While Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic players remember it being a turn-based action RPG, Aspyr might be developing the remake to be more action-oriented according to a new rumor. Aspyr is the confirmed developer of KOTOR, but some may not be thrilled about the direction the development team is supposedly looking to take the series. While the original two titles were more traditional RPG experiences, boasting in-depth stories and an emphasis on player choice, the latest remake rumors point towards something more like Mass Effect 2 and 3.
While the first Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic games were developed by BioWare, Aspyr has been heavily involved with the series recently, having ported it to mobile devices in 2020. Aspyr is reportedly also working on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 port, and the developer’s closeness to the project could be a beacon of light for a long-requested KOTOR reboot. The series is known for delving into the forgotten history of the Star Wars Universe and is one of the most highly regarded Star Wars game series of all time.
YouTuber MrMattyPlays released a video claiming that the Star Wars: KOTOR reboot will loosen some of its RPG elements and focus on a more modern, action RPG approach. While the gameplay style is currently unknown, MrMattyPlays holds that KOTOR “is going to be an action-RPG of sorts.” He explained that Aspyr is “walking away from that real-time, turn-based combat and doing something more along the lines of action combat.”
On first pass, it sounds like the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake may be set to make some hardcore fans of the originals unhappy. However, Aspyr has been working closely on the first game some time, so it's unlikely that the development team would completely lose sight of what people liked about the BioWare classics. The reboot should and likely will diversify itself from the original games in some ways, but Aspyr may be the best place for KOTOR’s future after all its port work. It has also been rumored that Aspyr acquired BioWare talent to help guide the team on KOTOR remake development, which only further lends credence to the studio not taking the series lightly.
Rumors are simply that, and it is possible (but not likely) that Aspyr will keep the reboot in line with the traditional, turn-based combat of the original games. The rumors also claim that KOTOR will take on a hybrid combat system, but the specifics are currently unknown. Whether the uniqueness of the reboot will make KOTOR fans happy is also up in the air, but Aspyr has done well with the franchise in the past, so it is likely the reboot will contain more aspects of the originals than some may fear.
Source: MrMattyPlays