Fate of the Old Republic Director Has Controversial View on Game Length

Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic director Casey Hudson has shared some thoughts about how long a game should take to complete, which could imply a shorter length for the upcoming RPG. Hudson previously served as the director and producer on the critically-acclaimed Knights of the Old Republic, and Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic will serve as a spiritual successor. KOTOR was once considered part of the Star Wars canon, but that changed when Disney acquired the brand. It seems several elements of those games will remain intact, but players should not expect a direct sequel.

Hudson is not the only veteran returning from Knights of the Old Republic. Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic has multiple former KOTOR developers, including Dan Fessenden, Caroline Livingstone, and Ryan Hoyle. In theory, that should result in an experience that feels faithful to what came before.

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In an interview with Bloomberg, Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic director Casey Hudson addressed the game’s length. While the director did not specify the expected length, he did have some interesting comments about how much time players might have to invest. Hudson says that he wants to avoid making players feel like they haven’t reached the end of the first act after putting 20 hours into the title. That could mean that players that just want to get to the end credits will be able to beat Fate of the Old Republic without putting in 100 hours or more.

“Bigger isn’t necessarily better,” said Hudson. “If I’m excited about a game and then I find out that it’s 200 hours long — even if I have no ambition to actually finish it — I wonder, if I put 20 hours in, will I even be out of act one? A lot of players just want to play something and finish it.”

What’s That Weapon?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

What’s That Weapon?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)

Game length has become a hot topic over the last few years. The reality is, a lot of gamers don’t want to feel like they’re being forced to spend extra time just to see the end of the story. GTA 6‘s campaign is rumored to be 75 hours long, and some fans are already dreading that kind of investment. Pragmata has quickly become one of the most acclaimed games of the year, in large part due to its shorter campaign. Similarly, Capcom’s Resident Evil Requiem has also been a huge success this year, even though many players can finish it in less than 10 hours.

Star Wars Fate of the Old Republic Press Image 2

No one wants Fate of the Old Republic to have a length on par with Pragmata or Resident Evil Requiem. However, if the team can craft an enjoyable experience that lasts 30 hours, that would probably make a lot of Star Wars fans happy. Time to beat is always going to be a controversial topic among gamers; gaming has gotten a lot more expensive recently, and players want to feel like their money is being well spent. However, if a game’s length feels padded out, that can also be a source of frustration. There’s a balance that needs to be struck, and it’s one of the biggest challenges facing developers in the modern era.

Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.

Easy (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)

Hudson’s comments might leave some players concerned that Fate of the Old Republic won’t match the scale of KOTOR, but Hudson was quick to note that the developers at Arcanaut Studios want the game to have lots of replay value. That means players will be rewarded with branching storylines that alter the experience. Keeping the campaign shorter could also help the game arrive in a reasonable amount of time. Hudson continues to insist that Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic will arrive before 2030, though it remains to be seen whether he can actually accomplish that goal.