Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic Announced at Game Awards 2025 as KOTOR Spiritual Successor

Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic was officially announced at The Game Awards 2025, marking the return of legendary game director Casey Hudson to the Star Wars universe. The single-player narrative-driven action RPG is being developed by Arcanaut Studios in collaboration with Lucasfilm Games and is described as a spiritual successor to the beloved Knights of the Old Republic series. Hudson, who served as game director on the original Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and the Mass Effect trilogy, is leading the project at his newly founded studio. The announcement included a cinematic teaser trailer featuring a female Force user exploring a galaxy on the brink of transformation. Set during the end of the Old Republic era, the game places players in the role of a Force user navigating a period of galactic change. The title promises to deliver the same choice-driven gameplay that made the original KOTOR series legendary, with every decision shaping the player's path toward light or darkness. "When we developed the original KOTOR, we wanted to create a definitive Star Wars experience - crafting an adventure that consisted of all the things we dreamed of doing as Star Wars fans," Hudson said in an interview. "Now, 25 years after we started work on that game, our aspirations are equally ambitious. Fate of the Old Republic represents an opportunity to explore a contemporary vision of a definitive Star Wars experience, using state-of-the-art technology and game design, and an all-new story." Douglas Reilly, vice president and general manager of Lucasfilm Games, emphasized the project's commitment to honoring the legacy of classic Star Wars role-playing games while introducing new elements. The collaboration between Lucasfilm Games and Arcanaut Studios aims to deliver what Hudson describes as "the combination of player agency and immersion" that defined the original KOTOR experience. While not a direct sequel to Knights of the Old Republic, the game follows the same tradition of deep, choice-driven gameplay that made the original series a defining experience for many players. The development team at Arcanaut Studios consists of veteran game developers and storytellers working to craft what they describe as "an epic interactive adventure across a galaxy on the brink of rebirth." Hudson revealed that he has remained in contact with Lucasfilm since the original KOTOR days, hoping for another opportunity to collaborate in the Star Wars universe. "It took the right conditions to get everything to line up," he explained, calling the original KOTOR "one of the defining experiences of my career." The game is currently in development for PC and unspecified consoles, though no release date has been announced. The project represents a significant return to single-player Star Wars RPGs, focusing on cinematic storytelling, character development, and the moral choices that will determine the player's destiny in a galaxy far, far away. With over two decades having passed since the release of Knights of the Old Republic II, Fate of the Old Republic promises to bring contemporary game design and cutting-edge technology to the beloved Old Republic setting, offering both longtime fans and new players a chance to experience the timeless struggle between light and dark in the Star Wars universe.