With the third and final season of Star Wars: The Bad Batch and the miniseries Tales of the Empire now firmly in the rearview mirror, the Star Wars franchise is revving up for yet another new addition. The first live-action series in some time, Star Wars: The Acolyte aims to take viewers back in time. Long before the Empire, long before the Clone Wars, there was the Jedi Order, the Republic, and a mysterious, powerful force seek??ing to destroy them both.

The Acolyte takes audiences a century ahead of Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace as a group of Jedi attempt to sort out a criminal conspiracy. Jedi are being killed left and right and no one knows who is responsible.? This intriguing tale comes from series creator and showrunner Leslye?? Headland, who's no stranger to the Star Wars galaxy.

In fact, Headland herself shared that her love of Star Wars helped her create The Acolyte. More specifically, her love and knowledge of Star Wars RPGs and the Expanded Universe influenced her creative direction. "I was coming at it as a fan who was much more into the RPG that the Extended Universe feeds on," Headland said in an interview with Vanity Fair.

Continuing, Headland mentioned that Star Wars RPGs went a long way in helping her creativity come out as a kid. She didn't feel the need to adhere strictly to what the films had to offer narratively, instead making her own fun in George Lucas' massive sandbox. She brought that mentality to The Acolyte, affording her the chance to push the boundaries of Star Wars itself.

"I was able to escape into that world with my friends, to pretend that I was part of that world. It was not like, ‘And now you have to do a scene from the original movie,â€? she added, noting that, in her mind, there's far more to Star Wars storytelling than strictly rehashin??g the core story elements, character arcs, and the like of the now-nine movie-long Skywalker saga.

Though Headland didn't name any specific Star Wars games in her Vanity Fair interview, she did indirectly mention one game that helped lay the foundation of her Acolyte vision elsewhere. She told Den of Geek, “Darth Traya really stuck out to me as an inspiration.â€?Traya (Sara Kestelman), formerly the Jedi Kreia, is a major player in the 2004 hit RPG Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - ?The Sith Lords.

Thankfully, fans don't have to wait too long to see where specifically Headland's enduring love for Star Wars RPGs manifests in her show. The Acolyte premieres on June 4 exclusively on Disney+.

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Given the huge popularity of 2003's Knights of the Old Republic, Star Wars and gaming fans have been hoping for an official remake of this classic RPG for years. Until recently, the state of a potential reimagining was left ha??nging in the ba??lance. However, good news is afoot.

In a recent interview with IGN, Saber Interactive CEO Matthew Karch has confirmed that the Knights of the Old Republic? project is still very much in development. The quote says the "game is alive and well" and the team wants to ensure it will "exceed consumer ex??pectations."

In a nutshell: Saber used to be owned by Embracer Group. However, the studio recently split from the parent company, and the KOTOR remake has been kept in the hands of the developer??.

Outside that, however, there isn't much else to be said. We can't be certain at what stage the remake is currently at, and Karch has been unable to give further information about it. It could still be a long way off, but it's comforting to know that it's still very much in active dev????elopment.

What's the deal with Knights of the Old Republic?

In this era of remakes and remasters, some of you may be wondering why this 20-year-old game is getting a lot of attention from the fan base. But take a quick look at any list of the best RPGs of all time. Almost certainly, the original Knights of the Old Republic (and/or its 2004 sequel) will crop up.

With a Metacritic score of 94 out of 100, it has near-universal acclaim. Notable for its overall gameplay and story, it won a number of awards, including a BAFTA. It's also an early release from BioWare, which had already built a successful reputation thanks to the Baldur's Gate series, which kickstarted in 1998.

But since its reveal, the KOTOR remake has been caught up in production issues and hasn?'t had much to show since the first trailer. Saber wasn't even the first to work on the project, as Aspyr was originally set to lead the endeavor. So while it's nice to know that the? remake isn't fully cancelled, and as far as we can tell, the remake is on the horizon. Albeit at a great distance.

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When we last checked, there was still a lot of uncertainty about the supposed remake of Knights of the Old Republic. A report suggested it was not being worked on by any studio, but Bloomberg's Jason Schreier says it's still i?n deve??lopment. So where does that leave us?

Cut to a few weeks later, and Disney's head of gaming �Sean Shoptaw �may have given us a bit more hope. According to Axios, when asked about the possibility of reviving the much-loved Star Wars game, the exec said there's not "a lot I can say ??on ??that point for some hopefully obvious reasons."

The quote goes on to say that "KOTOR is obviously an incredibly popular game, one that we ar??e incredibly proud of and think that there's still a lot of? demand for," before ending with, "I'll leave it there."

