Star Wars is one of the most beloved franchises on any medium. The brand is responsible for many classic and beloved games, from Knights of the Old Republic to the original Star Wars: Battlefront 2 and beyond.
But old games don’t have to stay in the past. THQ Nordic will soon release several classic Star Wars games on PS4 and Nintendo Switch, according to a recent leak. The games in question include Jedi Knight and Jedi Knight 2, Star Wars: Republic Commando, and Star Wars Episode 1: Racer.
It’s unclear if the games are receiving a boxed release, but that appears likely. Otherwise, it’s not clear what THQ is bringing to the table. The leaks also indicate the games will be available as two bundles on PS4 and Nintendo Switch. The first is the Star Wars: Jedi Knight Collection. It appears to include the first Jedi Knight game along with Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast. It’s unclear if the bundle includes Mysteries of the Sith, an expansion pack for Jedi Knight. The second bundle combines Episode 1: Racer and Republic Commando, which seems like an unusual pairing. Both bundles release on October 8.
The leak was discovered by Gemastsu and shared on the publication’s Twitter account. As the tweet notes, all four of the games are already available digitally. Star Wars Episode I: Racer arrived on Xbox One, Switch, and PS4 last year. Republic Commando came to PS4 and Switch in April and was already backward compatible on Xbox consoles. Jedi Knight 2 is also available on PS4 and Switch, making the first Jedi Knight the only new arrival. Unfortunately, there’s no indication whether the Jedi Knight games are coming to Xbox One or the Series X/S for Xbox players.
For anyone not acquainted with the titles, LucasArts initially released Star Wars Episode 1: Racer in 1999 for Windows PC and the N64. It let players participate in the film’s famous Pod Races and features multiple tracks across different planets. Meanwhile, Republic Commando is a 2005 squad-based tactical first-person shooter set between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. Lastly, Jedi Knight began as a sequel to the FPS Star Wars: Dark Forces in 1995. It introduced the lightsaber combat that became a series staple.
Again, none of these games were ever wholly unavailable. However, a full re-release could serve to attract new players to these classic titles. And judging by the responses to the leak’s Twitter thread, it seems to have earned THQ Nordic a few points with existing fans. Not to mention it could potentially net the publisher a lot of money without THQ having to develop any new games.