Highlights

  • PlayStation has always relied on exclusive titles to attract gamers, and this remains true for the PlayStation 5.
  • While previously successful exclusive titles have made the PS5 a must-have console, the upcoming Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remake faces development issues that may delay its release.
  • If the remake takes too long to develop, it is possible that it will miss the current console generation altogether and end up as a PS6 exclusive instead.

From the moment the PlayStation 1 debuted all the way back in 1994, exclusives have been an integral aspect of the brand's success. Gran Turismo, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro the Dragon, Metal Gear Solid, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Final Fantasy 7, and many more were all exclusive to the PS1 on launch, and they all played a pivotal role in convincing gamers to invest in Sony's new console. And in every console generation since, exclusives have remained a vital part of the PlayStation ecosystem, and that's never been truer than with the PlayStation 5.

While exclusives have always been a prominent part of PlayStation's business model, they really became a standout selling point in the 8th console generation, with titles like The Last of Us Part 2, Uncharted 4, Horizon Zero Dawn, God of War, and Marvel's Spider-Man all casting a sizable shadow over the Xbox One's limited first-party offerings. This focus on first-party exclusives has carried over to the current console generation, where games like Returnal, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, Horizon Forbidden West, and the upcoming Marvel's Spider-Man 2 all continue to make the PS5 a must-have console. But there's one upcoming console exclusive that isn't looking so good right now, and if its development issues continue, then it might not make this console generation after all.

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Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remake Might Not Make It To PlayStation 5

Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic Remake Delay

The Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake was first announced back in September 2021, during a now-legendary PlayStation Showcase. Though only a silhouette of Darth Revan and his red lightsaber were revealed, it was all that was needed to send fans into a fervor. For years, fans had been pleading with BioWare or Lucasfilm to remake Knights of the Old Republic, and in PlayStation's 2021 Showcase, their dreams finally became a reality - at least for those with a PlayStation 5.

When Knights of the Old Republic remake was first announced, it was slated to be a timed console exclusive for the PlayStation 5, with a PC port also set to be coming. For a while there it seemed like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic would be yet another excellent first-party exclusive to add to Sony's ever-growing pile, but things haven't gone too smoothly for the KOTOR remake, and almost two years later it's still nowhere to be found.

Back in July 2022, Bloomberg reported that the KOTOR remake was in serious trouble. After showcasing an internal demo, two of KOTOR's lead designers were apparently fired from the project, and the game's development was put on pause. Then in August 2022, another Bloomberg report stated that Saber Interactive had been tasked with taking over lead development on the KOTOR remake. And that's currently where the Knights of the Old Republic remake sits, with no official announcements on the game's release date or development progress.

If Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic's development journey is as rough as the reports suggest, then it only makes sense that the game would still be several years out. And if the game's still years away from release, then there's a very real possibility that it might not launch until after the PlayStation 6 releases. Modern console generations tend to last around seven years, and the PS5 is coming up to its third birthday this November. So, while it may seem a little farfetched and presumptuous, it's not out of the realm of possibility that KOTOR will take another three years in development, and by that time, the PS6 may have already been announced, with the remake failing to live up to its initial promise of being exclusive to the PS5. But while this might be disappointing, Aspyr and Saber should take all the time they need to get Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic right, as it means a lot to many fans.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old RepublicRemake is in development for the PlayStation 5 and PC.

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