Leaving money on the table

Given the sheer legacy of the original Knights of the Old Republic, i?t would seem remiss for Disney to not offer up an official remake of it. Right now, we're in something of a golden age for remakes and remasters, so it would make sense.

However, at this moment in time, things are still up in the air. KOTOR came out in 2003 and is generally regarded as one of the best Star Wars adaptations in gaming. To not bring it back feels like a ?wasted opportunity, for both old fans and those who never played it the first time round.

Make of Shoptaw's words what you will, but a lot of people will still be hanging onto the idea that Knights is coming back. I mean, it wasn't a definitive "no," tha??t?'s for sure.

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Back in 2021, a PlayStation showcase announced that Aspyr was developing the often-rumored remake of Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic.? Sadly, that was pretty much the last positive piece of news we got out of that project �up until now.

In 2022, we learned that parent company Embracer Group had dropped Aspyr as the developer and chosen its own Saber Interactive as the replacement. A studio swap is usually troubling news, but the apparent writing on the wall came only three days ago when Giant Bomb's Jeff Grubb said that “this game is not being worked on right now.â€?/p>

Luckily, however, it seems like the rumors of the KOTOR remake's death could have been exaggerated. Bloomberg's Jason Schreier has tweeted that while he doesn't kno??w whether or not the game will ever come out, he r?eports from two sources at Saber Interactive that they are still working on it.

Embracer has yet to comment on the matter, so we still don't know the company's current plans for the remake. When asked about it ??during a recent Embracer financial presentation, CEO Lars Wingefors declined to provid?e a comment, saying "I notice anything I say to this becomes a headline, so that is my only comment."

We might not learn much for a while, considering how Embracer is going through a troubled period. Volition was shut down, Free Radical reportedly faces closure, and its layoffs in just one quarter have reached titanic proportions.

The situation sucks, for developers and players. People who've played the original upon release and the many more who got to experience it in the two decades that have since passed would likely love to revisit Knights of the Old Republic in a remake. But whether that will ever actually happen or not remains unclear?.

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As initially reported by IGN, Embracer CEO Lars Wingefors commented during a financial presentation that he has no comment on the state of the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake. He also states?, “Anything I say to this becomes a headline.�Yes, sir. Yes, sir, it will??.

A remake of the classic 2003 RPG Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic was announced back in 2021 during a Playstation Showcase. Since then, we’ve received re-releases of the two games in the series, and then everything kind of hit the rocks. The re-releases didn’t go very smoothly, and the intention of adding restored cut content to the second game (which badly needs it) w??as canceled.

In 2022, Bloomberg reported that the remake might have been put on hold. This was following the production of a demo â€?which reportedly didn’t go over very well â€?and the subsequent?? firing of the art and design director.

While Wingefors statement doesn’t really say anything, the fact that it says nothing is pretty telling. If production was chugging along on schedule, he probably would have been quick to tout its promising outlook. It also doesn’t clarify if the project is on?? indefinite hold or canceled outright. So, that leaves us to speculate.

I was pretty skeptical of the project, to begin with. Aspyr and Saber Interactive are capable studios, but they’re mostly known for porting existing games. A remake on this scale is pretty massive, so even if it saw the light of day, I’m not certain it would meet its ambition. Now, however, Embracer has been laying off massive amounts of people â€?reportedly 900 in a single financial quarter. I’m not saying it’s impossible for the Knights of the Old Republic remake to eventually see the???? light of day, but I’ll believe it when I see it.

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This deal is getting worse all the time

Aspyr has announced that they have halted development on their Restored Content DLC for the Nintendo Switch port of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords. In its place, they are offering a?? free download for one?? of their other ports.

There's no sugarcoating this: That’s a bummer! I loved 2004's Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lord right up until it suddenly crumbled to pieces as it approached its conclusion. KOTOR2 was blatantly unfinished. The denouement and climax are rolled together sloppily in a single character just standing in a room. I’ve seen rushed games before, but I have ne?ver seen one that just nosedives from really good to ??barely a game in what feels like mere moments.

/??/twitter.com/AspyrMedi?a/status/1664784147867480070?s=20

The Restored Content DLC was supposed to take all the cut content that couldn’t be compiled into the “finishedâ€?product and assemble it in a way that the developers at Obsidian intended. There are fan-compiled mods for the PC version you can use to get a more complete experience, but it looks like the console version ?is just going to have to remain in an incomplete state.

What game should you get instead of the KOTOR 2 DLC?

Since there’s the possibility that people bought Knights of the Old Republic 2 on Switch specifically for the chance to play the Restored Content (and I know that there are some), Aspyr is offering a “complimentaryâ€?key for anyone who purchased before the announcement. Might I suggest Star Wars: Episode 1 Racer? It is way better than it sounds.

