Casey Hudson isn’t wasting any time addressing the elephant in the room. Less than 24 hours after Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic was revealed at The Game Awards, the legendary director jumped on Twitter to push back against reports suggesting the game won’t launch until 2030 or later. His message was short and to the point: “Don’t worry about the ‘not till 2030’ rumors. Game will be out before then. I’m not getting any younger!” That’s reassuring, but let’s be real about what “before 2030” actually means when your studio opened five months ago.
Why Everyone Was Saying 2030
The 2030 speculation started with Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, one of the most reliable journalists in gaming. Right after the Fate of the Old Republic announcement, Schreier tweeted that while the reveal was exciting, the studio behind it was founded this year. His exact words: “2030 is an optimistic guess.” He even joked that it might be a PlayStation 7 game, which is wild considering the PS5 is only five years old right now.
Arcanaut Studios, Hudson’s new venture, was officially founded in July 2025. That’s barely half a year ago. When you announce a massive single-player RPG from a brand new studio that’s existed for less time than most people keep milk in their fridge, people are going to be skeptical about timelines. AAA game development takes between five and eight years on average, and that’s for established teams with existing pipelines and tools. Starting from scratch adds significant time.
What Before 2030 Really Means
Hudson’s clarification that the game will launch before 2030 technically covers a pretty wide range. December 31st, 2029 counts as “before 2030.” That’s still four full years from now, which would put the game roughly on schedule for a new studio making a massive RPG from the ground up. His comment about not getting any younger suggests he’s personally motivated to ship this thing in a reasonable timeframe, but motivation doesn’t change development realities.
The most realistic window based on typical development cycles is late 2028 to mid-2029. If Arcanaut started serious pre-production around the time the studio opened in July 2025, that gives them three to four years of development before a potential 2028-2029 launch. That timeline assumes everything goes smoothly with no major delays, production issues, or scope changes. Given Hudson’s track record, that’s not a guarantee.
Hudson’s History with Delays
Casey Hudson directed the original Knights of the Old Republic and the Mass Effect trilogy, which are legitimate classics. But his last project at BioWare was Anthem, which was an absolute disaster plagued by production problems, multiple reboots, mismanagement, and a troubled seven-year development cycle that ended with a mediocre product. He also founded Humanoid Origin in 2021, which shut down in late 2024 without releasing anything after running out of funding.
That’s not to say Hudson can’t deliver greatness again. He absolutely can, and his experience with KOTOR specifically makes him the perfect person for this project. But his recent history shows that even experienced directors can run into serious issues, especially when building new studios and establishing new teams. Arcanaut needs to build its culture, establish workflows, hire talent, create tools, and figure out how everyone works together while simultaneously making a game. That’s incredibly difficult.
The Schreier Factor
It’s worth noting that Schreier’s original 2030 comment was somewhat tongue-in-cheek. He wasn’t citing leaked documents or insider sources saying “definitely 2030.” He was making an educated guess based on the studio’s age and typical AAA development timelines. Gaming news outlets then ran with “2030” as a headline because it’s clickbait gold, which created the impression that 2030 was confirmed when it never was.
That said, Schreier’s track record for understanding game development realities is exceptional. When he suggests something will take longer than publishers claim, he’s usually right. His reporting on Anthem, Cyberpunk 2077, and countless other troubled productions has been spot-on. So while his 2030 estimate was partially a joke, it was rooted in real analysis of how long these projects actually take.
What We Actually Know About Development
Hudson has been very transparent that Fate of the Old Republic is still in early development with many challenges ahead. That’s refreshing honesty, but it also confirms this game is nowhere near done. Early development typically means pre-production or very early production, which involves concept work, prototyping core mechanics, building the team, establishing the visual style, and writing the story framework.
Actual full production where the bulk of the game gets built comes later. Then there’s the polish phase, optimization, bug fixing, localization into 15+ languages for a global launch, marketing campaign preparation, and certification for multiple platforms. All of that takes years even when you know what you’re doing. Arcanaut is figuring things out as they go because they’re brand new.
The Lucasfilm Factor
Working with Lucasfilm adds another layer of complexity. Every story beat, character design, and creative decision needs approval from multiple levels of Disney and Lucasfilm oversight. They’re extremely protective of the Star Wars brand, especially after several cancelled game projects and the mixed reception of recent films. That approval process can slow things down significantly, even when the developer is doing great work.
