Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic remake release left in limbo by Saber Interactive sale
"Previously announced AAA game based on a major license" needs "deep love and respect"
This week's announcement that Embracer are selling off Saber Interactive to new company Beacon Interactive has cast further doubt over the future of one of Embracer's bigger projects, the much-delayed Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic remake. While Embracer have yet to actually state this out loud, it sounds like the KOTOR remake will be a "joint project" between Saber and Embracer. It also probably won't be out in the next 12 months. Given the project's repeated disruptions and delays, I suspect many of us will settle for the game coming out at all.
Embracer will retain possession of Aspyr Media, the studio originally in charge of the KOTOR remake, but the game is "going with Saber", according to Bloomberg's Jason Schreier, who broke the news that Embracer were selling Saber earlier in the month. Embracer have said, however, that their retained "joint" assets from the deal include "a previously announced AAA game based on a major license" which could well be the Star Wars game.
In a conference call discussing the deal (via VGC), Embracer CEO Lars Wingefors was asked whether the latter licensed project would come out in the next 12 months. "No, I think that kind of game needs some deep love and respect, so without giving full colour, I think it's some time left until that is released," he said. (Embracer don't have a brilliant track record for showing anything "deep love and respect" - the company are in the process of laying off a chunky percentage of their workforce, closing studios and cancelling games as they attempt to recoup their enormous debts.)
Another caller asked whether the game is, in fact, the KOTOR remake, but Wingefors said he had no further comments on the subject.
Announced in September 2021, the KOTOR remake was delayed indefinitely in July 2022, reportedly following a poor reception to an internal demo. In November 2023, Schreier claimed that the game is still in development, albeit with a very small team.
Embracer's deal with Beacon covers 3D Realms, Slipgate Ironworks, New World Interactive, Nimble Giant, Mad Head, Digic, Fractured Byte and PR agency Sandbox Strategies, as well as Metro developers 4A Games and Pinball FX maker Zen Studios via options. Beacon will take charge of 38 on-going game development projects in total. Embracer are keeping Tripwire, Beamdog, Tuxedo Labs, Demiurge, Shiver, Snapshot Games and 34BigThings as well as Aspyr, plus 14 announced and unannounced games in varying stages of development, amongst them the next major release from Metro developers 4A Games, Killing Floor 3 and Teardown.
The original KOTOR - which you can find on GOG for rather less than the price of a ticket to Alderaan - remains one of our favourite PC Star Wars games.