Aspyr Media, the development studio best known for its video game adaptations and work on the upcoming Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake, wants to bring the starfighter shooter Rogue Squadron to modern hardware.
The studio expressed interest on Twitter, responding to a fan who asked if Apsyr would ever consider porting the Star Wars: Rogue Squadron series.
“We here at Aspyr are huge Star Wars fans and love bringing Star Wars games to new audiences,” he said in the Tweet. "For us, these are the games that we think gamers are most passionate about and would like to see offered on new platforms. If there's demand, we're on board."
At Aspyr, we're huge Star Wars fans and love bringing Star Wars games to new audiences. For us, these are the games we think gamers are most passionate about and would like to see on new platforms. If there is demand, we are on board April 18, 2022
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Launched first for Nintendo 64 and PC in 1998, Rogue Squadron is an arcade game that you can find in the cabin of the iconic stars of the original Star Wars trilogy. You are tasked with destroying Imperial targets and shooting Empire ships from the sky - or the vacuum of space - through a series of missions, while collecting bonuses to improve your ship's performance in levels of.
It went on to spawn two sequels for the GameCube: 2001's Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader and 2003's Star Wars Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike for the GameCube. This third title introduced ground battles and allowed you to leave your vehicle to explore on foot.
The series received something of a spiritual successor in 2020 with Star Wars: Squadrons. Developed by EA's Motive Studios, it's more of a space flight simulator than an arcade shooter, with a first-person perspective, complex flight and power mechanics, and a class-based approach to naval combat.
Is a new version of Rogue Squadron likely?
The Rogue Squadron series may have gained a cult following since its release, but there are plenty of other reasons to think a modern remaster could come along at some point.
Many older Star Wars titles have been re-released in recent years, many by Aspyr. The studio released a Nintendo Switch and PS4 remake of Jedi Knight - Jedi Academy in 2020, followed by a Republic Commando port the following year. It also ported Episode 1: Racer to Xbox One, Switch, and PS4 in 2020 and most recently The Force Unleashed with an exceptional collector's edition.
The success of Star Wars: Squadrons could further fuel Aspyr and Lucasfilm Games' interest in returning to a starfighter shooter like Rogue Squadron. As his Tweet suggests, a port will be developed if the studio thinks there's a big enough market waiting to find out.
However, Aspyr is not short of work. His remake of BioWare's acclaimed Knights of the Old Republic RPG is still ongoing, and he serves as editor on MythForce, Beamdog's recently announced roguelike. This game is inspired by children's cartoons from the 80's such as He-Man and Dungeons and Dragons animation.