Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic — Our burning questions and release date speculation

Okay, apparently I didn't dream that! A whole new video game set in the Old Republic era of Star Wars really has been announced.

It's called Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic (or FotOR to its friends), and it was revealed during The Game Awards last night (Thursday 11th December 2025).

FotOR is described in the official materials as being a "brand-new epic narrative single-player action role-playing game."

Another description adds: "Blending innovative storytelling, memorable characters, and heart-pounding combat, Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic will immerse you in an unforgettable experience where every decision deepens your journey toward the light…or the darkness."

The game is being directed by none other than Casey Hudson, director of the legendary 2003 RPG Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (or KotOR to its friends), not to mention the Mass Effect trilogy as well.

Interestingly, Hudson seems to have founded a whole new company, Arcanaut Studios, over in Canada, and this is their first project.

For now, save for the vibey CGI trailer, we don't have much to go on. So, here's our list of burning questions, starting with the obvious one — when the heck can we get our hands on this thing?

When is the Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic release date?

The Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic release date has not been confirmed yet, and we wouldn't expect it to be revealed any time soon.

The company making the game, Arcanaut Studios, was only founded in July 2025, according to an official press release direct from the horse's mouth.

Given that game development cycles take multiple years in this day and age, we would speculate that the game will not come out in 2026 or 2027. Our most realistic hope is a 2028 release, and even that sounds a bit on the optimistic side! But hey, rebellions are built on hope.

Is Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic a sequel to KotOR?

"Fate of the Old Republic is not a direct sequel or continuation" to the previous Knights of the Old Republic games, the official Star Wars website has confirmed.

In terms of the timeline, it sounds like FotOR will take place a fair bit later than KotOR. The Star Wars website describes the new game as "a journey through a galaxy on the edge of rebirth at the end of the Old Republic."

Douglas Reilly from Lucasilm Games notes on the Star Wars website, "it’s crucial to explore new territory, meet new characters, and see new parts of the galaxy.” So don't go expecting Revan or the Exile from KotOR and KotOR II.

Is Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic canon?

The canon status of Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic has not yet been confirmed by Lucasfilm or Arcanaut Studios.

That being said, we do strongly suspect that FotOR will be considered canon. For one thing, Reilly is quoted as saying on the official blog: "Star Wars' past is a vast open canvas for creators to explore without having to navigate storytelling touchstones from other media.

"Being set in the past gives us an immense amount of open space to tell new original Star Wars stories, while staying true to the spirit of the galaxy we all love. There are, quite literally, infinite stories to tell. While we will always honor and celebrate the core saga, it’s crucial to explore new territory, meet new characters, and see new parts of the galaxy."

Why would Reilly be talking about "having to navigate storytelling touchstones from other media" if this new game wasn't even canon? Bumping into other "touchstones" only matters if you share the same continuity, right? That's our thinking, anyway, and it makes sense... from a certain point of view.

Does Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic have turn-based combat?

It has not been officially confirmed yet whether Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic will have turn-based combat.

Of course, going turn-based would make it similar to KotOR and The Sith Lords. And recent hits like Baldur's Gate 3 and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 have certainly put turn-based combat back into vogue.

However, we suspect that FotOR will not have turn-based combat like its predecessors. A couple of lines from the official materials seem to be suggesting that a more action-oriented route.

The Star Was blog promises "heart-pounding combat" and Arcanaut's press release describes the game as "a single-player action RPG where you step into the role of a Force user on a journey through a galaxy on the edge of rebirth."

Is the Ebon Hawk in Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic?

It has not been confirmed whether the Ebon Hawk spaceship will return in Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic.

The ship in the game's trailer does bear some similarities to the Ebon Hawk, but it's not an identical design in this writer's opinion. The Ebon Hawk is more rounded at the back, while the ship in the trailer is more angular.

For another thing, in the trailer, you can see from the cockpit all the way out the back door, which is not how the layout of the Ebon Hawk works in the previous games. Colour us skeptical on this one!

Will any KotOR characters return in Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic?

It has not been confirmed whether any KotOR characters will return in Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic.

It's worth remembering that the game is set a fair amount of time later, and possibly takes place in a different canon altogether (don't forget that KotOR and KotOR 2 haven't been official canon since Disney took over).

That being said, fans will gobble up any reference to Darth Revan, Darth Malak, Bastilla Shan or even Darth Traya. Only time will tell on this count, but we'd be amazed if the writers could completely avoid Easter eggs and nods to the past.

Bringing back the droids would be an easy one. HK-47 and T3-M4 both appeared across KotOR and KotOR 2, and there's nothing to stop them reappearing again. That said, there seemed to be a totally new companion droid in the trailer.

Which platforms will Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic come to?

It has been confirmed through the official channels that Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic is "in early development for PC and consoles".

So, you don't need to worry about being left behind if you don't have a PC! We'd hope to see the game on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, and perhaps even the next generation of consoles to come after that. The odds of a Nintendo Switch 2 port seem a little less likely, but hey, never tell me the odds.

We'll be sure to keep you updated as we hear more about this one. We shall follow its career with great interest.

In the meantime, check out the video below – or watch the clip on our YouTube channel – to see me arguing why KotOR is the greatest game of all time.

Read more:

• Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II remake project seemingly confirmed by fascinating new report

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