Summary
Massive Entertainment’s scoundrel-focusedStar Wars Outlaws' August 30 launch is rapidly approaching, With a new original story focusing on scoundrel Kay Vess as she navigates the Outer Rim’s criminal underworld.Screen Ranthas recently been able to sit down and talk to some of the creative minds behind the title about Kay Vess' story and how it ties into the iconic universe.
Screen Rant’s Rob Keyes visited Ubisoft Toronto and spoke toStar Wars: Outlaws' Narrative Director Navid Khavari about how Ubisoft and Massive Entertainment’s collaboration with Disney and Lucasfilm came about, and what the creative process was like. Khavari revealed that the scoundrel angle was set in stone fairly early on, rather than following another Jedi adventure, but perhaps the most surprising revelation was thatLucasfilm and Disney were the ones who suggested the story took place in the era of the Original trilogy:
Navid Khavari: From the inception, we knew early on that the scoundrel fantasy was the angle that we wanted to take. Then there was sort of this big workshop at Lucasfilm like “this is what we’re thinking” and that kind of thing, and it was them that came up with the era.
Everyone wants to play in that playground, and it blows my mind to this day, because I thought that era was untouchable. It was actually then they saw this, and for very good reasons, it was great because they said there’s this sliver of time between Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi where the empire is distracted by the rebellion, there’s that kind of chaos happening, and the underworld is seeing an opportunity. So if you’re doing a scoundrel game, this is the time to do it. Then it was Julian [Gerighty], our creative director, who was like, “try to run out of there as fast as possible before anyone changes their mind.”
Star Wars Outlaws: Release Date, Preorder Bonuses, Setting, & Characters
Ubisoft announced the release date for its upcoming Star Wars Outlaws game with a new trailer that gave a better look at its setting and characters.
The Criminal Underworld Is Thriving In This Star Wars Era
The Empire Is Distracted By The Growing Rebellion
As Khavari pointed out,the era betweenThe Empire Strikes BackandReturn of the Jediis perfect for scoundrels, as there are plenty of opportunities for jobs across the Outer Rim while the Empire is distracted by the growing rebellion. Therefore,Star Wars Outlawssees Kay Vess forming relationships with some of the largest crime syndicates in the galaxy as she embarks upon her planet-hopping adventure.
These syndicates are all at odds with each other, however, and these alliances form a key part ofStar Wars Outlaws' story and gameplay, asKay uses her reputationto navigate certain perilous situations, choosing to side with some syndicates more than others. Aside from navigating these different factions,Kay also has to avoid becoming too noticed by the Empire, as while it may not have its full attention on the criminal underworld, it will send out Death Troopers if Kay causes too much trouble and raises her Wanted meter too high.
Players won’t have to wait too much longer to see how Kay’s story fits into the widerStar Warsuniverse, asStar Wars Outlawslaunches on August 30 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Ubisoft Connect and Epic Games Store, and pre-orders for the title are available now. Those who pre-ordered the Gold or Ultimate Edition or have a Ubisoft+ Premium account will be able to play it three days early.
Star Wars Outlaws
Set between the events of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, Star Wars Outlaws is an open-world action-adventure game where players hop into the scoundrel boots of Kay Vess, a woman who travels the galaxy Looking for a better life. Together with her furry partner Nix and new allies she meets along the way, Kay will navigate the various landscapes, towns, and planets across the galaxy while outsmarting both Crime Syndicates and the Empire.
