This Week In The Knights of the Old Republic Rumor Mill: EA/BioWare Not Involved In New KOTOR Project
It’s a day that ends in ‘Y’, so that means there’s new KOTOR rumors swirling on the internet again.
Round and round we go, as the internet plays the age-old telephone game with KOTOR rumors, with each blog picking up different bits and pieces. This time, the source is “B.O.B. the Podcast“, who features co-host Bespin Bulletin, someone who has broken accurate Star Wars leaks in the past. Here’s the full quote that began the rumors:
“Amongst my digging, I heard there is a Knights of the Old Republic project in development somewhere. I talked to a couple of people, and I also found out that Jason Schreier [Bloomberg] said that it’s not with EA, and we’ll ‘never guess’ who the studio is that’s making this game.
I don’t know if the bounty hunter game is with them or if it’s with Ubisoft, but yeah, EA is working on stuff and there’s another unannounced game at EA, which I have no idea what it is. I don’t think it’s Battlefront 3.”
Abridged quote, BOB the Podcast Ep. 20
So, just like always, we basically have nothing to go off of… Except the very interesting tidbit that this new “KOTOR project” is not in development at EA or Bioware or “anywhere that we would guess”. There have been mixed reactions to this online, but personally… I think this is for the best.
I will always have love for BioWare for the joy they’ve brought to my life, especially via the original Mass Effect trilogy, but it’s no secret that BioWare’s last two outings have damaged their reputation with fans, and their standing with EA. Both Mass Effect Andromeda and Anthem had now-biblical levels of production woes, and if leaks and rumors were to be believed, it seemed like EA was constantly eager to pull BioWare staff off a project if they saw it was failing, and move them on to the next thing.
I’m sure there are plenty of fans looking through rose-colored glasses here, and those who are SURE that only BioWare can do a new KOTOR project justice, but to quote a severely underutilized Star Wars character…
There are PLENTY of amazing studios and publishers that could take on this project and truly elevate the KOTOR series. And with Lucasfilm Games proving that they aren’t afraid to partner with new studios, I’m not surprised that EA/Bioware might not be involved in this new project.
One thing I’m surprised by, honestly, is that we’re getting a new game in the Old Republic setting at all. The Star Wars team has just kicked off their all-new “High Republic” setting (set 200 years before the prequels when the Jedi are at their absolute peak), and I can’t think of any better way to get players and fans immersed in your new setting than by giving them a sprawling RPG sandbox to explore and new characters too fall in love (and hate) with. If I were a betting man (and I am), my money’s on Knights of the High Republic being a real possibility.
All in all, I’m excited that a new “Knights of the [?] Republic” project is underway. Given Lucasfilm Games’ emergence and subsequent partnerships with titanic studios, I’m sure whatever comes next will be a certified banger.
