The boss of embattled games company Embracer has refused to answer a question about the troubled Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake, despite increasing concern about the project.
During a financial presentation, Embracer CEO Lars Wingefors remained tight-lipped when asked how he was feeling about the KOTOR remake. “I notice that anything I say to this becomes a headline, so that is my only comment,” he responded.
Embracer has refused to comment on the issue despite multiple requests from IGN ever since it emerged the KOTOR remake had encountered development trouble.
Last year, development on the KOTOR remake was reportedly paused indefinitely after disappointment over progress made with the hotly anticipated RPG. A demo built by Texas-based studio Aspyr, owned indirectly by Embracer, apparently failed to impress when shown to Lucasfilm and publisher Sony, which led to development being put on hold.
The remake’s art director Brad Prince and design director Jason Minor subsequently left the project. The KOTOR remake was then moved from Aspyr to World War Z and Space Marine 2 developer Saber Interactive, also owned by Embracer.
Aspyr had worked on the KOTOR remake for three years before it was finally announced in Sony’s 2021 PlayStation Showcase, where it was revealed that original voice actor Jennifer Hale would be returning as Bastila Shan.
At the time, the KOTOR remake was set to be released as a PC and PlayStation 5 console exclusive and was touted as a full remake developed from the ground up. Originally developed by BioWare, Knights of the Old Republic has consistently been regarded as one of the best Star Wars video games and western RPGs.
According to reports, Aspyr had targeted a late 2022 release date for the remake but insiders suggested 2025 was a more realistic target. It’s now even more unclear how this project will continue.
In September, there was renewed concern for the status of the KOTOR remake after fans spotted trailers and other promotional material were pulled from Sony’s channels. Sony issued a statement in response insisting it had to do with music licensing expiring.
Embracer is currently embroiled in a significant restructuring process that has seen over 900 staff lose their jobs. Saints Row studio Volition has closed down, and Borderlands developer Gearbox is reportedly up for sale. More layoffs are expected.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
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