Ubisoft Has Taken Every Wrong Step Possible With Star Wars Outlaws So Far

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Avinash Jaisrani

At HI Digital I test and write about different hardware configurations to show other PC users what they can expect from their build. My end goal is to educate the masses to make the right decision when they are looking for new PC parts to buy

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I have a rocky relationship with Ubisoft. This publisher has made some of my favorite games of all time, yet its modern releases are not nearly as satisfying. Even with the promise of a classic adventure in Assassin’s Creed Mirage, I found myself increasingly disappointed the more I played it.

This year’s Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown was a nice surprise, but sure enough, Skull and Bones quickly reaffirmed why I remain wary of Ubisoft today. However, like an old addiction, I can’t stop myself from going back every time this publisher announces a new game.

The promise of a vast open world, cutting-edge visuals, and a chance at redemption. Such thoughts rush through my mind every time Ubisoft unveils a new project. It came as no surprise to me, then, that Star Wars Outlaws immediately became one of my most anticipated releases of 2024.

However, several months before launch, the publisher is already pushing me away from this open world in a galaxy far, far away.

Why it matters: This release marks Ubisoft’s first major attempt at Star Wars. What should have been an exciting open-world adventure is slowly turning into a galactic nightmare.

Pay Up Gamers

Ubisoft wants $129.99 for the Ultimate Edition. That’s just shy of 2x the cost of the base game.

This might not be so bad if the content on offer justifies the price. So, what exactly do you get in the Ultimate Edition? A Season Pass promising 2 DLCs, and that’s about it, really.

Everything else can be summed up to pointless cosmetics, three days of Early Access, and a Digital Art Book you can look up on the internet. Therefore, Ubisoft wants about $60 for the two DLCs, being kind enough to include the extra stuff as a bonus for the package.

I don’t think it needs to be said how bad of a deal this is. If you need any confirmation, the $14.99 subscription will get you all of this and more since it includes a number of other games from the studio.

Even though some may write these examples off as typical corporate greed, they have now begun to dominate the conversations around Star Wars Outlaws. For instance, Ubisoft includes one specific Jabba The Hutt mission in the Season Pass.

While other missions related to the character are part of the base game, the publisher had to come out and issue a clarification since this tiny detail got lost in translation.

according to box art, internet is required to install Star Wars Outlaws https://t.co/3motsKn1L0 pic.twitter.com/n1UC0ZTWE3

— Wario64 (@Wario64) April 9, 2024

Physical Games Shackled By Online Requirements

Star Wars Outlaws is not an online-only game. That’s good, right? Well, not exactly.

Ubisoft may have avoided the pitfalls of an online-only game, but Star Wars Outlaws will need an internet connection during its first install. While a minor inconvenience in practice, such restrictions push us further into the digital age.

The publisher has already shown that it can go as far as to revoke licenses on a whim. What’s stopping Ubisoft from going one step further in the future and going all-in on internet connection requirements in the future?

In this case, the studio states a day-one patch is needed to play the game. Once installed, Star Wars Outlaws can be played offline, much like Massive Entertainment’s Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora.

The Kay Vess Controversy

Following an interview with Game Informer, director Julian Gerighty has described Kay Vess as a modern protagonist. While this is not inherently a bad approach, what’s wrong with a classic protagonist?

After all, Star Wars fans still adore the likes of Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. According to the director, Kay Vess won’t be very confident or sarcastic since these traits could make her less relatable.

The protagonist has also come under fire for Ubisoft’s character design. While Kay Vess’ appearance is based on Humberly González, the character looks quite different in the game.

This isn’t a major issue for me, but we already know that Western developers have a certain design philosophy when it comes to female protagonists. Meanwhile, a title like Stellar Blade has come under fire for going the opposite route.

I’m just left to wonder why Ubisoft would hire someone like Humberly González only to go and make significant changes to the character model later on.

At the end of the day, these things are adding up. Slowly but surely, Star Wars Outlaws is gathering negative press with each new piece of information, chipping away at the little trust gamers have in AAA publishers like Ubisoft.

Avinash Jaisrani

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