As I soared through the neon-lit streets of a distant Star Wars planet on my speeder bike, blaster at my hip and the Empire's watchful eye always present, I realized something profound: this wasn't the Star Wars experience I had grown accustomed to. In 2025, Ubisoft's Star Wars Outlaws dared to be different, placing me in the worn boots of a scoundrel navigating the galaxy's criminal underworld rather than another force-sensitive hero. While the game may not have shattered sales records like Ubisoft hoped, the foundation it built represents something genuinely special that deserves to live on.
Breaking the Jedi Mold
For decades, Star Wars games have overwhelmingly focused on lightsabers and the Force. Think about it:
-
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor continued Cal Kestis' journey
-
Battlefront emphasized Jedi and Sith heroes
-
Even LEGO games centered around the Skywalker saga
But Outlaws? It gave us something refreshingly different. I wasn't deflecting blaster bolts with a laser sword—I was scrambling to avoid them, making shady deals in cantinas, and building my reputation among the galaxy's most notorious crime syndicates. This shift from cosmic destiny to street-level survival felt like discovering a hidden corner of the universe I never knew existed.
The Open-World Promise
What truly set Star Wars Outlaws apart was its ambitious scope. For the first time in a AAA Star Wars game, I could:
-
Explore multiple planets freely
-
Engage with various criminal factions
-
Make choices that actually impacted my standing
The freedom to chart my own course through the Outer Rim territories felt revolutionary. While the execution may have had its rough edges, the potential was undeniable. I'll never forget the first time I negotiated with the Pyke Syndicate, knowing that one wrong word could mean the difference between a profitable partnership and a firefight.
Why This Concept Must Survive
Ubisoft may be reconsidering its Star Wars future after Outlaws' commercial performance, but abandoning this concept would be a tremendous loss. The galaxy's criminal underworld offers endless storytelling opportunities that mainstream Star Wars often overlooks. Imagine:
| What Worked | What Could Be Improved |
|---|---|
| Unique scoundrel perspective | More impactful player choices |
| Fresh take on Star Wars lore | Deeper faction relationships |
| Grounded, relatable protagonist | Expanded smuggling mechanics |
A Glimmer of Hope
As I reflect on my time with Star Wars Outlaws in 2025, I'm convinced that its greatest achievement was proving that Star Wars stories don't need Jedi to be compelling. The galaxy's ordinary citizens—smugglers, bounty hunters, and freedom fighters—have stories worth telling too.
The criminal underworld perspective that Outlaws pioneered deserves another chance, whether through sequels, spiritual successors, or entirely new interpretations. Here's what could make the concept truly shine:
-
More dynamic faction alliances
-
Deeper smuggling and trading systems
-
Consequences that ripple across the galaxy
While force users will always have their place, the galaxy far, far away feels more alive when we remember that most of its inhabitants will never wield a lightsaber. They're just trying to survive, make some credits, and maybe leave their mark on the stars. That's the story Star Wars Outlaws began to tell, and it's a story worth finishing.