Knights of the Old Republic remake officially announced for PlayStation 5

During Sony’s PlayStation Showcase 2021 live stream on Thursday, there was some exciting Star Wars news announced.

It was announced during the showcase that a remake of the fan-favorite Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic video game would be coming to the PlayStation 5. A teaser trailer was shown with a voiceover that eventually revealed Darth Revan before the splash screen revealed the title of the remake. The teaser trailer didn’t give a release date for the game, however.

It has been confirmed that the KOTOR remake will be a timed exclusive for the PS5, and it is being developed by Aspyr Media. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because they’re the company that created ports for Mac and Windows versions of several Star Wars games such as Star Wars: Republic Commando, Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast, and Star Wars Episode I: Racer.

Knights of the Old Republic remake details

The KOTOR remake, however, doesn’t appear to be a port with some minor upgrades; it looks like a full-on revamping of the original game.

In the trailer, the female voiceover states that “peace is a lie,” claiming that is “what the Sith believe.” She goes on to say that the Sith “promise power, and now they wield it” before saying they “face the greatest Sith in generations” and that they “must be stopped” as Revan is revealed.

The trailer didn’t reveal who the voice belonged to, but StarWars.com notes it’s Bastila Shan, one of the main characters from the original KOTOR who is a companion for your character from the very start.

On making the game, Lucasfilm Games executive producer Orion Kellogg told StarWars.com:

"We know that KOTOR is one of the most beloved Star Wars stories ever told… We really appreciate the stature it has with all of the fans out there. As hardware advances and as our game-making prowess advances and as storytelling [techniques] advance, what better time to allow players to re-experience this great story with all of those lessons learned, and bring it back to modern platforms using modern methods? That’s something I’ve wanted to do personally for a very long time, and I think everybody involved with Star Wars games has wanted to do for a very long time."

The original KOTOR was developed by BioWare and LucasArts back in 2003 for the original Xbox before being later ported to PC and mobile phones. The game used Dungeons & Dragons’ style of RPG mechanics for gameplay and featured turn-based combat.

Modern games are much faster-paced with their gameplay, so it’s highly likely that the remake will do more than just reskin the old game with fancy new graphics. The gameplay itself will likely receive an overhaul, and the story could also be altered from the original game.

Stay tuned for more news on the KOTOR remake as it becomes available on Dork Side of the Force!