After over a decade, Star Wars and Disney are finally preparing to return to the Old Republic Era. It’s one of the richest, most beloved eras in the franchise, defined by massive Jedi–Sith wars, morally complex heroes, and some of the galaxy’s richest stories, many of which were controversially rendered non-canonical following Disney’s purchase of Lucasfilm back in 2012.
While the Old Republic Era has canonically still existed, it’s largely been in limbo with few characters and elements confirmed as official canon. Now, everything will hopefully change with the recent announcement of Fate of the Old Republic (though my deepest wish is that this new game is just the beginning).
13 Years Later, Disney Finally Has A Star Wars Project For The Old Republic Era
Disney’s first true Old Republic-era project is soon arriving with Fate of the Old Republic, directed by Casey Hudson. Hudson previously led the original KOTOR games, which are still regarded as some of the greatest Star Wars stories ever told (and some of the best RPGs in general).
When Disney reset canon, most Old Republic lore was relegated to Legends. Aside from some small yet exciting references to the likes of Darth Revan, Meetra Surik, and/or the Rakatan Empire, the era has remained largely untouched. Some of the very best Star Wars stories were erased from the official canon overnight.
Likewise, the absence of Old Republic projects has always been visible. On Star Wars’ official timeline page on their website, the Old Republic Era has been empty for 13 years, a clear reminder of what fans have been missing. Thankfully and finally, Fate of the Old Republic will be the first meaningful entry.
More importantly, it potentially signals a major turning point for Lucasfilm and Disney. Bringing in Hudson suggests Lucasfilm understands how personal this Star Wars era is to longtime fans. It suggests that this is very much a deliberate re-entry into one of Star Wars’ most dynamic and rich periods (that will hopefully be explored beyond a single game).
Fate Of The Old Republic Is A Great Start (But We Need Movies & Shows Too)
By all accounts, Fate of the Old Republic already looks like it will be an excellent first step, but it really shouldn’t be the last. The Old Republic isn’t a small corner of canon, it’s a galaxy-defining era that will only thrive on epic scale with games…and more.
After all, the Old Republic Era was a time before Darth Bane’s Rule of Two, meaning countless Jedi Knights and Sith Lords clashed in open war. We’re talking about entire armies that wielded the Force and lightsabers alike.
That scale of storytelling demands long-form live-action treatment. A Revan film trilogy alone could anchor years of Star Wars storytelling. It’s also not hard to imagine something like a dark side series starring the Sith Triumvirate (Nihilus, Sion, Kreia).
If Fate of the Old Republic proves successful (and it likely will), Lucasfilm needs to push into the Old Republic even further. This era deserves just as many movies, shows, games, books, and overall world-building as we’ve seen for every other era in the Star Wars timeline.
Star Wars: Fate Of The Old Republic does not yet have a release date.
- Developer(s)
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Arcanaut Studios
- Publisher(s)
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Lucasfilm Games
- Franchise
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Star Wars
- Number of Players
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Single-player
