Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic Set to Launch Before 2030, Says Director

Good morning, and welcome to your regularly scheduled Monday. Don’t keep an eye on the clock; this day will wrap up soon enough. In the meantime, dive into this edition of Morning Checkpoint, your daily roundup of video game news and other topics of interest. Today, we’ve got updates on Fate of the Old Republic, a look at Fallout Shelter, and maybe even a nod to that classic Grinch Christmas tune.

Last week at the Game Awards, Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic was unveiled, sparking excitement among fans. This spiritual successor to Knights of the Old Republic is helmed by the original game’s director, Casey Hudson, who also played a key role in the creation of Mass Effect. However, some reporters noted that this new Star Wars title is being developed by a studio that’s only a few months old, leading to speculation that the game might not launch until 2030. This speculation quickly morphed into rampant rumors online, prompting Hudson to publicly refute the 2030 timeline on social media.

“Don’t worry about the ‘not till 2030’ rumors,” Hudson posted on December 12. “Game will be out before then. I’m not getting any younger!”

While I’m eager to get my hands on FOTOR sooner rather than later, I can’t help but wonder why Hudson is so confident that a new KOTOR-like Star Wars RPG can be developed in under five years by a newly formed team. Perhaps they have a solid, streamlined plan with ample support and resources? Or maybe Hudson stumbled upon a genie lamp? Regardless, he assures us that FOTOR will be released sometime before 2030. Place your bets now.

Fallout Shelter has been around since June 2015, and despite its age, it remains incredibly popular, with ports to console and PC and a steady stream of updates. The latest update, now live, is the biggest yet, introducing seasons, new characters, quests, and more connections to Amazon’s live-action Fallout show.

“Rejoice, Overseers – Fallout Shelter’s biggest update yet is here,” the developers announced on the game’s Steam page. “Years of content previously only available on mobile is now available on Steam, including new questlines, characters, weapons, themes, and more.” It may not be Fallout 5, but it’s definitely something to enjoy.

Over the weekend, an email surfaced online suggesting that Arcade1Up, a company known for creating modern arcade cabinets, might be shutting down. The internal email, reportedly sent on December 10, claims that Arcade1Up ceased operations on December 12, leaving the brand’s future uncertain. At least one development studio that collaborated with Arcade1Up has indicated that its classic ports will still support online play through a backdoor that players can activate if the shutdown impacts online servers. So far, Arcade1Up has not confirmed or denied these reports.

Keita Takahashi, the mind behind Katamari Damacy, released a new and quirky game this year called To a T, and if this is your first time hearing about it, you’re not alone. The renowned creator has stated that the game didn’t perform well commercially, which may lead him to exit the gaming industry.

“I recently returned to Japan, and one of the reasons I had to do so was because To a T didn’t sell well,” Takahashi shared. “My next goal is to support my children and find them a school in Japan. Then, if I feel that I don’t belong in the games industry, I’ll have to look elsewhere.”

It’s unfortunate that a unique title like To a T struggled to find its audience in 2025. When asked if there’s still a place for experimental games in the industry, Takahashi expressed uncertainty, admitting that it’s “definitely” become harder for him to create these kinds of games.