Credit: LucasfilmBrand-new footage for the biggest Star Wars installment was unveiled at last weekend’s San Diego Comic-Con, so prepare to be swept to a galaxy far, far away…
The Force is strong where anticipation for Star Wars Outlaws (2024) is concerned. Forget the Star Wars movies, and forget Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge — soon, fans will be able to visit the faraway galaxy for the first time in Star Wars history.
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Star Wars Outlaws is an open-world game that will immerse fans into the rich universe made famous in the original three Star Wars films, Star Wars films, Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope (1977), Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and Star Wars: Episode VI — Return of the Jedi (1983).
But unlike many other Star Wars installments in recent years, whether books, graphic novels, television shows, films, or other video games, Outlaws will take place during the Original Trilogy timeline, between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. As such, it will feature central characters from those films.
With the Battle of Hoth barely in the rear view, Outlaws will plunge players into the heart of the galactic war between the Empire and the Rebellion. However, you won’t assume control of a Resistance fighter, a Jedi, or anyone involved in the war.
The war means that the galaxy is fertile for criminal activity, and several syndicates are thriving in the chaos. Your character, Kay Vess (Humberly González), a scoundrel, smuggler, bounty hunter, and outlaw, will journey through an increasingly deadly galaxy as she sets about making a new life for herself, with her Axolotl companion Nix at her side, who’s set to replace Grogu from The Mandalorian (2019) temporarily (2019).
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Recently, fans were treated to the first trailer for the game, followed by an in-depth gameplay overview. Now, we have a brand-new behind-the-scenes feature, which Ubisoft unveiled at the Star Wars Outlaws panel at San Diego Comic-Con.
In the video, members of the game’s creative team, along with actress Humberly González, who is seen performing motion capture for her character Kay Vess, speak out on the most ambitious Star Wars project yet. There’s also plenty of new footage from the upcoming game (all of which is said to be a “work in progress”).
The game’s creative director Julian Gerighty describes working on Outlaws as “a dream come true” and reveals that “Lucasfilm Games suggested that the perfect era to set Outlaws would be between [The] Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.”
Director Steve Blank elaborates, saying, “What’s great about that point on the [Star Wars] timeline is that this is the moment where the civil war between the Empire and the rebellion is at its height, and this creates an environment across the galaxy where outlaws can thrive.”
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Speaking about the scope of the game, narrative director Navid Khavari says, “Our goal is that you feel like you’re stepping into Star Wars,” while producer Carmen Askerneese explains that “Massive Entertainment are master storytellers for open-world games” and that Outlaws “is going to be a fresh experience for Star Wars fans everywhere.”
And, just as Steve Blank says they’ve “only scratched the surface of what Star Wars Outlaws has to offer,” we’ve only scratched the surface of what’s revealed in this new behind-the-scenes video. Check it out below:
As you can see, Outlaws looks set to deliver everything Star Wars fans have been clamoring for in an open-world game.
In a recent interview with Edge Magazine (issue #387, via MP1st), Outlaws‘ creative director Julian Gerighty said that each planet in the game is roughly the same size as two or three zones in the open-world game Assassin’s Creed Odyssey (2018). Taking this into account, the game’s size could rival that of Hogwarts Legacy (2023) and the upcoming open-world Avatar game, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora (TBA) combined.
Check out Star Wars Outlaws‘ official gameplay walkthrough below:
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As per Ubisoft, here’s the synopsis for the game:
Experience the first-ever open-world Star Wars game, set between the events of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Explore distinct planets across the galaxy, both iconic and new. Risk it all as Kay Vess, a scoundrel seeking freedom and the means to start a new life, along with her companion Nix. Fight, steal, and outwit your way through the galaxy’s crime syndicates as you join the galaxy’s most wanted.
If you’re willing to take the risk, the galaxy is full of opportunity.
Check out the trailer for Star Wars Outlaws below:
Star Wars Outlaws will release on PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S in 2024.
Do you think Star Wars Outlaws will live up to the hype? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!