Chris InglisWhen the Xbox Games Showcase opened over the weekend, as soon as I saw the Tie Fighters come onto the screen, my Star Wars heart lit up. It has not been that long since playing Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, but what really gets the immersion going for me is open world games. There hasn’t been a Star Wars game with true single player open world yet, excluding of course the MMORPGs SWG and SWTOR, but that all changes early next year with Star Wars Outlaws. We still have a fair wait ahead of us as Ubisoft and Lucasfilm Games announced the game will be released on Xbox Series X|S consoles, PlayStation 5 and Windows PC through Ubisoft Connect in 2024.
With development led by Massive Entertainment, Star Wars Outlaws will invite players to experience the Star Wars galaxy like never before through an original story set between Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. As the Galactic Empire relentlessly pursues the final defeat of the Rebel Alliance, the criminal underworld thrives. We will play as cunning scoundrel, Kay Vess, brought to life by Humberly González, and her loyal companion Nix, played by Dee Bradley Baker (Star Wars: The Bad Batch), as they attempt one of the greatest heists the Outer Rim has ever seen. Seeking the means to start a new life, players will join Kay and Nix as they fight, steal, and outwit their way through the galaxy’s crime syndicates and join the galaxy’s most wanted.
Then just last night at Ubisoft Forward, Ubisoft, in collaboration with Lucasfilm Games, shared a first look at gameplay for Star Wars Outlaw and man does it look exciting. Kay and Nix travel across the galaxy to distinct locations, both iconic and new, from the humid jungles of Akiva to the windswept savannah of Toshara. Kay will explore bustling cities and cantinas, race across sprawling outdoor landscapes on her speeder, and pilot her ship the Trailblazer through the wilds of space. When things go awry, the Trailblazer will also help them chase, evade and attack to gain the upper hand in thrilling dogfights with The Empire and other foes.
Players will use stealth and gadgets to retrieve valuables while undetected, distract enemies with a well-timed stunt, or engage in blaster combat in complicated situations throughout their journey. It was cool to see Kay giving Nix some movement commands, or to pull a level which set off a crate down a line that they could use to hide from line-of-sight. Kay and Nix will join forces with a cast of outlaws along the way, including battle-hardened droid ND-5, played by Jay Rincon. While stealing valuable goods, infiltrating secret locations, and outwitting enemies, they will need to carefully consider their choices, as each move will influence Kay’s ever-changing reputation.
“When we first imagined the first open-world Star Wars game, we explored where and when it could take place, and quickly realized that we had all the right ingredients for the journey of a scoundrel. These outlaws live life under the thumb of the Galactic Empire, but can still thrive given the opportunities that the criminal underworld opens up for people looking to take advantage of the turmoil,” said Julian Gerighty, Creative Director at Massive Entertainment. “The time is ripe for a new outlaw to make their name, and Kay Vess is written in the stars.”
“With Star Wars Outlaws, we’re excited to deliver the first truly open world Star Wars game, with an action-adventure story filled with characters and planets both new and well-known to the Star Wars galaxy,” said Douglas Reilly, vice president, Lucasfilm Games. “We have been working closely with the talented team at Massive Entertainment, and with their years of experience in creating richly-detailed worlds, we’re excited for fans to be able to jump into the Star Wars scoundrel fantasy like never before.”
The game will be released on Xbox Series X|S consoles, PlayStation 5 and Windows PC through Ubisoft Connect in 2024. For more information about Star Wars Outlaws, please visit: starwarsoutlaws.com.
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