The KOTOR remake's indefinite delay, the benefits seem somewhat moot at the moment. The franchise would really shine, however, if its sights were set on creating a proper RPG where players can make their own adventures, along the lines of Skyrim or The Witcher 3. Doing so would lead to a game that stands out in the current library of Star Wars games, not to mention the exciting ways it could expand the lore.
Following the end of EA's exclusive deal to make Star Wars games, Lucasfilm Games has announced a number of new titles set in the galaxy far, far away. While some of these continue to be developed at EA's studios, such as Respawn Entertainment's Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, others have found a home at different publishers. An open-world Star Wars game from Ubisoft is currently in development, while the High Republic-set Star Wars Eclipse is being developed by the much-maligned Quantic Dream.
Star Wars Eclipse looks set to be one of the more unique Star Wars games, thanks to it taking place during the High Republic - a new era in the canon timeline set hundreds of years before the events of Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. However, Eclipse seems like it may be more of a character-driven drama rather than an actual role-playing game. A new Star Wars RPG with an open-ended feel, set in a new part of the mythos, could make for a refreshing change of pace. Star Wars should look to immersive open-world games like Skyrim and The Witcher 3 as a template for a future RPG experience.
A New Star Wars RPG Could Take Inspiration From The Witcher & Skyrim
Star Wars boasts a massive universe with untapped potential that can be unlocked with an RPG in the vein of Bethesda games like Skyrim and Fallout. Allowing players to have the agency to interact with the story how they see fit is a thing rarely seen, if ever, in Star Wars games. Giving players the freedom to create their own characters and inhabit unfamiliar parts of the galaxy would fit the franchise well. It doesn’t have to be highly interconnected with the rest of Star Wars media, but - in a similar vein to The Old Republic, only not as an MMO - it would be nice for players to create their own Star Wars game Jedi or protagonist, and inhabit a part of the galaxy the way they want to.
If this format is too open-ended, a game in the style of The Witcher 3 could work just as well. Even with more authored protagonists like Geralt, it would still be fun to explore an open world and make choices that impact the story. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic did a great job of this the first time, but, as great as it is to see it return, it would be better to see a completely new game that takes the franchise in directions it hasn’t yet visited.