To get your complimentary key, simply visit support.aspyr.com and submit a request along with proof of purchase. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords is currently availab??le ??for purchase on Nintendo Switch and PC.

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A new report indicates Aspyr has hit some rough waters

The Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic could be on an indefinite delay, according to a new investigation. Bloomberg reports that Aspyr Media's KOTOR remake is on hold, after hitti?ng some development troubles.

The remake was announced last year, during the PlayStation Showcase 2021. It's in development at Aspyr Media, an Austin-based studio that has built up a portfolio of ports, especially in the Star Wars franchise.

Bloomberg reports that Aspyr has fired the KOTOR remake's art director and design director this month. ??Following a series of meetings, sources tell Bloomberg that the project is on pause. Aspyr is reportedly looking for new contracts and development opportunities.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=lL-RfE-ioJ8

This comes after a demo was reportedly finalized at the end of June, showing off a slice of the Knights of the Old Republic remake. Studio heads to??ld st??aff the slice wasn't where they wanted it to be.

Bloomberg's sources point to two issues, via sources familiar with the matter. One is that the project may not have been sustainable on its current course, given the amount of time and money invested in the demo. The other is the timeline. While Aspyr may have been targeting the end of 2022, according ??to Bloomberg's sources, a? more realistic target would be 2025.

A galaxy far, far away

This news is disheartening for those hoping to see some KOTOR sooner rather than later. Saber Interactive, another studio under the Embracer umbrella, joined on the project earlier this year to assist development. Aspyr announced its intent to acquire Beamdog, which has some RPG talent in tow, in April. The Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake is still officially planned as a?? timed exclusiv??e for PlayStation 5 and PC.

Neither Aspyr Media nor Embracer Group immediately res??ponded to Bloomberg.

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The bundle is up now, but it unlocks on June 8

So uh, don't buy the KOTOR Switch bundle until after June 8, when the second game is out. Weird, right? Bundles and the eShop: sometimes a bad co??mbination!

As we've established, Knights of the Old Republic II is out on June 8. KOTOR 1 came out on Switch on November 11, 2021. If you individually buy the latter outside of the bundle, you can play it right now, no issues. But if you buy the bundle, KOTOR 1 w??ill be locked to the? SKU of the second game, and won't work until June 8. Lame, right? Especially when you consider that the bundle saves you zero dollars (each game is $15, and the bundle is $30).

The flaw was pointed out by Redditor hyp3rstrike, who purchased the bundle, and found out that the first game wouldn't boot, getting the "you cannot play this software or downloadable content yet" message. According to another poster in the same thread, they were able to get a "one-time refund" for the KOTOR Switch bundle,? but were allegedly told to read the fine print on how bundles work.

Now, this has happened before with bundles, and isn't a completely unique situation. But it's worth a PSA, and the practice is still stupid, even in 2022! Bundles that involve SKUs of games that are currently out, especially when said collection has you download each game separately (which the KOTOR Switch bundle does), should just work. Unless something is changed, consider this a warning for the KOTOR Switch bundle and others like it on the eShop.

Given the popularity of the Star Wars franchise, a lot of folks have called into Nintendo customer support about this: so fingers crossed it gets pushed up the chain and gets fixed ??eventually. On the other side of the equation, the fact that the bundle serves no purpose, with no monetary savings, also stings.

[Update: The creator of the Reddit thread, hyp3rstrike, has reached out?? to note that they "lodged a support enquiry with Nintendo Australia," and were told that they were "still investigating and would be in touch." When they asked for a refund to purchase the games individually, they were told "no." Hopefully if enough people point out the bundle lockout iss?ue, the policy can be changed altogether.]

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Return to the Old Republic

It's May 4th, or May The Fourth, the day that's become the designated Star Wars day. It's meant a bevy of updates, trailers, and even some neat-looking Xbox consoles. But there are also a bunch of sales on Star Wars games happening too.

Star Wars games are discounted across a ton of different platforms right now. Thankfully, the Star Wars blog has aggregated a bunch of them all into one neat place. They range from PC discounts on classics to more modern games and yes, Switch deals too. So if you've been looking for some classic Star Wars on Switch, now's a good time.

We rounded up a few of our ??highlights from tod??ay's sales below.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

The classic BioWare RPG Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is discounted on several different platforms. It's 50% off on the App Store and Google Play Store for phones, and 25% off on the Switch eShop. If you want a deeper discount and a more classic way to play, you can also head over to Steam, where it's currently 65% off, bringing KOTOR down to just $3.49.

Star Wars: Republic Commando 

Speaking of classics, Star Wars Republic Commando is also on sale. Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 owners get a 50% deal, while Steam cuts it down to 65% off. Pret??ty decent price for some class?ic squad-based shooter action.

