12 December 2025

Fate of the Old Republic is Already Colliding with KOTOR, But in the Best Way Possible

By newsgame

The Game Awards opened with a bombshell announcement: a brand new Star Wars game, directed by BioWare’s Casey Hudson (KOTOR, Mass Effect). Titled Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic, this title will take fans back to one of the most popular eras in the franchise, one defined by the KOTOR games. It’s exciting, and as the dust settles, it’s still exciting. But the trailer gave fans a small “blink-and-you-miss it” teaser that takes lofty expectations even higher.

Truth be told, Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic has a lot going against it. Hudson’s studio was established in July 2025, meaning that the trailer is truly not emblematic of the game but a goal. Whether that can be met or not is one massive challenge, but the fact that it is Hudson returning to The Old Republic is another.

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And piled on top of that is Revan’s legacy, something easily avoided perhaps yet set up intentionally by Hudson’s new studio Arcanaut Studios. However, if the team can live up to its premise, it could represent a brand new era for Star Wars games.

FOTOR Knows It’s in Revan’s Shadow, and It’s Embracing the “Dark” Side

The official description for Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic promises a narrative-driven action RPG where you “step into the role of a Force user on a journey through a galaxy on the edge of rebirth.” It implies light and dark-side choices like KOTOR return, as every decision deepens the Force user’s ability, and promises “innovative storytelling, memorable characters, and heart-pounding combat.”

Every Feature Confirmed for FOTOR So Far

Play a Force User
Narrative-driven action RPG
End of the Old Republic
Choices
“Memorable Characters” (implying new companions for Star Wars)
Star Wars combat

Moreover, it is officially a “spiritual successor” to KOTOR—it seems to imply the first KOTOR too—but is not a direct continuation with new characters and story. “Spiritual” and “direct” are doing some heavy lifting in this description because fans believe they’ve spotted The Leviathan in the FOTOR trailer. The Leviathan is an ancestor to the iconic Star Destroyer and was Revan’s capital ship in the Sith fleet. In other words, the trailer appears to depict the new characters outright searching for, and looking into, Revan’s legacy. If that’s not a sequel, I don’t know what is, no matter how disconnected it may be.

Such a connection, paired with strong storytelling, would fit into Star Wars‘ interconnected themes, and at the very least, Arcanaut Studios had to be aware that fans would make this connection. It’s immediately compelling as a story point for FOTOR; however, it’s worth noting that this could be a red herring. Technically speaking, KOTOR‘s Starforge produced several similar ships, so the sheer numbers is against this ship specifically being the Leviathan. But in our hearts, it is, and Arcanauts had to know that.

star-wars-the-fate-of-the-old-republic-game-rant-4 (1)-1

Revan’s Shadow Now Lingers Over Two Games

After all, a brand new Star Wars game set in the Old Republic alone is hype. Hudson returning to it is hype. But an immediate, possible connection to KOTOR protagonist Revan? It’s hard to contain that kind of hype. Since FOTOR is clearly years away from release, it could be that this intertwines well with the KOTOR remake—assuming that its development ever got back on track and it has not been iced.

Ultimately, it remains to be seen how the development of the KOTOR Remake and FOTOR shakes out, but for fans the world over, it hopefully lives up to all expectations. FOTOR could not escape the KOTOR comparisons and challenging them directly with the Leviathan, especially with all the other very public challenges the studio is facing, speaks to the studio’s confidence. Rise above and become Jedi.