomberg also claimed that Saber had taken over development entirely.
The original Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic game was developed by BioWare and released in July 2003. The game's story is set four thousand years prior to the Star Wars films with Darth Malak — Darth Revan's apprentice — unleashing a Sith armada against the Republic.
As the last hope of the Jedi Order, players must master the power of the Force and save the Republic. Of course, one of the key aspects of the game was its alignment system which tracks your actions and dialogue responses and determines if you align with the light or dark side of the Force.
The synopsis reads:
It is four thousand years before the Galactic Empire and hundreds of Jedi Knights have fallen in battle against the ruthless Sith. You are the last hope of the Jedi Order. Can you master the awesome power of the Force on your quest to save the Republic? Or will you fall to the lure of the dark side? Hero or villain, savior or conqueror... you alone will determine the destiny of the entire galaxy! Features An epic Star Wars role-playing experience with unique characters, creatures, vehicles and planets. Learn to use the Force with over 40 different powers, plus build your own Lightsaber. Adventure through iconic Star Wars locations, including Tatooine and the Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk. Choose your party from nine customizable characters, including Twi'leks, Droids and Wookiees. Travel to seven enormous worlds in your own starship, the Ebon Hawk. A streamlined user interface, custom-made for the iPad's touch screen, helps immerse you in the action.
Star Wars: Knight of the Old Republic was met with critical acclaim and won numerous awards upon release, including Game Developers Choice Awards' Game of the Year and BAFTA Games Awards' best Xbox Game of the Year.