A Star Wars fan has begun a petition to convince EA and Disney to develop a 20th Anniversary, next-generation remake of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.
The petition, posted on Change.org, highlights how the beloved role-playing video game will turn 20 in July 2023, making it the "perfect time to release a remake of this classic game." The petition states that the remake should honor the story as it is but should be "built from the ground up using a modern game engine and graphics for the upcoming generation of consoles: Xbox Series X and PS5. And of course PC."
The petition notes that EA is the current parent company of BioWare, the original developer of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and that BioWare should be placed in charge of a 20th Anniversary edition of the game. It then points out the success of 2019's Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and how it indicates "there is still a strong market for Single Player games. Something EA will take note on."
"To make this a reality, we need to show that there is interest, an audience for a remake of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic for it to be taken seriously," the petition reads. "And for it to be taken seriously, that audience needs to be big. Not just hundreds of thousands but millions. Yes millions. Minimum, this petition will need to surpass the units sold of the 2003 original of 3.2 million. Yeah, that's a lot. Perhaps even double. As it will need a massive backing to influence EA/Disney."
Crucially, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is set within Star Wars Legends and is no longer considered canon. This isn't an issue for the petition or those who have signed it, however. Instead, they believe its story deserves to be celebrated regardless of Star Wars canon and can be used as a means to "test the waters" for a potential film or TV adaptation of the game that would ultimately benefit Disney. "As long as it has the Legends banner on it, people will understand. Fans will know the difference. Given the reputation of the 2003 original, it will sell and that's what this petition wants to prove. That there IS an audience for a remake."
Originally released in 2003, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic accrued multiple awards, including several "Game of the Year" accolades. Developed by BioWare, the RPG took place 4,000 years before the formation of the Galactic Empire and allowed players to make in-game decisions that affected whether their character became aligned with the Light or Dark Side of the Force. This freedom of choice and how decisions impacted upon characters and story would become a staple in other BioWare games, including Mass Effect and Dragon Age.