- Leaked screenshots from Aspyr’s canceled Knights of the Old Republic remake show updated weapons, props, and even an early gameplay prototype [1] [2]. These assets come from a former Aspyr artist’s portfolio.
- The images include classic KOTOR items (blasters, vibroswords, a Republic trooper’s helmet, etc.) rendered with modern textures and detail [3] [4]. Observers note they hint at the “impressive level of detail Aspyr aimed to bring” [5].
- Notably, Aspyr’s build featured a modular weapon system – for the first time in KOTOR’s history players could customize guns by swapping parts. MP1st reports the weapons were “designed with a modular weapon system,” and Azat TV confirms this allowed visible upgrades like those in modern Star Wars games [6] [7].
- Hidden in a leaked prototype screenshot are UI elements for a companion system: Mission Vao’s portrait appears twice, indicating a two-companion mechanic just like the original game [8] [9]. This suggests Aspyr planned to keep KOTOR’s classic party dynamics.
- The project’s troubled history continues: Bloomberg reported Aspyr’s version was halted in 2022 and handed to Saber Interactive [10]. Saber’s CEO Matthew Karch later reassured fans in April 2024 that the remake is still “alive and well” [11], and Saber’s COO echoed that the project remains in active development [12].
- Fans are cautiously excited. These leaks are “a double-edged sword,” generating buzz about a “modern Star Wars RPG” but also reminding everyone that much has changed in the shakeup [13] [14]. Community forums dissect every detail, speculating which of Aspyr’s ideas Saber will preserve.
The Leaks: Weapons, Props, and Prototype
In October 2025, gaming news outlets (MP1st, Azat TV, CultureSlate) reported a trove of leaked assets from the canceled Aspyr remake of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. The assets surfaced on a former Aspyr artist’s portfolio and show high-fidelity 3D models that were never seen in public. These include blasters, vibroswords, helmets, and environmental props (like crates and cockpit consoles) that mirror items from the original 2003 game – but completely rebuilt with modern graphics [15] [16]. For example, one image displays a Republic trooper’s helmet and bracers (from the game’s iconic opening level, Endar Spire) rendered with “unmistakably modern” detail [17]. Critics say such assets underscore “the impressive level of detail Aspyr aimed to bring” [18].
Another striking leak is an early playable prototype screenshot. It shows a third-person view of the player character in a blank testing environment, holding a Vibrosword. Along the top of the screen are debug buttons (used to test animations and weapons) that include icons for lightsabers, pistols, and notably Mission Vao – the Twi’lek companion from the original KOTOR [19] [20]. These UI elements imply the code for switching companions was already in place. As CultureSlate notes, two Mission Vao portraits appear in the lower-right, suggesting a two-companion system just like the original game’s party mechanics [21] [22].
Aspyr’s Ambitions: Modular Weapons and Companion System
Beyond fancy graphics, the leaks hint at new gameplay features Aspyr envisioned. Most prominently, the assets reveal a modular weapon upgrade system. In the original KOTOR, you could attach mods to blasters that changed stats but not the weapon’s look. By contrast, these leaks show guns that come apart. MP1st reports “weapons were being designed with a modular weapon system in mind, allowing players to upgrade guns by swapping out parts” [23]. Azat TV elaborates that this would be “a first for the franchise”: players might swap barrels, stocks or scopes and see the changes on the models [24]. In practical terms, this would align the remake with recent Star Wars games (like Jedi: Fallen Order) where upgrades visibly alter your gear. Fans imagine customizing their favorite blasters – a major expansion of KOTOR’s RPG depth.
The leaks also confirm Aspyr intended to faithfully remake KOTOR’s party gameplay. The Mission Vao icons in the debug UI show that Aspyr was testing a companion mode. As MP1st points out, the icons “appear to be for testing companion functionality” [25]. Azat TV observes that the HUD shows Mission Vao’s face in two portrait slots, “hinting at the game’s familiar two-companion mechanic” [26]. In short, it looks like the team was preserving key elements (like having two active allies) while updating the presentation.
Before these screenshots, other leaks had already hinted at Aspyr’s vision. In September 2025, MP1st uncovered concept art from Aspyr’s team showing a fully realized Kashyyyk environment [27]. That illustration (drawn by an artist who left Aspyr in 2021) portrays the Wookiee homeworld’s tree-top villages with much denser forests and detail than in the original game [28]. Together with the new screenshots, it paints a picture of a remake that would have blended nostalgia with lavish new visuals.
