Embracer Group to Sell KOTOR Remake Studio in Deal Worth $500 Million | Push Square

Swen Vincke, director of Baldur's Gate 3 and founder of developer Larian Studios, used the opportunity afforded by winning big at the Game Developer's Conference (GDC) to blame the industry's current state on rampant corporate greed, a sentiment we can get behind. Plenty of developers made their voices heard at the Independent Games Festival Awards and Games Developers Choice Awards (held as part of GDC). Still, Vincke directed his ire at a specific part of the industry: publishers, those companies that proliferate games and allow them to reach a wider audience, for a price.

Helldivers 2 is the best-selling video game of 2024 so far in the USA. Full stop. Done. Accounting for both physical and digital purchases, Circana data places it at the top of the sales charts for both February 2024 and the year so far. The unexpected hit is said to have sold more than eight million copies, but that stat will have increased since. The PS5, PC title beat out competition from Final Fantasy VII Rebirth to land top spot for the month, though the Square Enix sequel did release on the final day of February.

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Since the breakout success of Genshin Impact a few years ago, Sony has slowly been encouraging developers to bring their hit gacha games to PS5, which has resulted in the amusing moniker GachaStation 5. But with Zenless Zone Zero and Wuthering Waves right around the corner, the platform holder may have discovered another gem, likely to explode in Asian territories.

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It feels like the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake has been frozen in carbonite forever. And yet, somehow, the unfortunate project is still quite a while away from being ready for launch. Announced in 2021 with Aspyr at the helm, the project has been in Saber Interactive's hands since at least August 2022, with that company recently managing to escape the imploding Embracer Group's clutches in a deal reportedly worth $500 million.

PlayStation Studios has churned out some fairly immaculate AAA bangers over the years, and now the firm is applying the screws to fans, asking them to pick their favourites. In a tournament-style Twitter poll designed to crown «which PlayStation game reigns supreme», Sony has infuriated long-suffering FromSoftware fans by not including the cult classic Bloodborne amongst the contenders, the latest in a long line of indignities the fanbase has endured.

According to Embracer Group, the remake likely won’t release within the next year. Embracer also announced the sale of Saber Interactive, with the KOTOR remake now a joint venture.

The Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake is reportedly still in development at Saber Interactive, but it doesn’t sound like it will be released in the next 12 months.

In a series of announcements, Embracer Group has hinted that gamers shouldn't expect to get their hands on the upcoming Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake this year. BioWare's classic action RPG released back in 2003, but it's still remembered fondly by fans. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic was part of what many gamers refer to as the developer's «golden age,» and more than a few players have been eager to see it updated for modern consoles.

As expected, the Embracer Group has sold much of Saber Interactive, which is known for the Metro series, Gloomhaven and remakes of classic Star Wars titles. The buyer is a group of private investors under the umbrella of Beacon Interactive, which is run by Saber co-founder Matthew Karch.

Saber Interactive has parted ways with Embracer Group, buying back the rights to its own work as well as much of its network of studios and contractors.