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New Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic Game Reportedly Being Made Without BioWare

The previous game was developed by Obsidian Entertainment, and BioWare created the original before it was acquired by EA.

126 Comments

BioWare's Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is widely considered to be among the best Star Wars games ever made, as well as one of the best licensed role-playing games. Since the second game released in 2004, we've been in the dark on any follow-ups, but a new game is reportedly coming from a completely different company.

That's according to VGC as well as Star Wars insider Bespin Bulletin and Nate Najda--better known online as Shinobi602--the new Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic game isn't being made by Electronic Arts or BioWare. Those sources didn't say who would be developing the new game, though Najda seemed to indicate it wasn't going to be a well-known studio.

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Electronic Arts had been publishing console and PC Star Wars games exclusively for the last several years, beginning with Star Wars: Battlefront in 2015 and eventually leading to games like Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Star Wars: Squadrons. The company seemed to be finally hitting its stride with the franchise, though it had also canceled several Star Wars games. However, with Ubisoft's Massive studio now creating an open-world Star Wars game, it appears nearly anyone could be in charge of this apparent new Knights of the Old Republic.

Knights of the Old Republic began as an Xbox exclusive, as BioWare hadn't been acquired by EA yet. Its sequel was handled by Obsidian Entertainment, a company that has since been purchased by Microsoft. However, its plate is currently quite full, with work on games like Grounded and Avowed meaning it almost certainly isn't working on Star Wars. Still, the possibilities for a developer are pretty much endless. Given the pedigree of its predecessors, expectations for a third game would certainly be sky-high.

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masscrack

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funny everyone here likes kotor II now. I remember when around kotor II release everyone would crap on kotor II and say how much better kotor I was. My how the times have changed.

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PrpleTrtleBuBum

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@masscrack: kotor 1 is like the classic star wars story of your own luke skywalker with all the pros and cons. kotor 2 is like the last jedi that tries to do a lot of things differently.

both are cool but if the original gets 10/10 for aptness i cant give the sequel more than 9/10 since its like whatif thing with some actual issues

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LordBeefJerky

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@masscrack: watch out the the generalization - in my book only the first KOTOR is a classic. The sequel was fine, but the first is vastly superior in every aspect.

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deactivated-64efdf49333c4

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@lordbeefjerky: Well, no, not really, but the second was so horribly rushed towards the end that it's difficult to hold the second above the first. The second definitely has some better traits.

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J_P-

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Edited By J_P-

I don't agree, the sequel was MILES better.

It may have been rushed but it still turned out to be a great game, when I first played it I had no idea it was rushed and still fully enjoyed it.

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Habeasdata

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@J_P-: I agree with you. Once you add the mod with the content that was cut the game is even better.

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deactivated-64efdf49333c4

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@masscrack: Eh? I remember people liking the sequel just fine. The problem was the cut content and lack of polish.

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mogan

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mogan  Moderator

@masscrack: Other than the bugs, KotOR 2 was always the better game.

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WarGreymon77

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@masscrack: The only thing I like better about KOTOR 2 is the robes. The story and characters are too "dark" for me.

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Lach0121

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@WarGreymon77: Funny, I would want the next KOTOR game to be considerably darker than the first two. Especially when compared to KOTOR 1. Characters, story, setting, atmosphere, music, and visuals.

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cboye18

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Edited By cboye18

I would love to play a modern Kotor game but one of the franchise's biggest strengths were the excellent story and characters. Except for a few studios like Obsidian, Larian Studios and CDPR, I have little faith in any studio trying to achieve that. Modern writing in the entertainment media just suck for the most part.

As for the gameplay, I'm not a fan of the slightly complicated DnD combat system of the old games but I definitely wouldn't want a streamlined and dumbed-down RPG that plays like a button masher (e.x FFXV, DA :Inquisition). Dragon Age: Origins has a really good tactical-RPG combat system that's easy enough to learn, so I think that would be perfect for this. Too bad the modern AAA gaming industry prefer to have everything dumbed down for the lowest common denominator.

So in other words, let those classic IP's be.

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deactivated-64efdf49333c4

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@cboye18: I wouldn't call the D20 rules utilized in KotoR complicated.

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esqueejy

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@Barighm: True to a point. Didn't the ruleset still use THAC0 back then? I can't remember...maybe for the 1st one and not the 2nd? Anyway, even WotC got rid of that nonsense because it was stupidly confusing for a lot of people.

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Wraith3

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Everyone one of these announcements for SW games is like a roller coaster. It started after the Disney acquisition with "We are making new Star Wars games!" Gamers: "YEEEEEAAAAAAAHHH!!!!!" "They're all going to come from EA!" Gamers: "....". Now we get "New KOTOR being made!!!" "YEEAAAH!!!" "Without Bioware...". I mean c'mon seriously can't they just do one simple thing we ask and have the companies who made them great the first time do the sequel?!?!

