The opening of the PlayStation Showcase with Knights of the Old Republic Remake was a mind-blowing moment many won’t soon forget. Being developed as a timed console exclusive for PS5, Knights of the Old Republic Remake is confirmed and real—something that many have been hoping to say for quite some time. However, what should be noted is that it’s clearly still early in the development stage, and perhaps to the surprise of many, EA and BioWare are not involved.
It’s an odd situation, but it’s not the strangest thing happening in the industry. Lucasfilm Games, Sony, and Aspyr are collaborating to some degree on this remake, and given that it likely exists outside of EA’s current Star Wars exclusivity contract, it won’t likely release until after 2023. Now, interestingly enough, this could very well put Knights of the Old Republic Remake into an awkward spot with a similar game: Mass Effect 4.
The Relationship Between KOTOR (The Original) and Mass Effect
As many know, both the OG KOTOR and Mass Effect were developed by BioWare. The developer, at the time, had decided against doing another licensed video game property and make its own IP, thus Mass Effect was born. The sheer popularity of the Mass Effect: Legendary Edition nowadays proves that this was a worthwhile venture, yet it seems as if it would have been impossible without KOTOR.
At their core, they are both Sci-Fi games made by the same developer. Their universes and gameplay are different, but all the skills that went into making KOTOR great were also applied to Mass Effect. KOTOR was an almost guaranteed success at the time, thanks to the popularity of the IP, but Mass Effect was a gamble as all new IPs are. Because of BioWare and EA, both are established video game franchises in their own right.
KOTOR, Mass Effect Fans Have a Long Wait
Now, fans of one or the other find themselves sitting in the same boat (though there’s no reason not to enjoy both). Both games are clearly years away from release. Knights of the Old Republic Remake really only teased its existence, offering nothing more than confirmation, a logo, and an epic showcase of Revan. On the other hand, Mass Effect 4 has received a small trailer but was known to still be in early development at the time.
With KOTOR being rebuilt from the ground up and the potential of Mass Effect 4 being made in a new engine, these only accrue to more time. In other words, both have years before they release; the chances of them releasing the same year are about as good as any two games in the industry. The chances of them releasing in the span of 2-3 years apart are even better.
KOTOR, Mass Effect 4 – Will The Student Defeat The Master?
And so, while KOTOR may be the master that came first and passed down the skills to make Mass Effect what it is, it’s clear the two will eventually come head to head, the student and the master. Competition like this is only good for gamers and the two may be great projects worthy of their IPs, but the fact remains that they are competitors: Knights of the Old Republic Remake is a non-EA Sci-Fi game based on a popular franchise, Mass Effect 4 is an EA Sci-Fi game based on a popular franchise.
It’ll be interesting to see how everything shakes out in a couple of years, but as long as more Knights of the Old Republic and Mass Effect are on the horizon, fans of either/both are eating well.
Both Knights of the Old Republic Remake and Mass Effect 4 are in development.