- Casey Hudson, former General Manager of BioWare, has returned to the Star Wars franchise backed by his new Canada-based studio.
- Hudson’s studio is developing the new Star Wars game in association with Lucasfilm Games.
- The game is powered by Unreal Engine 5, with Hudson suggesting a launch before 2030.
Casey Hudson, the renowned game director best known for his BioWare titles Knights of the Old Republic and the Mass Effect trilogy, has established a new Canadian game company. Named Arcanaut Studios, the house will create Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic, a narrative-driven action RPG that aims to revitalize single-player storytelling in the Star Wars series.
Arcanaut Studios, based in Edmonton, will have Hudson leading the venture alongside a small core leadership team, with Chris Bain as CFO, Cordy Rierson as COO, and Ryan Hoyle as CTO. Arcanaut is Hudson’s second venture after his previous independent company, Humanoid Origin, closed in November 2024 without releasing a project. This does make the game’s development particularly intriguing to watch, as questions remain if Hudson can meet the deadline while also satisfying fans.
Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic, whose trailer was showcased at The Game Awards 2025, is intended to be a spiritual successor to the Knights of the Old Republic series. Hudson, the former BioWare General Manager who departed the studio in 2021, described the project as "equally ambitious" as his previous works.
Expected Timeline for The New Star Wars Game
Hudson described that the goal of the new project is to create a "definitive Star Wars experience" by combining contemporary game design powered by Unreal Engine 5 and deep storytelling. With Lucasfilm Games as publisher and partner in the project, the title will contain a fresh tale set in the Old Republic era rather than serving as a direct continuation of the narrative of the previous game.
The game is in "early development," with platforms and release dates still unknown; however, Hudson has openly addressed questions about timing on X (previously Twitter). He informed fans that the new Star Wars game will be out before 2030, and should ignore the rumors which say otherwise.
Reactions regarding the title from the gaming industry have been conflicting. Some noted that, as a recently established studio, Arcanaut might find it difficult to create a top-notch AAA RPG, while others have welcomed the announcement as it marked Hudson's long-overdue return to narrative RPGs within the Star Wars IP. This is Arcanaut Studios' first major undertaking, and also one of the most anticipated projects marked in the calendar of the gaming industry. Regardless of when it is released, fans will be eager to play it.
