Big announcement, little certainty: Why Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic fans will have to wait a long time.
The announcement of Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic at the Game Awards sparked huge excitement – after all, the title is seen as the spiritual successor to the legendary Knights of the Old Republic. But barely had the first cinematic teaser been shown when a sobering discussion about the possible release date began.
Current estimates suggest that fans will have to wait many more years – bringing back memories of another major Star Wars promise.
Eclipse Raises Doubts
A look back at Star Wars: Eclipse shows why skepticism is warranted. The game was announced back in 2021 and has since almost completely disappeared from the public eye. Despite occasional minor updates, it’s still unclear if or when Eclipse will ever release. It’s precisely this kind of “announcement without tangible progress” that many now fear for Fate of the Old Republic.
These concerns are further fueled by an assessment from renowned industry insider Jason Schreier. He pointed out that the responsible studio, Arcanaut, was only recently founded. This alone makes a release before 2030 unlikely – and even that date, he notes, is optimistic. Considering the complexity of modern AAA RPGs, which often require six to eight years of development, his prediction seems far from far-fetched. In the worst-case scenario, the game might not arrive until the early 2030s.
Hope Despite The Long Wait
On paper, the project looks extremely promising. With Casey Hudson at the helm a seasoned creative director who played a key role in both KOTOR and the Mass Effect series many fans see him as the perfect person to bring a deep, story-driven single-player RPG back to the Star Wars universe. All the more frustrating, then, is the prospect of the release being pushed further and further into the future.
Hudson has since sought to calm concerns. In a statement, he made it clear that Fate of the Old Republic will definitely launch before 2030, even though the game is still in the early stages of development. While he didn’t provide a specific release year, his comments at least offer hope that the project won’t become another long-delayed ghost like Star Wars: Eclipse.
Nevertheless, it’s worth noting that a release before 2028 is highly unlikely. That’s why it would be wise for Lucasfilm Games and Arcanaut Studios to keep the community updated with small status reports. Even a brief update can go a long way in keeping excitement for Fate of the Old Republic alive, rather than letting it fade long before the game actually launches.