By Sagar Mankar 
Ubisoft and Lucasfilm are finally giving fans what they’ve been crying for – a huge open world to explore set in the beloved Star Wars universe.
Announced back in 2021, Star Wars Outlaws promises to let players live out their scoundrel fantasies in an expansive open-world sandbox during the period between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.
What’s The Story And Setting?
In Star Wars Outlaws, you take on the role of Kay Vess, a rookie scoundrel looking for freedom and a fresh start.
She’ll be joined by her trusty companion Nix, an adorable axolotl-like alien that fans instantly fell in love with from the first reveal in 2021.
The game is set between Star Wars: Episode 5 – The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: Episode 6 – Return of the Jedi.
It was “a golden age for the underworld” as the underworld criminal syndicates thrived whereas the Empire was distracted by the Rebel Alliance.
According to the creative director Julian Gerighty, this is an ideal setting for novice scoundrel Kay to hone her skills.
On her journey, she will meet familiar faces like Jabba the Hutt who will assign her missions from his palace on Tatooine (locked mission open through Season Pass), and Sliro the leader of Zerek Besh, who hires bounty hunter Vail to hunt down Kay.
She will also encounter allies, such as the Jaylen Vrax, who presents her with the chance to pull off the galaxy’s greatest heist, alongside his battle droid ND-5, who aids Kay in her heist efforts.
Both characters’ settings find quite a parallel with the iconic characters such as Han Solo, Kyle Katarn, and K-2SO.
The developer has assembled some of the best actors to voice these characters:
- Kay Vess – Humberly Gonzalez
- Nix, Jabba – Dee Bradley Baker
- ND-5 – Jay Rincon
- Sliro – Caolan Byrne
- Jaylen – Eric Johnson
- Vail – Mercedes Morris
Explore Iconic and Uncharted Locations
You’ll visit distinct planets across the galaxy, including iconic locales from the films and shows as well as never-before-seen worlds.
According to Ubisoft, the game spans multiple “handcrafted” planets rather than a singular, seamless open world.
Iconic locations like Tatooine, Kijimi, and Cantonica will be featured, while Oshawa is a new addition to the Star Wars galaxy which is inspired by the savannahs of Eastern Africa
Other teased locations include:
- The Ashiga Clan, based on the ice-cold planet of Kijimi, from the Rise of Skywalker
- The humid jungles of Akiva
- Cantonica’s glamorous casino city Canto Bight
Engaging Combat and Traversal
Star Wars Outlaws will offer a third-person perspective, with a blend of hand-to-hand combat, gunplay, and stealth sequences on the ground.
In space, players can engage in intimate dogfights with TIE fighters and larger-scale battles against massive vessels aboard Kay’s ship, The Trailblazer.
Exploration and traversal will be a key aspect of the game, with players able to seamlessly transition from on-foot exploration to speeder bike rides and space travel.
Developer “Massive Entertainment” promises a thrilling “motocross” experience with Kay’s speeder, complete with tricks, speed chases, and the ability to shoot while riding using a slow-motion targeting system.
Reputation and Wanted Systems
Outlaws will feature two interconnected systems that govern player behavior: Reputation and Wanted.
The Reputation system dictates Kay’s relationships with various crime syndicates, influencing access to contracts, prices, and territories.
It will help you to open up or close certain territories based on your relationship with some characters.
The Wanted system, on the other hand, reflects Kay’s standing with the Empire, with actions against Imperial interests resulting in pursuit and increased notoriety.
RPG Elements and Customization
While not a full-fledged RPG, Star Wars Outlaws will incorporate light RPG elements, such as an upgrade system for Kay’s gear, including her speeder bike and blaster.
Players can also expect customization options for Kay’s speeder and spaceship, allowing them to personalize their experience.
Dialogue choices will play a role in shaping Kay’s journey, enhancing the roleplaying experience as a scoundrel in the Star Wars universe.
A Collaborative Effort with Lucasfilm
Star Wars Outlaws is the result of a collaborative effort between Massive Entertainment and Lucasfilm.
The game’s ideas came during a meeting between the two companies to discuss Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, and its development has involved input from various Ubisoft studios around the world.
Key developers include game director Mathias Karlson (The Division 2), creative director Julian Gerighty (The Division 2), narrative director Navid Khavari (Far Cry 6), art and world director Benedikt Podlesniggand (The Division 2), and lead writer Nikki Foy (Far Cry 6).
When Is the Star Wars Outlaws Release Date?
After its splashy reveal at the Xbox Games Showcase in 2023, Ubisoft announced that Star Wars Outlaws will launch on August 30, 2024, for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Ubisoft Connect.
The standard edition will retail for $69.99, with more expensive Gold and Ultimate editions also available that include bonus items and early access.
The official story trailer for Star Wars Outlaws has arrived.
Pre-order #StarWarsOutlaws today! Available August 30, 2024. Play up to 3 days early with Gold or Ultimate edition, which includes the base game and season pass. pic.twitter.com/JXc5zI8Rr6
— Star Wars (@starwars) April 9, 2024
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