Star Wars Outlaws Designers Explain How the Game was Influenced by the Original Trilogy

Star Wars Outlaws Designers Explain How the Game was Influenced by the Original Trilogy

As a huge Star Wars fan, I’m beyond excited for Ubisoft’s new game, “Star Wars Outlaws.” The fact that it takes place during the original trilogy and draws inspiration from those iconic movies is a dream come true. The developers have perfectly captured the essence of the era by combining the setting, dialogue, and even the combat system with the gritty, improvisational feel of a scoundrel in the Star Wars universe.


The Ubisoft game “Star Wars Outlaws” is set during the original trilogy, positioned between “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi.” Consequently, it draws motivation not only from the backdrop and dialogue referencing galaxy events but also incorporates this influence into its combat mechanics. The fusion of the atmospheres from the first three movies and the resourcefulness of our new rogue protagonist, Kay Vess, effectively establishes her as a Star Wars scoundrel, according to the game developers.

During a recent interaction with ComicBook, the Star Wars Outlaws developers shared insights about their game. As we delved into the gameplay, topics related to inspirations and source material emerged. Fredrick Thylander, the lead gameplay designer, described the combat system as “focused on exertion rather than finesse.” In this system, Kay Vess relies on her blaster for primary attacks while being attentive to temporary weapon acquisitions and other resources.

When speaking about a scoundrel-like combat system, Thylander explained, “You’ll need to refer back to the originals in the trilogy for inspiration. Strive for grit and unexpected moves rather than polished techniques.”

In “Star Wars Outlaws,” Kay Vess doesn’t just use the phrase “shooting from the hip” figuratively as Thylander explained. You can actually observe this action in the game. When you need to draw your weapon quickly to deal with a threat, Kay Vess demonstrates her lightning-fast reflexes by firing before the gun is fully out and aligned.

“During that time period, we carefully designed it so if you draw your blaster without first raising it to aim, you’ll shoot from the hip instead. It’s these authentic touches that bring her character to life. She isn’t a professional soldier, but rather improvising and seizing opportunities as they arise. This was our intention behind creating this unconventional combat style and the way we portrayed it through animation.”

We also had conversations with the makers of Star Wars Outlaws regarding potential cameo characters. Given the game’s focus on the shady side of the Star Wars universe, it’s not hard to guess which characters could possibly show up.

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2024-07-20 01:40