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bbq_R0ADK1LL

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@Wraith3: Bioware isn't Bioware anymore. They kept the name on the door, but all they key talent has left.

There is definitely way too much hype for the Star Wars brand though. I think the idea of what Star Wars could be is always much better than the execution of most of the films & games that actually come out.

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masscrack

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@Wraith3: I mean nobody wants modern day bioware to make modern day kotor but you...

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WarGreymon77

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Why would they do that? If they're planning to make a new KOTOR without Bioware and EA, it better be damn good. Otherwise it's a harebrained idea and doomed to start.

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rawkstar007

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@WarGreymon77: Are you under some impression that EA and BioWare being involved in a remake of this game would be a good thing? EA would nickel and dime the crap out of people and BioWare is on death’s doorstep. Literally almost anyone else would be better to remake this beloved game.

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J_P-

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Edited By J_P-

Fallen Order?

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esqueejy

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Edited By esqueejy

@rawkstar007: LOL! BW is not on death's doorstep. They're in the middle of making DA4 and a new ME, and no matter what silly arguments the comment board trolls make, DA:I sold like 4-5 million copies. They're doing just fine. They botched Anthem but who cares. Andromeda had some silly issues but wasn't all bad. Water under the bridge. EA also seems to have somewhat learned its lesson after the blowback over Anthem and Battlefront. The penchant for exaggeration some of you folks have is totally out of control.

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deactivated-64efdf49333c4

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@rawkstar007: You're more right than you know. Apparently Bioware WANTED to make KotoR 3, but EA told them to make it an MMO instead...so they can nickel and dime us.

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J_P-

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No, Lucasarts canceled Kotor 3 long before EA got their hands on Star Wars games.

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moonwatcher99

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@rawkstar007:

Blah, blah, blah. I really hate it when it becomes popular to badmouth a company, and suddenly every game they ever did was bad, even though people loved them at the time. I've never been disappointed with any game I ever played from Bioware, and I've played all except for the multiplayer. (Because I hate multiplayer.) So I missed, what? Two games? Big deal. All the rest? Solid, in my book. I would have been thrilled to see Bioware take on the third KOTOR.

Now, having said that, Obsidion's game was actually superior, minus the unfortunate rush they were forced into. Playing the restored content edition makes it clear they refined the game, so I don't assume that just because a new company takes over, it will automatically be crap. This has definite potential, as long as they respect the previous entries.

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esqueejy

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@moonwatcher99: It's called "vice signaling" and yes, it's a thing.

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deactivated-64efdf49333c4

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@moonwatcher99: You're clearly not reading any responses given you're describing them as "blah, blah, blah". Nobody hates Bioware's old work. We all love it. That's the reason why this article was posted in the first place. "Sans Bioware" is what makes this article noteworthy (for baitspot, anyway; news of the game is more than enough).

You're also missing the point. Modern Bioware is not past Bioware. If old Bioware were still around, great, we'd love to see them do a sequel. But we don't have that Bioware. What we have is EA Edmonton, which kept the Bioware name for PR purposes, which is responsible for such classics as Andromeda (well, that was the B-team, but still) and Anthem. This is the studio you want doing KotoR3? Really?

The sad thing is that it's not Obsidian doing it. It would have been awesome to see Obsidian develop a well funded, none rushed KotoR.

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Danmonger

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@moonwatcher99: So youre not even aware that 80% of the original Bioware team that made the DA,Mass Effect and Kotor series have left the company and its just a barebones average group making MA:Andromeda and Anthem? Bioware is a bad choice for Kotor 3... in 2021. Just a heads up.

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moonwatcher99

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@danmonger: I am aware the original team is not in place. I'm also aware that I enjoyed what the newer teams developed, including DA:I and Andromeda. Passed on Anthem because, as I said, I don't do multi. So, I would still support Bioware in 2021. Will be, in fact, because I cannot WAIT for DA4.

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JamesMiles1

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@danmonger: Anthem had and still あ has a ton of potential. You're very right though Game developers need to unionize better and put up better practices to stop companies from this minimumlistic philosophy. To take the consumers money every year and chance they can. This is hurting the Gaming industry.

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rawkstar007

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Edited By rawkstar007

@moonwatcher99: Dude. The company is gutted. None of the talent that built their reputation is left and their last few games have been a very public, developmental train wreck. I wish it weren’t the case, but it is. You can’t just coast on the name alone. They really are in serious trouble and likely won’t survive much longer.

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idakooz

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Bah rumors. Take it with a grain of very much salt. Anyhow, personally I really don't care if Bioware makes the new KOTOR or not, it's not the same Bioware that made one of the best rpgs of all-time.