Aspyr Star Wars Heritage Pack

Don't want to pick between all the older Star Wars games? Aspyr, the studio that's been steadily re-releasing and porting many old Star Wars games, has a special pack for Switch. Included in the lineup are Republic Commando, Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast and Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy, Episode I: Racer, and The Force Unleashed. Reports are saying it's only showing up on the system store at the moment, but we'll ?keep an eye out for a link to put here.

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

For the modern Star Wars aficionado, it's hard to go wrong with Fallen Order. The action-adventure entry from Respawn was a pretty solid success, and it's only $9.99 on the PlayStation Store, Xbox, and Steam right now.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6yOX2vmxgY

Bundle it all up

Too indecisive? Too many classics? Or you just want an absolute glut, a veritable mountain of Star Wars content? Well, Steam has the answer.

The Jedi Knight Collection ropes together everything from Dark Forces up through Jedi Academy for just $9. X-Wing Series has, you guessed it, all the X-Wing games for just $10. The Star Wars Classic Collection ties in the Galactic Battlegrounds saga and Rebellion, plus some surprising classics like Star Wars: Rebel Assault, for $18. Or you can go big with the Star Wars Complete Collection, which seems to have more Star Wars than any one person? shoul??d consume in a sitting for $76. It is not for the faint of heart.

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One RPG studio will bring in another

Beamdog has more news than just a new game. Today, Aspyr Media?? announced it's en??tered into an agreement to acquire Beamdog.

Aspyr is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Saber Interactive, under Embracer. Yes, t??his does chalk up another acquisition for Embracer. Under the agreement, Beamdog will operate as an independent studio within Aspyr. The closing of the deal is still subject to approval at this time.

Aspyr itself is known for its ports of many Star Wars games, and more recently, its in-development remake of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.

Beamdog, on the other hand, is a Canadian studio founded by former BioWare devs. After forming in 2009, the studio went on to publish and develop new versions of many role-playing games themselves, like Planescape: Torment Enhanced Edition.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=lL-RfE-ioJ8

Use the MythForce

Once the deal's complete, this might prove to be an interesting pairing. Aspyr has been working on ports for a while but gets to take their own spin with the KOTOR remake. Meanwhile, Beamdog brings in a great deal of veteran talent. According to a press release, former BioWare lead and Beamdog founder Trent Os?ter will stay at t??he helm.

Beamdog also recently announced a new game, the Saturday morning cartoon-inspired MythForce. It's a f?irst-person roguelite set to hit early access on Epic later this month, and Aspyr will publish it. The partnership is already coming together, it seems.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1HtOKSSuY0

Further off on the horizon, though, is Knights of the Old Republic. It's unknown ??when we could expect the remake, or even when we'll get some more news on it. But having the assistance of Beamdog might prove useful, seeing as it's got some BioWare history.

Embracer, meanwhile, seems to show no sign of slowing down on the acquisi?tion front. Even after committing?? $8.1 billion since the start of 2020, it looks like the trend isn't over just yet.

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The classic Star Wars RPG is alive again

During today's PlayStation Showcase 2021, the show kicked off with a big reveal: a confirmation of a Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake for PlayStation 5 and PC.

The remake is in development at Aspyr, in collaboration wit??h Lucasfilm. Not much more info was shown during today's reveal, but it was confirmed as coming to PlayStation 5.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=lL-RfE-ioJ8

The remake was reported to be in development earlier this year, when Bloomberg's Jason Schreier mentioned it during an interview with MinnMax, which other outlets later confirmed.

On the PlayStation Blog, Aspyr lead producer Ryan Treadwell confirmed that the Knights of the Old Republic remake will be a console exclusive for PlayStation 5 at launch. It's still coming to PC a??s well, published? by Aspyr.

"With Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic â€?Remake, our hope is to give both series newcomers and long-term fans an experience that can live alongside the very best modern releases," writes Treadwell. "We’re rebuilding it from the ground up with the latest tech to match the groundbreaki??ng standard of innovation established by the original, all while staying true to its revere??d story."

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic was originally released in 2003, developed by BioWare and launched on ?the Xbox. It later came to PC and eventually was ported to a number of platforms over the years.

With a remake on the table though, this could be a new way for younger players to see what all the fuss is about. It's an original story, with some very memorable characters. And with a studio like Aspyr working on it, that's previously worked on a number of older Star Wars games, including Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast and Episode I—Racer, this is a pretty exciting pro?ject to se??e confirmed.

No release date has been set yet for Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic's remake.

This story has been updated to note a PC version of KOTOR Remake is on the way as well.

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