Though it hasn't been confirmed, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic has been rumored to have a remake in development for some time. The classic RPG has been the subject of rumors for years, suggesting there will either be a new sequel or a remake of the original title. The original Knights of the Old Republic game was released in 2003 and it became a classic in the eyes of fans and critics. A remake of the title would likely be very well received, and if rumors are to be believed, it isn't going to be made by BioWare.
Recent rumors indicate that KOTOR is going to be remade by Aspyr Media. Aspyr might not be the most familiar name, but the developer has a strong lineage of porting games to a variety of different platforms. In fact, Aspyr Media has handled several Star Wars ports, including the recent re-release of Republic Commando. While on the surface Aspyr might seem like a strange choice to remake the beloved KOTOR, their experience with the Star Wars brand could make them an ideal candidate. Many gamers would love to see BioWare return to the series, but it seems there's a good reason for them not being involved.
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Aspyr Media specializes in porting titles to new platforms. The team's experience includes several Star Wars titles and the recent Stubbs the Zombie rerelease. While it might seem strange at a glance that Aspyr would be tasked with a full-blown remake, it does make sense due to its experience with the Star Wars franchise. The team has been developing ports of Star Wars titles since the early 2000s, including the original Knights of the Old Republic games. Aspyr has worked on ports of KOTOR several times, most recently in 2014 and 2015 for Android and Linux platforms. The studio's experience with Star Wars could be invaluable for the rumored remake.
Aspyr could be looking to expand its operations if it's true that it's remaking KOTOR. Job listings have indicated that Aspyr is looking for a concept artist to join the team, and while there is no confirmation this is for KOTOR, fans have been speculating. This might suggest that it's a fully-fledged remake and not a port, which could see some improvements made to Knights of the Old Republic. Aspyr Media is also a part of Embracer Group, a large corporation with many subsidiaries for game development and publishing. This could mean Aspyr has more access to the funding required for a full remake rather than a port.
Though a KOTOR remake may never happen, the rumors have been too consistent to ignore for some gamers. If a Knights of the Old Republic remake truly is in development, fans are betting that it's Aspyr Media handling it. There are some signs that this could be the case, along with some unverified insider claims. Though some fans would love to see BioWare handling this remake, there are some clear reasons as to why the original developer probably isn't working on it.
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BioWare, for the foreseeable future, might be too busy to take on remaking Knights of the Old Republic. Earlier this year, BioWare canceled its Anthem 2.0 project, with one of the primary reasons being cited as the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. BioWare has had to re-evaluate its projects, and as such, Anthem unfortunately won't be getting a significant update like originally planned. In place of Anthem's reboot, BioWare employees have been reassigned to other major projects that the developer is working on.
One of BioWare's biggest projects is Mass Effect 4, and despite there only being a single teaser trailer, fans are very excited about the return of the franchise. Mass Effect: Andromeda wasn't quite as well-received, and a lot of fans felt it paled in comparison to the original Mass Effect trilogy. Based on the trailer for the new title, it seems as though gamers will be seeing some kind of continuation of the original games. Though Mass Effect 4 is likely some time away from launching, BioWare has its work cut out in delivering a pleasing new game for fans.
BioWare is also working on Dragon Age 4 at the moment. As with Mass Effect 4, the new Dragon Age game is likely to take some work before it's launched. Most fans expected it would be some time before Dragon Age 4 was released, but EA and BioWare apparently decided to change its direction, which means it could take additional development work before release. Live service and multiplayer elements have been dropped from the title, and BioWare could need to work to remove any of these aspects that had already been baked into it.
While BioWare is likely too occupied to work on the KOTOR remake, this could be a great opportunity for Aspyr Media. So far, Aspyr has worked with porting titles to new platforms, and this could be its chance to break new ground in its development practices. Aspyr has a chance to make some meaningful improvements over the original title while keeping the spirit of KOTOR intact. If the rumors are true about the remake and Aspyr's involvement, this could broaden the team's horizons beyond porting titles.
Though the remake hasn't been confirmed, fans are excited about the possibility of Knights of the Old Republic being remade. The consistency of the rumors about a potential remake has led some fans to believe that it could be happening, though gamers will have to wait and see. As beloved as the original game is, there is a case for Knights of the Old Republic to be remade. While some fans might be disappointed about the idea of Aspyr Media leading its development, its experience with the Star Wars brand could invaluable.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is available on Xbox, PC, Mac OS X, Linux, Android, and iOS.
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