Key events
23rd October 2017
Original Xbox Star Wars: KOTOR downloadable ahead of back-compat launch
21st October 2016
Can Star Wars: The Old Republic ever live up to the promise of its incredible trailers?
4th May 2016
23rd December 2014
5th July 2013
12th September 2003
Xbox Game Pass gets four Star Wars games
It's true. All of it.
Xbox Game Pass just got four Star Wars games: Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic, Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2.
FeatureBioWare had a really cool idea for Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2
"Everyone trusts Yoda..."
How do you follow a game like Knights of the Old Republic, the most famous original Star Wars tale a video game has ever told? Forget about Obsidian's sequel for a moment and imagine it was BioWare staring at a piece of paper wondering how to follow a twist like Revan's. Because once upon a time BioWare was - and it came up with an idea.
Original Xbox Star Wars: KOTOR downloadable ahead of back-compat launch
UPDATE: First 13 games available tomorrow.
UPDATE 2.45pm: Microsoft has now confirmed the below 13 games will launch on Xbox One via backwards compatibility tomorrow.
IGN lists the baker's dozen as having 1080p resolution, improved loading times and frame-rates.
If you still have your original Xbox One discs you can simply insert those to begin downloading and playing the game. Digital licenses will carry over,
FeatureCan Star Wars: The Old Republic ever live up to the promise of its incredible trailers?
And the spectre of KOTOR 3?
Last week a wonderful Star Wars animation captured the imaginations of gaming audiences and beyond. It told the story of a mother trying to rescue her young daughter from the Dark Side of the Force. Innocence versus corruption. It was emotional, cinematic and had an impressive fight scene. Such production values wouldn't have looked out of place in a cinema. But this animation wasn't building excitement for the big screen. It was building excitement for a game. But could a game ever live up to it?
What the animation tapped into was a longing for a cinematic Star Wars game with a story. Perhaps Star Wars: Battlefront 2 will have a story in 2017. Amy Hennig's Star Wars action adventure, due out in 2018, definitely will. But will they be deep and winding and emotional enough? Let's cut to the chase: what the trailer tapped into was a longing for Knights of the Old Republic 3.
Imagine the fantastical sights and sounds of Star Wars brought to life with the razzmatazz of the Mass Effect series (which in a way I suppose was BioWare's KOTOR 3 - one it could creatively fully control). Imagine an emotional BioWare tale of Light and Dark, with all the characters and romances and betrayals the studio is famed for. The battles! The Lightsabers thrumming and clashing like cymbals, Force powers crackling and raging. I would like no game more! But I can't have it.
The Star Wars Day game sales and promotions
"I've got a bad feeling about this."
Looking for a Rey to spend your money? Ren look no further for it is Star Wars Day! M'az Kanata believe it!
There are promotions on Steam, GOG, PlayStation Network, Xbox Live and the App Store. Google Play doesn't seem to be doing anything significant. There are a handful of promotions surrounding Star Wars: The Old Republic and Star Wars Battlefront, including a PS4 and Origin discount to the game - and 50 per cent off on Xbox Live if you're a Gold member.
On Xbox Live the promotion is a bit naff: earn £3 promotional credit when you buy the film Force Awakens and play Star Wars Battlefront.
FeatureDigging into the exciting and unlikely fan-made KOTOR reboot Apeiron
"Yes it is very ambitious, exceedingly even. But doable? Yes, very much so."
The Unreal Engine 4 reboot of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, known as Apeiron, sounds too good to be true. BioWare's treasured 2003 role-playing game brought not only up to date visually but also mechanically, with new content on top. Yet there are pictures and videos of Apeiron and it looks great.
Community-made KOTOR reboot Apeiron gets very first video
Carth take my eyes off of you.
Below is the first footage (non live-stream) of fan-made Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic reboot Apeiron. It shows the old 2003 role-playing game brought visually and impressively up to date in Unreal Engine 4.
What would 2003 game Knights of the Old Republic look like in 2016, in Unreal Engine 4? Moreover, if you remade and remastered it what would you do?
Writer David Gaider leaves BioWare after 17 years
HK-47, Morrigan and many more salute you.
David Gaider has announced his departure from BioWare after 17 years working there.
