Mark Darrah, a veteran RPG developer known for his outspokenness, who led the development of the Dragon Age series until his retirement several years ago, predicts that Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic - The Fate of the Republic will adopt a more streamlined and concise narrative, avoiding what he perceives as the excessive narrative bloat in BioWare's recent works.
In an interview with Eldorado.gg, Darrah discussed the potential development direction of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic - The Fate of the Republic, led by former Mass Effect lead Casey Hudson. Darrah speculated that Hudson might create a spiritual successor akin to Knights of the Old Republic 3, or perhaps a "Mass Effect-like game wrapped in the Star Wars IP." He added that he ultimately couldn't determine the final form of the game. Although BioWare is not involved in its development, with production handled by Arcanot Studio founded by Hudson, Hudson's involvement still gives Darrah confidence in one particular aspect of the title.
"One thing I am certain of is that the game's cinematic storytelling will be excellent, because this is an area Casey particularly values," Darrah stated. "I firmly believe they will invest significant effort into this aspect. So this will be a narrative-driven game, with strong narrative delivery. However, I have no idea what the overall game structure built around the narrative will look like; it's impossible to guess. But as for whether it can tell a good story? Absolutely. I am very confident about that."
When asked whether Hudson would bring the experience he gained at BioWare to the development of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic - The Fate of the Republic, Darrah confirmed: "Casey and I have talked about this." He added, "I think he will definitely focus on simplifying narrative presentation. To some extent, you could say BioWare's storytelling has become a bit self-indulgent and overly bloated. I think Casey may have realized this as well. So he might streamline things and return to a purer, classic hero's journey. I can't say for sure; maybe I'm just speculating."
Although Darrah is reluctant to speculate too much, the story of Dragon Age: The Veilguard has indeed been controversial—ranging from malicious attacks against the game's diversity elements to genuine disappointment from long-time fans. I don't necessarily think simplifying the narrative is the most important lesson to learn, but it must be said that Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic - The Fate of the Republic is in capable hands.