Ubisoft was expecting big things from the launch of Star Wars Outlaws, but despite all the work put into the game, the launch was lackluster.
Nevertheless, Massive Entertainment's team still has a chance to save the game in the next few months. They just released the Wild Card DLC, which features longtime fan favorite Lando Calrissian. So, what should players expect from the expansion?
Wild Card Launches
Fans know that Kay Vess spends a good chunk of the game running for gigs and working for the syndicates. Still, this Wild Card mission is special in that Kay will end up working for an Imperial—more specifically, she is being blackmailed by an Imperial to infiltrate a high-stakes Sabbac game.
As it turns out, Kay is forced into the mission by the Imperials because refusing to do so would expose her to the syndicates and have a bounty on her head. She enters the game, and who else would she run into but infamous gambler Lando Calrissian?
It’s also revealed in the trailer that Lando ends up running away with Kay, but it’s unclear where the story will go from there. Seeing that Lando is a full-fledged general by the time of Return of the Jedi, it’s possible that this story could fill in the gaps when Lando eventually joins the Rebellion and helps with the Battle of Endor.
Star Wars Outlaws Patch 1.4
The Wild Card DLC also features many updates for the game, addressing early complaints from players. The biggest change is the difficulty of the stealth missions; missions will no longer automatically fail if a player fails the stealth element of a quest, and they will now be given the choice of choosing stealth or simply running in guns blazing.
Enhancements have also been made to enemy AI, crouching mechanics, and gun variation to give a more refined experience during gameplay. Even NPC interactions have been given added movement so that each person a player interacts with feels much more real.
This is Where the Fun Begins
It’s no mystery that Star Wars Outlaws didn’t wow gamers when it launched. Though the game did manage to sell a million copies, Ubisoft was expecting way more for their investment in a licensed AAA title based on a well-known IP.
At this point, the pressure is on Massive to get the audience back for Outlaws. Though it’s going to be tough, it’s not entirely impossible. Star Wars Battlefront II also had a disastrous launch, but the devs were able to bring people back with high-quality (and free) DLC. For a non-Star Wars example, CDPR managed to claw back from their dismal launch of Cyberpunk 2077, but they also had the fantastic Cyberpunk: Edgerunners series to give Night City a good PR boost.
Will Outlaws manage to get out of this particular Sarlacc Pit? Time will tell.
Star Wars Outlaws is now available for Xbox X|S, PS5, and PC.