Jade Empire "could make a comeback"

By Robert Purchese Published 14 March, 2011

Its "awesome" fans want a sequel - BioWare.

When will BioWare return to the ancient China-inspired world of Jade Empire?

The Xbox original was released in 2004, and since then we've had two Mass Effect games (with a third on the way), two Dragon Age games and we're soon to have a new Knights of the Old Republic game - MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic. There have even been sequels KOTORII and Neverwinter Nights 2 courtesy of Obsidian Entertainment.

Wasn't it BioWare which said last March that it thinks of all games as franchises? And much earlier, in 2004, BioWare co-founder Ray Muzyka specifically referred to Jade Empire as "a franchise".

"Ha ha ha - we get asked that a lot," laughed BioWare's Mike Laidlaw, writer of Jade Empire, when asked about the prospect of a new game. "In fact I get asked that a lot because of my role on Jade."

"The thing with Jade Empire is ultimately it's one of our intellectual properties, it's there, and one that we're intensely proud of. It did such a neat job of building this fantastical world.

"Currently obviously nothing is announced. It's one of those things that long-term, Jade [Empire] could make a comeback."

"It may," he added, "but we'll see how time goes."

Laidlaw said there is a "really strong central core" of fans that would "absolutely love" another Jade Empire game to be made. "I just take that as a compliment," he said. "I think it's awesome."

He went on: "It's something we look at every once in a while and consider - it's just a matter of where the business is, and the team - making sure everyone is passionate about it before anything happens. It's a number of situational things."

Jade Empire broke BioWare's mould of pseudo turn-based combat, preferring instead a button-bashing action system similar in many regards to Dragon Age II. The story followed an apprentice fighter on a journey to overthrow a tyrannical ruler and packed gorgeous environments, mystical abilities and some meaty plot twists along the way.

Eurogamer scored Jade Empire 8/10. "It's a truly beautiful game, which presents a lovingly crafted and genuinely fascinating world, a host of fantastic characters and a great sense of freedom in terms of your actions in what is mostly a very polished package, and I'd happily recommend it to any Xbox owner," wrote reviewer Rob Fahey.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds. @Clert on Twitter.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (45) Latest comment 1 year ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • stevethemeat #1 1 year ago

    I loved both KOTOR games, but i missed out on this, was it as good or better than the Star Wars games?

  • LHH #2 1 year ago

    As soon as they figure out a way to streamline it then it'll be done

  • M83J01P97 #3 1 year ago

    The game was fun for the time... but I'm not sure the world was interesting enough for me to want more. It didn't seem to have the depth and appeal that their Mass Effect and Dragon Age worlds have.

  • ShapeThrower #4 1 year ago

    I love this game, still have my original Xbox copy ... Great game world and play style so a trip back would be a welcome addition to my gaming collection.

  • GamesConnoisseur #5 1 year ago

    Xbox horrible list of games? Well we must have been playing a different game library and furthermore with multi platform games, in head to head with games that took advantage of Xbox harddrive and better specs, a big advantage.

    Back to Jade Empire, it was reasonably good action RPG, in mould of all the familar talking heads dialogues and levelling up RPGs that BioWare does, its stand out in term of being different to D&D or Space Operas. Though would be great if we get Jade Empire 2 with the same level of engrossing stories and universe like Mass Effect 2... then we would have a winner!

  • johnboy_johsnon #6 1 year ago

    @stevethemeat Thought it was a good game but nowhere near the greatness of KOTOR.

  • andywilkie35 #7 1 year ago

    Get making a sequel and stop wasting time on this Dragon Age shite.

  • uknortherner2000 #8 1 year ago

    I suppose they need to find the time to insert killswitches into their games, just in case any of their customers decide to badmouth them, or their EA overlords, or something.

    I'm surprised BioWare have any fans left considering what total cunts they are towards their customers.

  • HL706 #9 1 year ago

    Would love to play a sequel. One of BioWare's finest imo.

