With the popularity of Star Wars’ High Republic series, which shined a light on the time period before the prequel series and the Fall of the Jedi, it is clear that the time has come for Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, or KOTOR, to return. Despite the beloved game series’ status as one of the best Star Wars games of all time, the KOTOR games were erased from the franchise’s canon and moved into Star Wars Legends in 2014. Because of this, many viewers have been left longing for the day that KOTOR will potentially make a return to canon.
Originally developed and released by BioWare in 2003, KOTOR was released to considerable acclaim. The game’s story was given high praise, as well as the player’s ability to make choices that could lead their character towards the light or dark side of the Force, and the game even inspired a sequel. In recent years, the High Republic Era that follows that of the Old Republic has been further fleshed out in both canon comics and books. This recent rise in desire to lay out the history of Star Wars is the perfect opportunity for KOTOR to make a return to canon.
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KOTOR Is A Massive Gap In The Star Wars Timeline
This Time Period In Star Wars Canon Remains Unexplored
Despite massive interest in the history of the Jedi and the years that came before the prequel series, the infancy of the Republic is something that has rarely been addressed. In Disney’s official Star Wars canon, most of what is addressed in the Old Republic Era revolves around the conflicts between the Jedi, the Sith, and the Mandalorians. Even then, this era of the timeline is only ever seen during Star Wars Rebels season 3, episode 15 “Trials of the Darksaber,” in which this era is shown briefly, specifically in flashbacks related to the Mandalorians and the history of the Darksaber itself.
Because of this, as well as the massive amount of time between the Old Republic Era and the modern Star Wars timeline, there is plenty of room for KOTOR to make a return to canon. Not only would this help to flesh out the history of the Jedi and their conflicts with the Sith and the Mandalorians, but it would also not interfere with what Disney has recently introduced to the series. It is a win-win situation, and it could be the perfect springboard for even more content to be created in this exciting era were it to be brought to a new generation of viewers.
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KOTOR Has Always Been A Massive Star Wars Brand
Knights Of The Old Republic Has Been Popular For Over 20 Years
Ever since it was released, Knights of the Old Republic has been a hit among fans. When the first game initially came out, it quickly became the Xbox’s fastest selling game back in 2003, selling a quarter of a million copies in only four days. The initial release of the game, as well as its sequel Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II, has remained popular with re-releases on PC, mobile, and even on the Switch, showing that the series has remained relevant to Star Wars culture even more than two decades after its initial release.
In fact, it is so popular today that the first game in the series has a potential remake on the way, being worked on by a company fittingly called Saber Interactive. With such excitement around a game that was first released so long ago, there is no doubt that the inclusion of Knights of the Old Republic into Star Wars canon would be well received. Audiences love this series, and this is something that Disney is well aware of.
When speaking to Axios Gaming as recently as December 2023, Disney’s head of gaming Sean Shoptaw 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.” There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that there is a massive fanbase for the series, just waiting for the opportunity to see the story of the games told once again. Because of the success of the High Republic, Star Wars now has another way to do it.
Star Wars Canon Has Been Setting Up KOTOR For Years
There Is Still A Chance KOTOR Could Be Returning
Over the years, different ideas have been recycled from Knights of the Old Republic and back into Star Wars canon. Concepts that later came into canon, much like how the sequel trilogy introduced the idea of Force healing, were originally created for the Knights of the Old Republic series as powers the playable characters could use in battle. This, coupled with the fact that the Old Republic Era itself has been certified as canon by Disney, has made the chance very real that the series could come back to canon in one way or another.
It is even possible that Disney is planning to do so with the release of the Knights of the Old Republic remake, though with a development timeline shrouded in missteps and mystery, it is possible that such a game will not be released for many more years. No matter when it releases, however, there will still be an entire generation of viewers that didn’t have the opportunity to grow up with the Knights of the Old Republic games. Many were too young at the time of release, and even more had not even been born.
An introduction to canon would be the perfect impetus for audiences, both new and old alike, to rally around such an important part of the franchise’s history. The cultural impact of KOTOR can never be changed, and it’s exciting to think about it making a return. Whether Disney were to bring Knights of the Old Republic back with its remake, its own trilogy of movies, or even just an acknowledgment that they have added the story back to canon, viewers will no doubt be thrilled to see Star Wars once again make content for such a beloved franchise.
