EA rubbishes 'new KOTOR' reports

By Tom Bramwell Published 15 February, 2008

Says information was misinterpreted.

EA has rubbished recent reports that a new Knights of the Old Republic game is in development at Bioware.

News broke earlier this week (which we and many others eagerly reported) that a recent presentation to analysts by EA CEO John Riccitiello referred to a Knights of the Old Republic game.

The slide in question, called "Best Creative Talent", also mentioned Black, Boogie and Skate, among others.

However, EA has now told Eurogamer that those references "speak to past portfolio releases and the pedigree of the studio but do not specifically address future sequels".

"The MMO in development at Bioware Austin is listed a 'New MMO'. We apologise for any confusion this may have caused," a spokesperson added.

Elsewhere, LucasArts clarified its relationship with Bioware, telling IGN "it has nothing to do with Knights of the Old Republic".

The Black sequel rumour was shot down almost simultaneously by a Criterion employee.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (22) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • JonFE #1 4 years ago

    It was too good to be true, I guess... or maybe too soon?

  • Raziel #2 4 years ago

    The fact that the intire interwebs were on fire with a new KOTOR rumour should give them a hint that making a new KOTOR wouldnt be a bad idea.
    So why arn't they?

  • zoch #3 4 years ago

    come on I want a kotor 3

  • Penguinzoot #4 4 years ago

    The fact that the intire interwebs were on fire with a new KOTOR rumour should give them a hint that making a new KOTOR wouldnt be a bad idea.
    So why arn't they?

    You would think so, wouldn't you? Ever since KOTOR2, Bioware have always downplayed suggestions that another KOTOR was on the cards, principally I believe so they could focus their limited resources on Mass Effect. But now with the greater resources of EA behind them, you would think that EA in particular would see that KOTOR3 was gonna be a winner and provide Bioware with necessary resources to make it happen.

    Apparently not. Unless there are other, non-technical issues that stand in the way, perhaps legal or license related. I dunno. Makes no sense to me. Same thing with Black2 - that would be a surefire winner as well.

    /EA in "not cashing-in on established and lucrative franchise" horror! Who'd of thunk it, eh?

  • udat #5 4 years ago

    /weeps

  • Schiraman #6 4 years ago

    God damn it, what could they possibly be doing with Lucasarts that will be better than KotOR?

  • DanWhitehead #7 4 years ago

    Ever since KOTOR2, Bioware have always downplayed suggestions that another KOTOR was on the cards, principally I believe so they could focus their limited resources on Mass Effect.

    Bioware didn't develop KOTOR2 though. Obsidian did it because Bioware was developing Jade Empire.

  • DanWhitehead #8 4 years ago

    God damn it, what could they possibly be doing with Lucasarts that will be better than KotOR?

    The world is long overdue a next gen version of Super Bombad Racing.

  • muscleblade #9 4 years ago

    Arent Bioware working on Mass Effect 2? Took some years to make the first one.

  • _Price_ #10 4 years ago

    Gah! What the hell?

    This is the reason computer games keep getting linked to violence!

  • SlackMaster #11 4 years ago

    Aw shite...

  • Penguinzoot #12 4 years ago

    Ever since KOTOR2, Bioware have always downplayed suggestions that another KOTOR was on the cards, principally I believe so they could focus their limited resources on Mass Effect.

    Bioware didn't develop KOTOR2 though. Obsidian did it because Bioware was developing Jade Empire.

    That's true. Although I didn't say that Bioware developed KOTOR2. ;P

  • NegativeZero #13 4 years ago

    This makes sense. I was surprised when the rumor was going around yesterday, Bioware had basically said that they hate working with someone else's IP, they're too constrained in what they can do.

    Though this does beg the question as to what exactly that collaboration with Lucasarts that we heard about was around. Maybe their MMO is KotOR after all.

  • OfficialBlue #14 4 years ago

    I WANT A BLOODY KOTOR GAME! GRRRRR

  • Triggerhappytel #15 4 years ago

    Raziel - "The fact that the intire interwebs were on fire with a new KOTOR rumour should give them a hint that making a new KOTOR wouldnt be a bad idea.
    So why arn't they?"

    Because most of the revenue would go to LucasArts, owning the Star Wars franchise as they do. If BioWare were to make a new Mass Effect, for example, all of the money would go straight in EA's pockets. Can you see why it is in their new parent company's interest to work on their own IPs?

  • creepylizard #16 4 years ago

    The second one was pants though. a buggy, glitchy abomination....and I loved the first one...
    Jade empire was shite on toast as well...

  • creepylizard #17 4 years ago

    ah, I just read that comment about Obsidian...consider me duly penitent...

  • Penguinzoot #18 4 years ago

    Can you see why it is in their new parent company's interest to work on their own IPs?

    Ahh, so that would be why EA don't work on licensed content! Oh, wait .... :S

  • iWolf #19 4 years ago

    I don't see anywhere in EA's statement that they are not making a KOTOR sequel, only that the information that everyone is speculating on refers to the older predecessors.

  • Springchicken #20 4 years ago

    "Arent Bioware working on Mass Effect 2? Took some years to make the first one."

    If I remember correctly, BioWare (Edmonton) usually compartmentalises its employees into three teams of approximately 120 people, one per project. So I would presume that one is currently working on Mass Effect 2, one on Dragon Age and a third on an unannounced project.

    Edit: Can't remember where I heard that management structure. Probably the Mass Effect bonus DVD.
    Edited by 2 at 15/02/08 @ 18:10

  • Nithron #21 4 years ago

    Do we really need a third RPG set in the Star Wars universe? Were the other 2 RPGs, six films, about three animated series, at least two strategy games, and like fifteen action adventures set there not quite enough?

    How about we have some new material, guys?

  • Bloodloss #22 4 years ago

    :(