  • koopa #10 1 year ago

    That would be great, a fantasy kung-fu universe is much more appealing to me than yet another generic D&D game...

  • stevethemeat #11 1 year ago

    @johnboy, thanks for that, not many games were as great as KOTOR. Was hoping for a third in the series and not an mmo.

  • ChthonicEcho #12 1 year ago

    My first reaction was, "Not if you're going to treat the sequel to Jade Empire the same way you treated the sequel to Dragon Age".

    Jade Empire already was action-oriented, though. Their current mindset would actually serve the franchise well, so long as they maintain the colourful fantasy world and don't turn it into a grim rise to power or similar bollocks.

  • Hunam #13 1 year ago

    I could never get on with Jade Empire. The combat wasn't too much fun and the characters weren't interesting.

  • Silvz #14 1 year ago

    Was easily one of my favourite games on the Xbox. One of the few games I played through several times.

  • Wahoffelmadenga #15 1 year ago

    I loved the original and I was only thinking yesterday how the new combat system in Dragon Age II reminded me of Jade Empire.

  • M83J01P97 #16 1 year ago

    @stevethemeat

    All the previews so far have suggested that you can very easily play Star Wars: The Old Republic as a single player game like the first two KOTOR. There just happens to be a big MMO aspect to the game alongside the single player stuff.

    BioWare have stated on a few occasions that at no point in Star Wars: The Old Republic will you feel like you need to group up with others in order to get the most out of the game.

  • Doctor_What #17 1 year ago

    I liked it a lot - I played it through BC on my Xbox and really enjoyed it. One of the things that I felt was weaker than I would have liked was the story because the plot twists felt very predictable.

    I definitely agree with the people above: more kung-fu and less dragons in future please!

  • coldfoot #18 1 year ago

    I beat this game on the Xbox, it was fun at the time. However, compared to KOTOR, it was missing that "X-factor"
    Edited by coldfoot at 14/03/11 @ 14:50

  • Markusdragon #19 1 year ago

    Steampunk mythological china.

    STEAMPUNK MYTHOLOGICAL CHINA.

    What more do I need to say! Get onto it, Bioware!

  • stevethemeat #20 1 year ago

    @M83J01P97 - Thanks i did not know that.

  • rob_of_the_robots #21 1 year ago

    "All the previews so far have suggested that you can very easily play Star Wars: The Old Republic as a single player game like the first two KOTOR. There just happens to be a big MMO aspect to the game alongside the single player stuff. "

    But you have to subscribe :(

  • michaelius #22 1 year ago

    I wanted sequel to JE too. After DA2 I don't want it anymore.

  • thesnowman #23 1 year ago

    Agree with everyone that said Jade Empire was fun, but not on the same level at KOTOR. I want KOTOR 3 and dont try telling me that SW:TOR is KOTOR 3,4,5,6,7 etc, because I dont want an MMO with a subscription fee. I have two kids now and hardly enough time to play something like Dragon Age 2, never mind the commitment to play an MMO.

  • Markitron #24 1 year ago

    Jade empire was good, could never get the niggling sensation outta my head that I shoulda been playing Bioware's KotOR 2 tho

  • Zaiz #25 1 year ago

    Jade Empire is the closest bioware ever go to "dark fantasy". Dragon Age is just high fantasy with tits, fantasy racism, and blood.

    So by that measure, make a new Jade Empire. With useful companions. Useful.

  • hiddenranbir #26 1 year ago

    You can sort of see that Jade Empire was their first experiments into streamlined, compartmentalised quest based gaming.

  • Xboxfanuk #27 1 year ago

    Why wouldn't Bioware and EA want three continuous franchises rolling out sequels? I mean they already command two top selling RPG's, why not add a third?

  • Mr.DNA #28 1 year ago

    Jade Empire was the beginning of the end for BioWare. Everyone had expected it to be a meaty single-player RPG, and instead it was a lightweight, talky action game. With abysmal "action". It was not a good action game, nor a good RPG. I was tremendously disappointed with Jade Empire, and after the sublime Baldur's Gate series and the incredible KOTOR, it was, frankly, a big steaming pile of shit.
    Edited by Mr.DNA at 14/03/11 @ 16:54

  • Syrette #29 1 year ago

    "The beginning of the end for Bioware"

    Jesus wept and all that.

