Today, we’re excited to share that LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga will release globally on April 5, 2022 for Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. In what will be the biggest and most visually striking LEGO Star Wars game yet, players will relive the epic story of all nine films of the Skywalker Saga […]
Since Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic launched for the Nintendo Switch late last year, fans and critics have been calling for a patch to fix one its biggest problems. During the epic, early 00s action RPG, you’ll battle bad guys in turn-based fights. However, almost a quarter of the screen is dwarfed by a massive text box when these skirmishes occur. It’s pretty jarring and, after communicating with players, developer Aspyr Media is preparing an upcoming patch to fix KOTOR on Nintendo Switch. According to the studio, this update will arrive “in the next few weeks” – or so they’ve said in response to a fan on social media. The text box was a deliberate designs choice, Aspyr says, though it’s understandable why players may want to focus more on the action rather than watching messages appear in the combat log. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic originally launched for the PC and Xbox in 2003 and was followed by a sequel, The Sith Lords. KOTOR isn’t the only Star Wars game Aspyr has ported to different systems. The developer’s recent credits include a string of Star Wars remasters on PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch such as Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast, Jedi Knight III: Jedi Academy, and Stars Wars Republic Commando. Of course, what KOTOR fans really want is a first proper look at the upcoming remake coming to PS5 and PC. Aspyr is once again at the helm though we haven’t heard much about the game since its cinematic trailer debut at The Game Awards 2021. However, according to a recent report, insiders claim that the KOTOR remake will have a bigger emphasis on action in its combat gameplay. Specifically, it’s rumoured that Aspyr is looking to hits such as God of War and Nioh 2 for inspiration though we’d guess it will resemble something more akin to Final Fantasy VII Remake. There’s no release date given though we’d optimistically guess the game will arrive in late 2023. Source: Reddit
The upcoming Star Wars KOTOR Remake will feature some pretty substantial changes, making the gameplay more action-based compared to BioWare’s original 2003 RPG. This latest news comes via YouTuber MrMattyPlays, who claims to have gathered intel on the upcoming game via insiders. Take the following report with a grain of salt, though note that this source also correctly leaked the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Nintendo Switch port which launched in late 2021. The supposed leak suggests the studio working on the PS5 and PC remake will reinvent its combat gameplay, looking to influences such as God of War and Nioh 2. For those who didn’t play the original release, its battles were heavily influenced by the Dungeons & Dragon combat system, complete with virtual dice rolls and layered mechanics. We’re hoping the remake won’t swing too hard in the direction of action-heavy RPGs, perhaps finding a sweet spot that’s closer to Final Fantasy VII Remake, given how Knights of the Old Republic had a party system. MrMattyPlays also claims that BioWare’s Star Wars story will remain largely untouched. Favourite characters will appear and assume the same roles though it’s very likely they’ll undergo a serious makeover for new gaming systems while also having their voice actors recast. On that note, the soundtrack is also being re-recorded. Since the KOTOR Remake was announced during The Game Awards 2021, we’ve heard very little from the project. Something we do know, however, is that the remake is being helmed by Aspyr whose recent credits include a string of Star Wars remasters on PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. These include Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast, Jedi Knight III: Jedi Academy, and Stars Wars Republic Commando. Where these games have been spruced up with remastered 4K visuals and quality of life improvements, KOTOR Remake is being touted as a proper remake. There’s no release date given though we’d optimistically guess the game will arrive in late 2023.
Apex Legends will soon be arriving on PS5, according to a recent data leak. The Twitter account, PlayStation Game Size, is a regular source for tracking new games, DLC, and updates being added to the PlayStation Store. It recently revealed an Apex Legends PS5 version which will weigh in at over 80GB (before updates). For a while now, the Apex community have been waiting for news of a native next-gen edition on both PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Right now, the game is playable on these platforms via backwards compatibility. While these updated versions offer slight improvements over the base PS4 and Xbox One game, they don’t push the new hardware to their full potential. A native version of Apex Legends running on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S should, theoretically, offer a big boost in performance and graphical fidelity while also introducing platform focused features such as DualSense haptics for PlayStation users. When can we expect the popular battle royale shooter to land on PS5? The leak doesn’t point to a release date though we’re anticipating that it will arrive in the coming weeks. Naturally, many are speculating that Apex Legends will launch on PS5 (and Xbox Series X|S) at the start of Season 12. Again, Respawn Entertainment hasn’t confirmed a start date for this new season though we’re guessing it will kick off in early February 2022. Look at Respawn’s recent track record, the studio tends to leave a three month gap between seasons, Season 11 having started back in November 2021. What can players expect from Season 12? Besides the likely launch of a native next-gen version, we can hopefully look forward to yet another playable hero, as well as new weapons and a fresh battle pass loaded with plenty of unlockable rewards. Respawn Entertainment is said to be busy on numerous projects for publisher EA. These include a rumoured sequel to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order as well as a new singleplayer first person shooter. However, this project won’t be Titanfall 3.
Sony is reportedly revising its subscription services, with a new initiative codenamed Project Spartacus being touted behind closed company walls. This, it’s rumoured, will phase out streaming option PS Now and create three new PS Plus tiers. For many, the service will remain unchanged, offering the existing mix of discounts, cloud saves, and monthly games. However, an additional tier will see the inclusion of a library of PS5 and PS4 games, while a third premium option will promise features like streaming, extended demos, and access to retro titles.
Of course, this is all according to preliminary documentation obtained by Bloomberg, and it sounds like the platform holder is still devising the final details. Change does appear to be afoot, however, as evidenced by the recent removal of annual PS Now memberships from retail chains, and its reluctance to discount the service’s 12-month tier in recent promotional periods. Clearly, the manufacturer will phase that service out at some point in 2022.
