The new Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic game rumored to be in development should be a reboot of the beloved series, not a remake. While fans have desperately hoped for a remake or continuation of the original KOTOR series, it's in the best interest of Lucasfilm to completely reboot the Old Republic era under the new Disney canon.
According to Bespin Bulletin, a credible source within the Star Wars leaks community, a Knights of the Old Republic game may currently be in development that has no affiliation with Electronic Arts or BioWare. As this information has been further corroborated by more people, there has been no mention that the game is going to be a remake - and that would be a good thing. Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic was a great RPG under the old Expanded Universe, but it should be left at that and the era should be taken in a new direction.
A new Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic would be better served as a reboot or reimagining of the original game, rather than just a straight-up remake. Lucasfilm can use similar concepts to tell a fresh story in a new iteration of the Old Republic, which will undoubtedly include fan-favorite characters like Darth Revan, Bastila Shan, and Darth Malak. The game would likely feature incredibly similar story beats, but a reboot also presents an opportunity to introduce new characters and ideas to add onto the original experience. And a reboot would be in the best interest of the franchise moving forward, as the Old Republic era can be properly built into the new Star Wars canon under Disney.
The New Star Wars KOTOR Game Could be Radically Different
Lucasfilm also has the opportunity to take Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic in a significantly more drastic direction, transitioning from an RPG into an action game with lighter RPG elements. As great as Knights of the Old Republic was, its gameplay was not the best. It's been almost 18 years since the original title released and video games have come a long way in that time. An action game with lighter RPG elements would allow for a more structured story and would be more in line with what's expected of today's higher-end games. Some fans would certainly dislike the loss of emphasis on the RPG aspect of the game, but it would offer a completely different experience that would fit a reboot or reimagining of the original KOTOR.
Regardless of the direction Lucasfilm chooses to go, the return of the Old Republic is a great thing for Star Wars. It was one of the true standouts in the old Expanded Universe and Lucasfilm has done an excellent job bringing those fan favorite stories into the new Star Wars canon in the form of fresh experiences. If the new Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic game is rebooted as opposed to just being a remake, it would be an excellent decision on the part of Lucasfilm.
