The Old Republic Returns to ‘Star Wars’ Video Games

For years, fans have been begging and hoping for remakes of two of the most beloved Star Wars video games ever made: Knights of the Old Republic, and its sequel, The Sith Lords. They’re not getting those, at least not yet. Because they’re getting a new game instead.

In a shock announcement at the Game Awards tonight, Lucasfilm and Arcanaut Studios revealed Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic, a brand new single-player action RPG inspired by the world and player-choice-driven storytelling of the Knights of the Old Republic games.

In a new interview on the official Star Wars website with Fate‘s lead director and head of Arcanaut, ex-Bioware developer Casey Hudson (director of Knights of the Old Republic as well as the Mass Effect games during his time at the studio), Fate of the Old Republic is described as a “contemporary vision of a definitive Star Wars experience†and an all-new story inspired by the beloved Old Republic setting. Fate is not a direct sequel or continuation of the Knights of the Old Republic games, but instead follows a new player character, a Force user “on a journey through a galaxy on the edge of rebirth.â€

It is currently unclear if Fate is set in the original “Old Republic†era of the former Expanded Universe continuity—now dubbed Star Wars Legends—or if the game will be one of the first original canonical explorations of the period made since the reboot of Star Wars continuity in 2014. The trailer teases several iconic pieces of design from the original KOTOR, including the wreckage of what looks like the Leviathan, a prominent flagship of the Sith Fleet seen throughout the game that is ultimately destroyed during the climactic battle for Rakata Prime.

“Star Wars‘ past is a vast open canvas for creators to explore without having to navigate storytelling touchstones from other media,†Lucasfilm Games VP Douglas Reilly said of the game’s setting. “Being set in the past gives us an immense amount of open space to tell new original Star Wars stories, while staying true to the spirit of the galaxy we all love. There are, quite literally, infinite stories to tell. While we will always honor and celebrate the core saga, it’s crucial to explore new territory, meet new characters, and see new parts of the galaxy.â€

 

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