A possible link between Kylo Ren's Lightsaber in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and the decade-old Knights of the Old Republic video games, has been found. If the link holds true it would seem to cement those games in Star Wars film canon.
Steam Thanksgiving sale goes big on Star Wars
Maybe Leia couple of notes down or something.
What a lot of tempting deals there in Steam's 2015 Thanksgiving sale, the Exploration Sale. It's like having a bowl of cold roast potatoes in front of you at 11pm: you know you shouldn't but oh go on maybe just one.
Decorated writer Drew Karpyshyn returns to BioWare
Lead writer of Mass Effect 1 & 2 and KOTOR.
Writer Drew Karpyshyn has returned to BioWare. He left in 2012 - I interviewed him after his departure - to concentrate on his Chaos Born trilogy of fantasy books and, now that they're complete, he's decided to return.
Former BioWare devs preparing new RPG Mooncrest for Kickstarter
A tale of sisterhood inspired by BioWare classics and Dark Souls.
A quartet of BioWare veterans are going it alone, and are preparing to ask for your money via Kickstarter for a new role-playing game called Mooncrest.
Star Wars: The Old Republic expansion Knights of the Fallen Empire announced
Ups level cap to 65, includes level 60 character boost, is free for subscribers.
BioWare has announced a heavily story-focused expansion for Star Wars: The Old Republic called Knights of the Fallen Empire. It's coming 27th October, it raises the level cap to 65, and it will be free to anyone who chooses to subscribe to the free-to-play MMO.
Knights of the Fallen Empire also includes the option to create a character at level 60 - a character boost. Existing Class story arcs will be enhanced, ie. sped up, and existing Flashpoints and Operations (dungeons and raids) will be buffed so they remain endgame content.
There's a reward programme kicking into gear that rewards you for subscribing between now and expansion launch. Rewards include companions, guns, coats, bikes and early expansion access. Full details on the game's website.
Star Wars Humble Bundle one of the best yet
UPDATE: Three extra games added.
UPDATE 11/2/15 4.00pm: Is this the Star Wars bundle you've been looking for? If it wasn't already, then it may be now - three extra games have been added to the package.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic launches on Android
You know what to do, meatbag.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic - widely considered one of the greatest role-playing games of all time (and a personal favourite) - has finally launched on Android.
It's on the Google Play store for £3.20 - that's 50 per cent off for the launch.
This version, according to the game's description, is the full KOTOR experience, and has not been slimmed down for mobile. So, developer Aspyr Media warned, be patient while downloading. The file weighs in at 2.4GB.
See inside BioWare Edmonton with Google Maps
I spy with my little eye...
I'd love to visit BioWare headquarters in Edmonton, Canada, and now I sort of can. And I don't even have to leave my desk.
Mass Effect and KOTOR project director Casey Hudson leaves BioWare
"BioWare is as magical a place today as it was when I started."
BioWare executive producer Casey Hudson has left the renowned studio after 16 years.
EA's Star Wars game deal lasts a decade
Sorry, Obsidian.
That "multi-year" Star Wars game deal EA signed with Disney in fact lasts a decade, EA has revealed.
FeatureFear is the path to the dark side
Obsidian on KOTOR2 and what KOTOR3 might have been.
Please note that there are spoilers about Knights of the Old Republic 1 and 2 in this article, although I try to keep them to a minimum.
BioWare reminisces as KOTOR turns 10
"I remember one moment very clearly..."
KOTOR is a bit cheaper on Steam at the moment and costs £4.68.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic - iPad review
Not such a long time ago.
Knights of the Old Republic is one of those games. The ones that won't go away, the ones that sunk their claws into the right audience at the right time and left a mark that isn't easily erased.
Ten years old this year, KOTOR is a game that still comes up whenever rumours of a new Star Wars game are in the air. It's still guaranteed to appear in the comments under the announcement of any secret new BioWare project. People love Knights of the Old Republic, and with good reason: it's a great game that makes excellent use of a much loved, and much abused, license. If you need a recipe for win, it doesn't get much clearer than that.
