Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake development reportedly “on pause”

Aspyr’s remake of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic has reportedly been indefinitely paused following management shake-ups, as per a Bloomberg report by Jason Shreier. The remake was announced almost a year ago as a timed PS5 console exclusive.

According to Shreier’s article, Aspyr terminated Design Director Brad Prince and Art Director Jason Minor following the presentation of a gameplay “vertical slice” to Lucasfilm and Sony last month. According to Aspyr’s heads, the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic demo “wasn’t where they wanted it to be“. Consequently, development on the game is “on pause” until a new direction is confirmed. A “disproportionate” amount of time and resources were invested in the demo, which apparently would not have been sustainable to spread across the whole game’s development.  Despite the developers allegedly aiming for a late 2022 release date, it is apparently “more realistic” to expect it to come out closer to 2025.

This is admittedly unverified by Aspyr or its parent company Embracer Group thus far. The developers have not said anything one way or another regarding a potential release window for their Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake. However, as per an Embracer Group Q4 report in May 2022, Saber Interactive has been appointed to assist with the game’s development. If Aspyr truly has fired many of its leadership staff and is having trouble finding a clear direction, Saber Interactive may take control over remaining work on the game. This remake is far more ambitious than a simple modernised port; as per Aspyr’s intentions, the game is being rebuilt “from the ground up with the latest tech“.

The idea that the development of a remake of such a celebrated RPG is in trouble has got to be disappointing for Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic’s many fans. It will remain to be seen if the game can be put back on the right track. We will have to await an official announcement from Aspyr or Embracer Group regarding the status of its development, and when the game is likely to come out.