Star Wars Outlaws is an upcoming third-person open-world game set in the iconic universe of the movies. Developed by Ubisoft, Star Wars Outlaws has you take on the role of Kay Vess as she operates on the fringes of the law, getting into scrapes and blazing her own trail.
Taking place between Star Wars: Episode 4 – A New Hope and Star Wars: Episode 5 – The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars: Outlaws explores a fraught and action-packed period of the setting’s history when the Rebellion was in full swing. Much like Harrison Ford’s Han Solo, it looks as though Vess will find herself caught between the Rebellion and The Empire as she fights for her own survival and, perhaps, to make a quick buck.
Rather than focusing on high-minded space sorcery like Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Star Wars: Outlaws takes a more gritty, down-to-earth approach, focusing on tense sci-fi gunfights, exploration, and the seedier parts of the Star Wars setting. The first modern Star Wars game of its kind, Star Wars: Outlaws is one of the most anticipated upcoming games out there, and may well earn a place on our best single-player games list.
Star Wars Outlaws: Cut to the chase
- What is it? The first open-world Star Wars game
- When can I play it? 2024
- What can I play it on? Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC
- Who is making it? Massive Entertainment and Ubisoft
Star Wars Outlaws: what platforms will it release on?
Star Wars Outlaws is destined to arrive on Xbox Series X and Series S, PlayStation 5, and PC, so any previous generation console players will need to make the upgrade before jumping into the shoes of an intergalactic outlaw.
Star Wars Outlaws is yet to receive a specific release date, but Ubisoft and Massive have stated that they are targeting a release of “2024”. This is too wide for us to really read anything into. Given the announcement of the game is fairly recent, we wouldn’t be surprised if it fell toward the end of the year.
In addition, Outlaws is destined to arrive on Xbox Series X and Series S, PlayStation 5, and PC, so any previous generation console players will need to make the upgrade before jumping into the shoes of an intergalactic outlaw.
Star Wars Outlaws trailers
The debut trailer for Star Wars: Outlaws was shown as part of the Xbox Games Showcase 2023, providing the first look at what we can expect from the newest installment of Star Wars video game adaptations.
In the two-and-a-half-minute teaser, we are shown what life is like outside of your traditional Star Wars viewpoint, and taken to a bustling, ethically questionable area that we haven’t experienced much before. The full trailer can be seen below:
A second trailer following the debut of Star Wars Outlaws was shown as part of Ubisoft Forward, and captured more in-game content rather than focusing on cinematics. In the ten-minute insight, we get to see gameplay from both on foot and the flight side of things, including combat and an additional spotlight on stealth elements toward the start of the trailer.
More trailers
If you want to stay on top of any new Star Wars Outlaws previews as they drop, it may be worth keeping an eye on the Ubisoft YouTube channel. In addition to future trailers, you’ll also be able to find special behind-the-scenes looks at the game’s development process.
Star Wars Outlaws story and setting
Star Wars Outlaws takes place between the events of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, meaning the Empire will play a pretty significant part in the narrative.
The story itself takes place at a time when the Galactic Empire was hot on the heels of the Rebel Alliance. As the rebellion turns into an all-out war, criminal elements are able to thrive. Though the specifics are as yet unclear, the official walkthrough preview shows off backroom deals involving Imperial officers and crime bosses set between dramatic shootouts and daring chases.
You’ll step into the shoes of Kay Vess, a scoundrel attempting one of the biggest galactic heists the galaxy has ever witnessed. Rather than taking the traditional protagonist of a more goody-two-shoes Jedi character, you’ll take on a more rebellious role. Fighting and stealing your way through missions and environments, you’ll need to outwit the many dubious forces you’ll come up against.
But, Kay isn’t alone in this endeavor, either. The first trailer introduced us to her loyal companion, Nix, a four-legged furry alien of sorts who embodies Star Wars creature design at its finest. You’ll also be adventuring alongside a trench coat-adorned commando droid called ND-5.
Star Wars how will it play?
We received a ten-minute walkthrough at Ubisoft Forward which shed more light on what we can expect from in-game. The trailer begins with what looks like a stealth-based mission, where Kay is seen navigating an opposition-infested location with Nix. We also get to see a number of potential actions you could take to carry out a mission, like using Nix to distract potential threats while you move.
Swiftly following this, we are taken through Kay getting seen which triggers a high-speed chase and some intense combat. As we come into contact with a few members of the opposition, time appears to slow down, allowing Kay and Nix some time to plan their moves. After a quick shootout, we are taken to the smuggler town of Jaunta’s Hope.
But, things don’t exactly slow down here and instead of being rewarded for escaping the threat, we quickly jump back to our feet in another escape after getting threatened by an Imperial ‘friend.’ As the label ‘WANTED’ pops up on our screen, we swiftly take to the skies in a hyperspace retreat and intergalactic dogfight of sorts. Next, we’re treated to cinematic cutscenes and dialogue between ND-5 and Kay, and the occasional chirp from Nix, after which we navigate hyperspace in a desperate escape from the opposition hot on our tail.
The lack of direction during our space-based dogfight emphasizes the open-world nature of the game, and it looks like you have complete control over which direction to head as you try and escape, which is especially encouraged by inquisitive ND-5 asking “Where do we go next?” and Kay following up with “Anywhere we want.”
Frantic gunplay, difficult dialogue options, and the distinctive Star Wars style are commonplace in the preview. Though tightly choreographed, the ten minute trailer shows off a wide spectrum of experiences, giving us a solid expectation as to what we might expect from the game once it launches.
Star Wars Outlaws news
Star Wars Outlaws gets behind the scenes featurette
Massive Entertainment gave us a glimpse into the design process behind Star Wars Outlaws, showing off everything from motion capture techniques to concept art. Featuring observations from director Steve Blank, art and world director Benedikt Podlesnigg, and senior creative executive Matt Martin, the preview has plenty to offer for those looking for an insight into exactly the sort of game Star Wars Outlaws will be.
Star Wars Outlaws promises an experience players and fans haven’t seen before
In an interview with Game Informer, Star Wars Outlaws’ narrative director Navid Khavari stated that the game intends to offer an experience that players and fans alike haven’t seen or experienced before by using an unexplored time period within the series to create an entirely new world for us to explore. Within the same interview, Khavari
Official Gameplay Walkthrough for Star Wars Outlaws shown at Ubisoft Forward
The first look of Star Wars Outlaws’ gameplay following its initial announcement at the Xbox Games Showcase was shown as part of Ubisoft Forward. This ten-minute trailer offered an insight into both space travel and combat alongside what appears to be a mission and cutscene before ending with a collage of a few different environments we can expect to explore and enemies we should prepare to face.
Looking for a narrative-focused title to tide you over until the release of Star Wars Outlaws? Our lists of the best RPGs and best story games have you covered.