BioWare had a plan to reboot Star Wars: The Old Republic and make it more KOTOR like, but EA’s board of directors shut it down
BioWare designer James Ohlen has revealed that the studio once planned to reboot Star Wars: The Old Republic (SWTOR) to align it more closely with the acclaimed 2003 single-player RPG Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR). According to Ohlen, he spent six months in 2015 designing this ambitious reboot proposal—approximately four years after SWTOR’s original launch—describing it as an opportunity to correct issues the team felt it had made with the game.
However, the reboot never advanced beyond the planning stage. EA’s board of directors rejected the project, preventing BioWare from pursuing this vision. The failed initiative appears to have been a factor in Ohlen’s departure from BioWare in 2018, ending his 22-year tenure at the legendary RPG studio. Ohlen had been integral to BioWare’s most celebrated titles, including the Baldur’s Gate series, Neverwinter Nights, Dragon Age: Origins, and the original KOTOR.
Following his exit, Ohlen founded Archetype Entertainment, staffing it with fellow BioWare veterans. The company is currently developing Exodus, an ambitious sci-fi project featuring actor Matthew McConaughey that is scheduled for 2027 release.