Remember, this was a game that came out right when disappointment in the Star Wars prequels was reaching fever pitch. Attack of the Clones had come out the previous year, intensifying the schisms in Star Wars fandom that were split open by The Phantom Menace. Attack of the Clones was self-consciously dark and contained many clumsy indulgences for fans who were hoping for a new Empire Strikes Back. It was a movie that tripped over itself to win over those who felt betrayed by Episode I's stodgy storytelling and cartoon tone, while doubling down on the terrible romance between Anakin and Padme.
BioWare RPG classic Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic ported to iPad
UPDATE: It's out now for £6.99.
UPDATE: The Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic iPad port is available now on the App Store for £6.99 / $9.99 where it's a whopping 1.98GB download.
KOTOR2 dev wants to pitch Disney a new Star Wars game
Has a setting that sits between Episode 3 and 4.
Knights of the Old Republic 2 developer Obsidian wants to pitch a new Star Wars game to new Star Wars owner Disney.
The writer who left BioWare: Eurogamer interviews Drew Karpyshyn
On poor fiction, text versus graphics, KOTOR, the Mass Effect 3 ending and Children of Fire.
Drew Karpyshyn not only resembles Commander Shepard facially - he created him. Drew Karpyshyn was one of BioWare's greatest ever writers. He was lead writer of cherished Star Wars role-playing game Knights of the Old Republic, and he was lead writer of Mass Effect 1, 2, and all the books in-between (not Deception). Along the way, Karpyshyn also influenced Baldur's Gate 2: Throne of Bhaal, Neverwinter Nights, Jade Empire and massive storied MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic - a job that meant he couldn't be a part of Mass Effect 3.
Chris Avellone: Knights of the Old Republic 2 restoration team "should be given a lot of kudos"
"There was a lot more we wanted to include in the title."
Knights of the Old Republic 2 lead designer Chris Avellone has praised, to Eurogamer, the efforts of voluntary The Sith Lords Restored Content Mod (TSLRCM) team.
BioWare's CGI introduction to SWTOR companion HK-51
No expense spared for a KOTOR-inspired favourite.
Probably the best recruit in Knights of the Old Republic was HK-47, an assassin droid with a murderous sense of humour.
KOTOR Bundle Pack coming to PC
Return of the Jedi?
A new Knights of the Old Republic collection containing the first two games in the series is allegedly coming soon to PC.
KOTOR, Mass Effect lead writer Drew Karpyshyn leaves BioWare
Not because of Mass Effect: Deception.
Drew Karpyshyn, the lead writer of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Mass Effect 1, has retired from BioWare and video games.
Knights of Old Republic £3.50 on Steam
Star Wars weekend deal goes live.
BioWare's iconic role-playing game Knights of the Old Republic will be half-price, £3.50, on Steam this weekend.
BioWare's seminal console RPG.
BioWare's acclaimed take on the Star Wars canon, Knights of the Old Republic, is now available to download from Steam or Direct2Drive.
No homosexuality in Star Wars - BioWare
Forum users banned from discussing it.
BioWare has banned users of the Star Wars: The Old Republic forum from discussing the subject of homosexuality.
FeatureBastard of the Old Republic
Part 3: Return of the Bastard.
(You can now read the entire Bastard of the Old Republic series in one place.)
FeatureBastard of the Old Republic
Part 2: Bastardier.
(You can now read the entire Bastard of the Old Republic series in one place.)
FeatureBastard of the Old Republic
Part 1: A nice man takes a journey to the Dark Side.
(You can now read the entire Bastard of the Old Republic series in one place.)
Pandemic doing Lord of the Rings.
(Update: EA has since rubbished this nonsense and we've killed everyone involved.)
They just keep rolling.
Have you ever wondered what your doctor thinks about while they're poking and prodding you? If you lived in Edmonton, Canada, in the mid '90s there's a chance your doctor was thinking, "Gee, I wish I was making computer games instead of rummaging inside this diseased colon". At least, that's how it might have played out if you were the patient of Dr Greg Zeschuk, Dr Ray Muzyka or Dr Augustine Yip. And if you had a diseased colon.
KOTOR duo reunited.
Mass Effect developer BioWare has officially announced a partnership with publisher LucasArts for a new "interactive entertainment product", GamesIndustry.biz reports.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Kieron Gillen's only a master of evil...
Publisher
Activision
Developer
FeatureStar Wars Knights of the Old Republic
Preview - around here, it's the most highly anticipated Xbox game there is
Developer
