Disney has been tight-lipped about the fate of the long-awaited Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR) remake. We’ve even reported that Embracer Group may have dropped it altogether, which should mean its end. However, a recent interview with the company’s gaming head, Sean Shoptaw, and Axios.
When asked about the project in the interview, Shoptaw avoided making it seem like the game was done and gone. He said, “KOTOR is obviously an incredibly popular game, one that we are incredibly proud of and think that there’s still a lot of demand for. I’ll leave it there.” This cryptic statement shows that the KOTOR remake may remain on the table.
Disney is great at creating successful game franchises through partnerships with developers. Recent triumphs include Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, and Disney Dreamlight Valley. Furthermore, Disney has a proven track record of reviving classic franchises. The Kingdom Hearts series, a long-running collaboration with Square Enix, shows they’re willing to bring back IPs with potential.
Shoptaw confirmed that Disney feels strongly about Kingdom Hearts, “That’s been an incredibly successful partnership. There’s no other way to look at it. We’re super excited about the next game.” Knights of the Old Republic has been loved for years, and seeing how well Kingdom Hearts has continued to do may convince Disney to continue.
However, what worries me is the times Disney faced issues with its partnerships. Marvel’s Avengers is the biggest one, but that difficulty helped lead to Guardians of the Galaxy not doing well. Shoptaw did have a response that makes you think that KOTOR is under control, “We do a lot of air traffic control to make sure all our projects are successful.”
The Game Awards 2023 was no stranger to showcasing games that needed Disney’s greenlight; Iron Man, Black Panther, and Blade are some notable titles. While questions remain surrounding the future of the KOTOR remake, Disney’s current approach to gaming suggests that the project may still see the light of day.
Although Disney has not provided a definitive answer on the KOTOR remake, the statement highlighting the demand for it makes me feel like it’s coming.
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