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“Previously announced AAA game based on a major license” needs “deep love and respect”
Image credit:Embracer Group
Image credit:Embracer Group
This week’s announcement thatEmbracer are selling off Saber Interactive to new company Beacon Interactivehas 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”,accordingto Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, whobroke the newsthat 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 (viaVGC), 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 oflaying off a chunky percentage of their workforce, closing studios and cancelling games as they attempt to recoup their enormous debts.)
Announced in September 2021, the KOTOR remake wasdelayed indefinitelyin July 2022, reportedly following a poor reception to an internal demo. In November 2023, Schreier claimed thatthe game is still in development, albeit with a very small team.
The original KOTOR - which you canfind on GOGfor rather less than the price of a ticket to Alderaan - remains one of ourfavourite PC Star Wars games.
