According to Gizmodo, in a shock announcement at The Game Awards, Lucasfilm and Arcanaut Studios revealed a brand new single-player action RPG titled Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic. The game is directly inspired by the world and player-choice-driven storytelling of the beloved Knights of the Old Republic and The Sith Lords games. This new project comes after years of fan demand for remakes of those classic titles. The announcement confirms that fans are not getting those specific remakes, at least not yet. Instead, the focus has shifted to this entirely new entry in the same iconic era.
The Remake Dilemma
Here’s the thing: this is a fascinating pivot. For what feels like a decade, the conversation has been dominated by whispers and hopes for a Knights of the Old Republic remake. It seemed like a sure bet. But game development is messy, and remaking sacred texts is risky business. Do you update the graphics but keep the turn-based combat? Do you overhaul everything and risk alienating the core fans? By announcing a new game “inspired by” KOTOR, Lucasfilm and Arcanaut are sidestepping that minefield entirely. They’re keeping the soul—the Old Republic setting, the heavy narrative choices, the RPG depth—but starting with a clean slate. It’s a smarter move than I think people realize right now.
Why This Could Work
Look, the pressure on a KOTOR remake would have been immense. Every changed line of dialogue, every altered gameplay mechanic, would be scrutinized. This way, the developers get to craft a new story without being chained to Revan and the Exile’s specific legacies. They can use modern action-RPG design without fans screaming “but that’s not how it worked in 2003!” And let’s be honest, the Old Republic era is a rich playground with thousands of years of history to explore. A new story means new characters, new threats, and new moral quandaries. That’s exciting. Isn’t that what we really want? More of that feeling we got playing KOTOR for the first time, not just a shinier version of the same experience?
The Bigger Picture
So what does this signal for the future? Basically, it shows Lucasfilm Games is thinking strategically. They’re banking on the enduring power of the *era* and the *style* of game, not just the specific titles. This is how you build a franchise pillar that isn’t solely reliant on Skywalkers and Jedi from the movie timeline. If Fate of the Old Republic hits, it opens the door for a whole new line of RPGs. It also, quietly, doesn’t close the door on those remakes forever. If this new game succeeds, it proves the audience is there, which could finally greenlight those classic revivals with more confidence. For now, though, the message is clear: the past is a source of inspiration, not a mandate. And that’s probably for the best.
