Star Wars: Fate Of The Old Republic Boss Says AI Is “Creatively Soulless”
Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic, a spiritual successor to the beloved Knights of the Old Republic series, has secured major funding through GreaterThan Group, a new investment firm launched by former NetEase executive Simon Zhu. The $100 million funding round will support development at Arcanaut Studios, led by Casey Hudson, the original director of KotOR, alongside other BioWare veterans.
The project was first announced at The Game Awards 2025 with a cinematic trailer. In a recent Bloomberg interview, Hudson outlined the team’s development philosophy, emphasizing a commitment to keeping the studio small and focused, with an explicit rejection of the “bigger is better” approach.
Hudson also addressed the role of artificial intelligence in game development, describing AI as “creatively soulless” and questioning where it could meaningfully contribute to the creative process. This positions Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic as a traditionally crafted game developed through human-led creative direction.
Beyond the Star Wars project, GreaterThan Group is also backing other gaming ventures, including a new shooter from David Vonderhaar, former design director of the Black Ops franchise. While Hudson has stated the game should release before 2030, detailed information about gameplay and narrative remains limited.
Sources
- Star Wars: Fate Of The Old Republic Boss Says AI Is “Creatively Soulless”
- Star Wars Fate of the Old Republic Director: ‘Bigger Isn’t Better’
- Former NetEase exec’s new investment group is funding Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic because ’everyone wins’ if you ‘give the best creator the opportunity to work on a dream project’
- “I just find AI to be creatively soulless”: Casey Hudson on the controversial tech and Star Wars: Fate Of The Old Republic