What it is
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is BioWare’s single-player role-playing classic, set roughly 4,000 years before the films. It arrived on Xbox in the UK on Friday, 12 September 2003, giving players control over a custom hero caught in the Republic’s war with the Sith. Your dialogue, alliances and moral decisions shape both the journey and its outcome, making this as much a character-driven adventure as a combat-focused RPG.
- UK release
- 12 September 2003 on Xbox
- Platforms
- Xbox, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, Android and Nintendo Switch
- Developer
- BioWare
- Publisher
- LucasArts
- UK price
- £8.99 Xbox, £8.50 Steam, £12.29 Switch, £9.49 Android at time of checking
- PEGI
- PEGI 12 on Xbox and Nintendo Switch
- Genre
- Role-playing RPG, Adventure
- Game Pass/PS Plus
- Not currently listed in the UK catalogues
- Online mode
- No — single-player only
- Engine
- BioWare Odyssey Engine
Story and setting
The galaxy is reeling from a recent conflict with the Dark Lords while Darth Malak’s Sith armada threatens to overwhelm the Republic. You begin as an ordinary Republic soldier before building a party of companions and travelling aboard the Ebon Hawk to a series of distinctive worlds, including Tatooine, Kashyyyk, Manaan, Dantooine and Korriban.
The story is careful about what it reveals, so it is best experienced without prior knowledge of its major turns. What can be said is that BioWare uses the Star Wars setting for more than scenery. Conversations, quests and moral choices let you pursue the light side, embrace the dark side or occupy a less predictable middle ground.
How it plays
This is a party-based RPG viewed from a third-person perspective. You create a character, select a starting class, distribute abilities, choose equipment and eventually learn Force powers. Nine customisable companions can join the crew, with three accompanying you in the field at any one time. Their skills and personalities make party selection important, particularly when tackling security, computer, stealth or demolition problems.
Combat appears to unfold in real time, but it is governed by statistics, abilities and an underlying turn-based system. You can pause whenever you like, switch between party members and queue commands before letting the fight continue. Blasters, vibroblades, grenades, lightsabers and more than 40 Force powers give encounters a satisfying range of options, although the interface and animations now feel unmistakably rooted in the early 2000s.
What changed after launch
The original Xbox release was later expanded through Xbox Live downloadable content. The Yavin Station add-on added a new location, a shopkeeper, extra encounters and additional items, including weapons, armour and lightsaber crystals. It was separate from the launch disc and required an Xbox Live connection on the original console.
The game subsequently received Windows and Mac versions, followed by Aspyr ports for iPhone, iPad, Android and Nintendo Switch. The Windows edition has official 1.01, 1.02 and 1.03 patches, while the later ports have received their own compatibility, controller, interface and bug-fix updates. The iOS version added universal device support, improved lighting and graphics, widescreen support and controller compatibility. There is no new multiplayer mode or modern remaster of the original game.
Platforms, editions and UK price
The original game launched on Xbox and is now available on Windows PC, Mac, iPhone and iPad, Android and Nintendo Switch. Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S can run the Xbox version through backward compatibility, and the Microsoft Store listing marks it as Xbox One X Enhanced. The Switch release supports handheld, tabletop and TV modes, while the mobile versions use touch controls and support compatible controllers.
At the time of checking, the standard digital prices listed for UK customers were £8.99 on Xbox, £8.50 on Steam, £12.29 on Nintendo Switch and £9.49 on Android. Prices can change during sales. There is no current new physical UK edition listed by the major digital storefronts, and the original game is not currently listed in the UK Game Pass or PlayStation Plus catalogues.
Reception and what remains unknown
Knights of the Old Republic was received as a landmark RPG. Metacritic records an Xbox score of 94 from 72 critic reviews, while GameSpot awarded it 9.1 out of 10 and Eurogamer awarded it 9 out of 10. The praise centred on its writing, companions, moral choices and unusually confident use of the Star Wars licence. Its dated visuals, occasional technical issues and sometimes clumsy combat are more obvious today, but the storytelling still holds up.
The announced remake is a separate project rather than an update to this game. It was announced for PlayStation 5 and PC, and Saber Interactive said in March 2026 that it remains in development. There is still no confirmed release date, price, gameplay showing or Xbox launch announcement.
Not yet confirmed
- The Knights of the Old Republic remake has no confirmed release date, price or gameplay details.
- The remake was announced for PlayStation 5 and PC, but an Xbox version has not been confirmed.
- No new physical UK edition of the original game is currently confirmed.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic: your questions
When was Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic released in the UK?
The Xbox version launched in the UK on Friday, 12 September 2003. Its North American Xbox launch came earlier that summer.
Can you play Knights of the Old Republic on Xbox Series X or Series S?
Yes. The Xbox version is backward compatible with Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, and it is available digitally through the UK Microsoft Store.
Does Knights of the Old Republic have online multiplayer?
No. It is a single-player RPG. The original Xbox release received downloadable content through Xbox Live, but it never offered online multiplayer or co-op.
Is the Knights of the Old Republic remake out yet?
No. The remake is a separate project announced for PlayStation 5 and PC. Saber Interactive said in March 2026 that it remains in development, but no release date has been announced.
