Jedi Padawans jumped for joy two years ago when Sony unveiled a teaser for the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remakeintended for the PlayStation 5 at the September 2021 PlayStation Showcase. But two years later, this flame has all but been snuffed out as devotees observed Sony's erasure of tweets regarding the game and the sudden disappearance of the teaser trailer from its YouTube channel.
Early indications of this removal emerged around September 28 when the trailer's absence from PlayStation's YouTube channel became a talking point. Further evidence mounted when a Twitter user highlighted that Sony's promotional tweets from their 2021 Showcase had vanished, leaving only a stray tweet referencing multiple games.
Now, many ponder whether this much-awaited KOTOR remake, initially slated as a PS5 exclusive, is merely a victim of an unannounced digital housekeeping or indicative of deeper issues, possibly even its cancellation. While both PlayStation and its parent publisher, Embracer, remain tight-lipped, one can't help but consider the challenges plaguing the project. Notably, Embracer's extensive budget cuts and the recent troubles with its other ventures could be affecting the game's future.
Last year, Bloomberg unveiled that developers had invested heavily in a proof-of-concept demo that unfortunately was not well-received upon review. This setback led to a change in direction, with key team members dropping out and the lead development role being passed from Texas-based Aspyr to Saber Interactive in Europe. However, dark clouds then began gathering over Embracer itself as they enacted widespread budget cuts, notably shutting down entire studios as well as backing away from projects. Their financial decisions, many speculate, stem from a missed $2 billion investment opportunity from Saudi Arabia. This narrative of uncertainty was compounded when Aspyr opted not to proceed with a promised DLC pack for its Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2 remaster, for which they're now being sued.