Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II is beloved for its rich character depth, thought-provoking plot and deep gameplay systems. It’s also one of the most highly replayable RPGs on the market, thanks to its deep player-driven choices and a memorable cast of characters. However, the game was plagued with bugs at launch and had a handful of missing side missions in its original release. Thankfully, fans were able to patch the issues and complete the missing content using mods. Sadly, those mods seem to have been pulled from the official downloads, removing the option for players to enjoy the fully-completed game.
The story in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is set a few years after the events of the first game, and the Jedi are on the verge of being eradicated by a new threat that doesn’t even show remorse for killing entire planets. The protagonist, a former Jedi exiled from the Order, awakens to a galaxy on the edge of collapse. They find themselves on a mining planet, where they must survive the dangerous environment while searching for the Jedi that can help them defeat the new threat.
Obsidian’s rushed development process in creating KOTOR 2 led to some unfinished and unneeded content that lingered in the game’s code, though players were able to patch up and complete most of this for the PC version through the use of mods. Many of the additions were small, such as new crew dialogue and interactions on the Ebon Hawk or the ability to upgrade HK-47 similar to those available for G0-T0 and T3-M4 on the original game’s final planet. Other notable additions include a more challenging final combat with Kreia, an expanded version of the Trayus Academy sequence and a revamped ending.
It’s not yet clear why the mods were pulled, though some have speculated that it’s because of recent layoffs at Aspyr Media. The company’s Twitter and Discord accounts are currently ghost towns, and no word has been given from the studio on what’s next for KOTOR 2.
A YouTube video from Aspyr, which is now missing its description thanks to Wayback Machine archiving, had promised that the Restored Content DLC would be available post-launch as free DLC in the eShop. This was a major part of what made the Switch port so appealing, and the lack of any mention of this DLC in other videos or on the company’s website seems to have confirmed that it’s been canceled.
Even though this DLC has been canceled, the original announcement was a good sign that the company is still working hard to provide the best possible experience for their customers. It’s unfortunate that we won’t get to see the full Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic experience, but hopefully this situation will encourage Aspyr to issue some official communication on what’s happening with the DLC and its planned release date.