  • ArcticGabe #30 1 year ago

    Absolutly loved it. Best Xbox game by miles.

  • Mr.DNA #31 1 year ago

    For such a shit, let-down of a game Jade Empire sure does have its fucking moron fanboys.

  • mfmaxpower #32 1 year ago

    LOVED Jade Empire! We need more kung-fu based games!!!

  • SomaticSense #33 1 year ago

    Mr DNA: It also has it's fucking moronic dictatorial critics, who hate it regardless of it's clear quality just because it's not Balder's Gate.
    Edited by SomaticSense at 14/03/11 @ 17:49

  • Murton #34 1 year ago

    Didn't get to play much of Jade Empire as I didn't have an Xbox but of what I did get to see it had its moments. The key benefit for Bioware however is that it's already an RPG-lite action title, so it fits their current design philosophy quite well, this means it will release to much acclaim as opposed to DA2, which is an RPG-lite action title disguied as a sequel to what could be argued to be a traditional RPG.

    Also, Laidlaw really shouldn't be allowed to speak for Bioware, that "in defence" interview as well as some of the other things he said last seriously damaged both his and Bioware's credibility among RPG fans.

  • MrJonez #35 1 year ago

    Admittedly, there was a lot wrong with Jade Empire, and it certainly did not live up to the pre-release hype, but I LOVED the Chinese atmosphere and would much rather dive into that game world again, instead of the same repetitive medieval schlock over and over again.

    Also, if BioWare brings this out, Ubi finally get cracking on BG&E2 and Ragnar Tornquist gets off his lazy ass and finishes the Longest Journey trilogy, I think my life will be complete.

  • geordiek #36 1 year ago

    In the mean time why dont Bioware get a team on giving Jade empire and KOTOR an HD make over.

  • TAPNGO #37 1 year ago

    jade empire > than dragon age.

  • Phishfood #38 1 year ago

    Not if its like DA2

  • Carroceiro #39 1 year ago

    I absolutely loved Jade Empire and I've been waiting for a sequel ever since.

  • IMD1_Pk #40 1 year ago

    Please don't make a sequel. I loved Jade Empire with a passion but I don't want to see the same neutering to be applied to Jade Empire as it was to Dragon Age 2 and Mass Effect 2. To many games these days get a good game and then a sequel that neuters the fundamentals to attract a bigger audience.

  • sirtacos #41 1 year ago

    WANT.

    I loved Jade Empire to bits. However, while I liked the combat (it certainly grew on me as I mastered it), I recognise that it was far from amazing. As for the RPG elements... aside from the story, dialogue and party interactions, there isn't that much to "neuter", as IMD1 put it.

    (Put bluntly, JE doesn't have that much to 'dumb down' in the first place.)

    As long as the storyline, dialogue, voice-acting (etc.) remain superb, I'm all for a sequel. And since it's Bioware, the aforementioned elements are pretty much givens by default. So... unabashedly YES to Jade Empire 2, please.
    Edited by sirtacos at 15/03/11 @ 01:14

  • intpleeus #42 1 year ago

    I enjoyed Jade Empire, but it was disappointing after Knights of the Old Republic. The combat hit and miss *ba dum tish* and the story lost its way toward the end, but it was a solid and memorable adventure. With a little more depth added to the world, I think there remains great untapped potential in the Jade Empire. The problem is that I do not think it'll perform at retail and so I do not think it'll happen.

  • frazzl #43 1 year ago

    Whilst I didn't think it was as good as either Kotor, I still had a blast playing Jade Empire back in 2004. I really hope they make a sequel.

  • ZizouFC #44 1 year ago

    Give it to Obsidian... that may be the only way this will see the light of day.

  • SomaticSense #45 1 year ago

    ... as a broken mess, anyway.