Star Wars: Outlaws is Flying Into Uncharted Territory

Summary

Star Wars Outlaws marks a major shift in the gaming landscape, being the first AAA game outside of EA's control since Disney acquired Lucasfilm, offering fans a new hope.
With Outlaws breaking the mold, the future of Star Wars games looks bright as the franchise expands to different developers and publishers, promising exciting projects ahead.
The pressure is on for Ubisoft's Outlaws to deliver, set to usher in a new era of Star Wars gaming and potentially change the way fans experience the galaxy far, far away.

Star Wars is in a golden era right now with the likes of The Bad Batch, The Mandalorian, and Andor on the small screen and countless films on the horizon . This is not reserved for film or TV, either, as there have also been a plethora of exciting Star Wars video games, including Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and Star Wars Battlefront 2. Now, all eyes are on Ubisoft's Star Wars Outlaws to see if it can continue that trend.

Not only is Star Wars Outlaws taking the franchise to the open-world space for the very first time, but it is also going to be the first major AAA Star Wars game not under EA since Disney purchased Lucasfilm. While there have been many smaller mobile titles and re-releases of classic games, there has not been anything like this for years. And if it is successful, then it could change the future of Star Wars games for the better.

Star Wars Outlaws Will Be Expanding the Franchise Past EA's Sandbox

Disney's Star Wars Has Been Defined by EA Titles

Once Disney purchased Lucasfilm in 2012, it quickly got to work expanding the Star Wars franchise. First, it was revealed that it had plans for an entire trilogy alongside multiple standalone films, which would all mostly come to fruition. Then, it made the controversial decision to close down much of LucasArts in 2013, the publisher behind the majority of the fan-favorite Star Wars titles. Shortly after that, it entered into an exclusive agreement with EA to produce all future Star Wars AAA titles.

EA would end up handing Dice the keys to the Star Wars kingdom, which resulted in the Star Wars Battlefront reboot series. Both titles ended up being extremely controversial with the fanbase due to a lack of content and microtransaction models. Along with that, Respawn Entertainment would release its own Star Wars adventures: Fallen Order and Survivor. Unlike Battlefront, both of those games ended up being pretty big successes. Finally, Motive also got to explore Star Wars for a bit with Star Wars: Squadrons.

Star Wars Outlaws Could Change Star Wars Video Games for the Better

Now, EA's exclusive contract with Disney has expired after 10 years, and the studio has not elected to extend it. So, it seems like more developers will be able to get their hands on Star Wars now, with one of the first games being Star Wars Outlaws. It will be the game to usher in this new chapter of Star Wars video games, which means there might be a bit of pressure on the studio to deliver.

Spreading out to other developers and publishers could only benefit the brand moving forward, especially with how one could play off of another and go the way of the A Star Wars Story brand, which is now being represented prominently in Outlaws.

Quantic Dream has been working on Star Wars Eclipse, Respawn is developing the third Star Wars Jedi game, and there are probably even more titles that are in various stages of production, which means fans have a lot to look forward to. EA's Star Wars titles haven't all been widely praised, and this new era will be exciting regardless of how Outlaws performs this year.

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Star Wars Outlaws

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7 /10

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Released: August 30, 2024

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Experience the first-ever open world Star Wars game and explore distinct planets across the galaxy, both iconic and new. Risk it all as Kay Vess, an emerging scoundrel seeking freedom and the means to start a new life. Fight, steal, & outwit your way through the galaxy’s crime syndicates as you join the galaxy’s most wanted. If you’re willing to take the risk, the galaxy is full of opportunity.

DISCOVER A GALAXY OF OPPORTUNITY
Explore distinct planets with bustling cities and cantinas before racing across sprawling outdoor landscapes on your speeder. Each planet brings new adventures, unique challenges, and enticing rewards if you’re willing to take the risk.

EXPERIENCE AN ORIGINAL SCOUNDREL STORY
Live the high-stakes lifestyle of an outlaw. With Nix by your side, turn any situation to your advantage: fight with your blaster, overcome enemies with stealth and gadgets, or find the right moments to distract enemies and gain the upper hand.

EMBARK ON HIGH-STAKES MISSIONS
Take on high-risk, high-reward missions from the galaxy’s crime syndicates. Steal valuable goods, infiltrate secret locations, and outwit enemies as one of the galaxy’s most wanted. Every choice you make influences your ever-changing reputation.

JUMP INTO THE PILOT SEAT
Pilot your ship, The Trailblazer, as you engage in thrilling dogfights with The Empire and other foes, finding the right opportunities to chase, evade, and attack to get the upper hand.