BioWare dealt with this during the original KOTOR development back in 2003. LucasArts was heavily involved in story approval and creative direction, which caused friction and delays. Things have changed since Disney took over, but the bureaucracy has arguably gotten worse, not better. Arcanaut will need to navigate that reality while trying to maintain their creative vision.
Platform Uncertainty
One major question Hudson didn’t address is what platforms Fate of the Old Republic will actually launch on. If we’re looking at a 2028-2029 release, the PlayStation 5 will be eight years old by then. PlayStation 6 is widely expected to launch sometime between 2027 and 2028, which would make Fate of the Old Republic a cross-gen title at best or potentially a next-gen exclusive.
PC is a given since Arcanaut can target current and future hardware without worrying about console generations. But console platforms represent the majority of AAA game sales, so those decisions matter significantly. Building for PS5 and Xbox Series X now could mean the game looks dated by 2029. Targeting next-gen hardware that doesn’t exist yet means gambling on specs and features that haven’t been finalized. It’s a difficult position for any developer, especially a new studio.
Managing Expectations
Hudson’s response to the 2030 rumors is ultimately about managing fan expectations and keeping excitement alive. He can’t have people thinking this game won’t come out for six years because that kills momentum and makes it harder to recruit talent or maintain investor confidence. Saying “before 2030” is technically accurate while also being vague enough that he’s not locked into a specific date.
The reality is that everyone involved wants this game to come out as soon as possible. Hudson wants it because he’s not getting younger and this is probably his last shot at making a Star Wars RPG. Lucasfilm wants it because they need successful Star Wars games to keep the franchise culturally relevant. Fans want it because KOTOR-style games are rare and beloved. But wanting something quickly doesn’t make it happen faster.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Casey Hudson confirm a release date?
No. He only said the game will come out before 2030, which is a very wide window covering 2026-2029. Given that Arcanaut Studios was founded in July 2025, a realistic estimate is late 2028 or 2029.
Who is Casey Hudson?
Casey Hudson directed the original Knights of the Old Republic in 2003 and later led the Mass Effect trilogy at BioWare. He also directed Anthem, which was a critical and commercial failure. He founded Arcanaut Studios in July 2025.
Why did people think it wouldn’t come until 2030?
Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier pointed out that Arcanaut Studios was only founded this year, making 2030 an “optimistic guess” for launch. AAA RPGs typically take 5-8 years to develop, especially for new studios building everything from scratch.
Is Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic KOTOR 3?
No. It’s described as a spiritual successor set in the Old Republic era with a new story, new characters, and new locations. It’s not a direct sequel to the original KOTOR games.
What platforms will it be on?
Unknown. PC is almost certain, but console platforms are unclear. Given the 2028-2029 likely window, it could target PlayStation 6 and next-gen Xbox rather than current consoles.
When will we see gameplay?
Probably not until 2026 or 2027 at the earliest. The game is in early development, which typically means no gameplay footage exists yet beyond internal prototypes and concept work.
Could the game be cancelled?
It’s always possible. Hudson’s previous studio Humanoid Origin shut down in 2024 without releasing anything. New studios face significant challenges with funding, hiring, and establishing workflows. Nothing is guaranteed.
Is Jason Schreier usually right about these things?
Yes. Schreier is the most respected investigative journalist in gaming with an excellent track record for understanding development realities. When he suggests something will take longer than announced, he’s usually correct.
The Bottom Line
Casey Hudson’s response to the 2030 rumors is appreciated, and it’s good to know the team is targeting an earlier window. But “before 2030” still means we’re looking at three to four years minimum before this game lands on our hard drives. That’s a long time to wait, and a lot can happen during game development. Studios run out of money. Key developers leave. Creative visions change. Publishers get cold feet. The market shifts.
Hudson directing a spiritual successor to KOTOR is genuinely exciting. He knows this universe, he understands what made the original special, and he has the talent to deliver something great. But Arcanaut Studios is five months old, building everything from scratch, and facing all the challenges that come with creating a massive RPG under the watchful eye of Disney and Lucasfilm. The fact that Hudson felt compelled to address timeline concerns less than 24 hours after announcement shows he knows fans are skeptical.
So yes, the game will probably come out before 2030. But “before 2030” and “soon” are very different things. Expect a long wait, manage your expectations, and maybe don’t clear your calendar for 2026. This is a marathon, not a sprint, and we’re only at the starting line.