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JamesMiles1

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@idakooz: you think so? Which RPG are you referring to KOTOR, DA Series, or Mass Effect.

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KaptenHaddock

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If this turns out to be real, I will freak. The original KotOR is what got me into RPG's and is my favourite game of all time.

Keep the synced animations though! The fact that your character actually duelled is what sold the Star Wars combat and there hasn't been anything like it since. Please, no more MMO cooldown gameplay in my single player RPG's.

The only thing that worries me is that it would supposedly be made by a relatively unknown studio, it really should be Obsidian and Chris Avellone (even though he's not PC anymore).

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JamesMiles1

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@KaptenHaddock: I think they should use a company like CD Project Red, Bethesda, Bungie, or the developers that made Fable. I find Today's EA is way to generic in everything they put out from the Animation, to the dialogue, and customization. Wich is a shame because it used to be such a talented innovative studio.

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s1taz4a3l

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Larian Kotor, my body is ready.

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mogan

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@s1taz4a3l: Only if they promise not to just clone DoS again. BG3 has been pretty disappointing.

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esqueejy

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@s1taz4a3l: That would be completely and utterly disappointing. Horrifyingly bad. Turn-based lightsaber duels? Trash.

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s1taz4a3l

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Edited By s1taz4a3l

@esqueejy: Obviously you didnt play the originals as well, they were turn based too... only it had real time to emulate, attacks had turn cds that you could run back to wait till they refreshed and run back to the fight again. It even had a pause button to give orders...

Go back to fortnite you god damn plebeian!

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esqueejy

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@s1taz4a3l: Yep, played 'em. They were real time with pause and no, that is not "turn based". This argument was had at great length about BG3 and Larian's choice to make it turn based. If it was nothing but the same thing as the originals, there wouldn't have been so many people expressing either a strong preference for the change or strong disappointment in the change. The challenge of having to actively manage characters who will continue to act while NPCs continue to act, pausing to issue orders but then letting them play out in real time before things switch switch back to the AI script is an entirely different experience than always paused turn based combat, feels more action-y and forces more real time decision making about things like positioning, preparation and prioritizing actions.

Also, the fact that the "dice rolling" behind the scenes remains effectively turn based doesn't mean that the combat itself plays out as turn based.

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deactivated-64efdf49333c4

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@s1taz4a3l: No, thx. I don't want just another OS clone. Part of the game's charm was the field level faux real time action.

Frankly, I'm surprised we haven't seen a version of this done in Mass Effect's style. Seems like the perfect match.

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s1taz4a3l

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@Barighm: LARIAN KOTOR!

End of Story!

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deactivated-64efdf49333c4

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@s1taz4a3l: Baldur's Gate 3.

No, not the end of the story.

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s1taz4a3l

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@Barighm: LARIAN LARIAN LARIAN!!!

GOGOGO!!

DOOOOEEEEETTTTT!!!

End of Story!!

Ill accept a Monolith SW that plays like Shadow War, with a nemesis system if its going to be sandbox real time.

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esqueejy

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@Barighm: I'm still miffed about that being turned into something turn-based too, but at least they seem to be doing enough to change the OS systems to make it really close to the true 5e systems and feeling like a tabletop game....it may just work. I'm cautiously optimistic, but still would've preferred slapping the trusty old spacebar.

But KOTOR? I can't begin to imagine how awful turn-based combat would be for lightsabers and blasters and force powers compared to the way the original 2 games did it.

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Tyler50314

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@s1taz4a3l: Yes!!!

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JamesMiles1

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KOTOR 3 BETHESDA

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JamesMiles1

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KOTOR 3 ROCKSTEADY

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JamesMiles1

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KOTOR 3 BIOWARE

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deactivated-64efdf49333c4

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Sounds too speculative to be true. They're even not sure if it's a remake, a remaster, a sequel, or a reimagining. I think there is way too little information here to become excited.

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JamesMiles1

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Edited By JamesMiles1

This could be a good thing or a bad thing. I'd prefer bioware EA SW:KOTOR with Dragon Age inquisition game play and graphics. I think the fans would also.

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WarGreymon77

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@jamesmiles1: Inquisition gameplay is horrible. It's a button masher.

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JamesMiles1

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@WarGreymon77: I'm just saying from a cinematic experience that is Star Wars

Dragon Age Inquisition style could do wonders the graphics and engine at time were spectacular. Or they could go with a company like Bungie and make a destiny type game.

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cboye18

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@WarGreymon77: It really was a button masher, which is fun at first but gets dull real fast. Then again, I tried playing Kotor 2 some time ago and I didn't like the gameplay either. DnD mechanics are somewhat niche and complicated.

I think Dragon Age: Origins combat system would be great.

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naomha1

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I just peed a little twice now. First, the Diablo 2 remake and now a new KotOR game? What a day!

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