Development Turmoil: From Aspyr to Saber
The backstory of the KOTOR remake is as dramatic as a Star Wars saga. Announced in 2021 as a PS5 exclusive, the project was initially handled by Aspyr Media (known for porting KOTOR I & II). However, by mid-2022 media reports (Bloomberg, 2022) revealed that Aspyr’s work had been halted and the project handed to Saber Interactive [29]. Embracer Group (Aspyr’s owner) later confirmed Saber took over. The exact reasons weren’t made public, but industry insider Jeff Grubb noted Sony reportedly “distanced itself” from the console-exclusive agreement [30].
By the time the leaks emerged, Aspyr’s version was widely considered canceled. MP1st summarizes that Aspyr’s first iteration “ended up being cancelled, and [development] then being handed over to Saber Interactive” [31]. Bloomberg’s investigation in 2022 explicitly called the project on hold until Saber took charge [32]. Since then, official updates have been scarce. Saber CEO Matthew Karch told IGN in April 2024 that the game “is alive and well” [33], though he gave no new timeline or details. In March 2025, Saber COO Tim Willits also emphasized in an interview that the remake is still “in development” and that everything they’ve talked about remains in progress [34]. These assurances suggest Saber intends to continue the remake, but fans have learned to take them with cautious optimism.
Fan Reaction and What’s Next
For the longtime Star Wars community, the leaks are bittersweet. KOTOR’s original 2003 release is legendary – “one of the most revered RPGs in gaming history” – so any glimpse into its remake generates excitement. The new images give fans “a promise of what a modern Star Wars RPG could be” [35]: seeing Mission Vao in a fresh HUD or a sleek blaster evokes nostalgia. But they also underscore uncertainty. Azat TV calls the situation “a double-edged sword,” spiking anticipation while reminding everyone of the upheaval behind the scenes [36].
Social media and forums quickly turned the screenshots over. Fans debate which assets will survive Saber’s overhaul. Will the modular weapons and detailed Kashyyyk concept art make it into the final game, or were they casualties of Aspyr’s canceled vision? As one Azat TV analysis asks, the community “remains vigilant,” wondering if Saber will “pick up where Aspyr left off, or chart a new course entirely” [37]. Until Saber shows its own hand, speculation will continue.
Meanwhile, Saber’s statements provide the only official hints. CEO Karch’s “alive and well” comment [38] and Willits’s pledge that development is ongoing [39] keep the dream alive. If Saber can merge these early innovations with the polish of a finished product, there’s hope for fans. As one report puts it, “if Saber Interactive can capture the spirit of these early innovations… KOTOR’s remake could yet become the definitive Star Wars RPG for a new era” [40]. For now, fans and analysts alike are holding their breath – ready to pounce on every future image or announcement, and hoping the Old Republic will rise again on time.
Sources: Reports from MP1st, CultureSlate, Azat TV, VGC and VGChartz, and Bloomberg, which detail the leaked images, modular weapons, companion system hints, and official statements about the KOTOR remake [41] [42] [43] [44].
References
1. mp1st.com, 2. www.cultureslate.com, 3. azat.tv, 4. www.cultureslate.com, 5. www.cultureslate.com, 6. mp1st.com, 7. azat.tv, 8. mp1st.com, 9. azat.tv, 10. www.cultureslate.com, 11. www.videogameschronicle.com, 12. www.vgchartz.com, 13. azat.tv, 14. azat.tv, 15. mp1st.com, 16. azat.tv, 17. azat.tv, 18. www.cultureslate.com, 19. mp1st.com, 20. mp1st.com, 21. mp1st.com, 22. azat.tv, 23. mp1st.com, 24. azat.tv, 25. mp1st.com, 26. azat.tv, 27. mp1st.com, 28. mp1st.com, 29. www.cultureslate.com, 30. mp1st.com, 31. mp1st.com, 32. www.cultureslate.com, 33. www.videogameschronicle.com, 34. www.vgchartz.com, 35. azat.tv, 36. azat.tv, 37. azat.tv, 38. www.videogameschronicle.com, 39. www.vgchartz.com, 40. azat.tv, 41. mp1st.com, 42. azat.tv, 43. www.cultureslate.com, 44. www.videogameschronicle.com
