Rumor: Ubisoft Cancels Star Wars Outlaws Sequel Amid Disappointing Sales

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In a distant galaxy, the Star Wars gaming universe encounters another hurdle. A fresh whisper circulates that Ubisoft has secretly halted work on a follow-up to the 2024-released open-world action-adventure game, Star Wars Outlaws.

The report, coming from industry insider Tom Henderson, suggests that the project was initially in its initial production phases but was cancelled mainly because the original game didn’t sell well enough. This news has ignited conversations among fans and experts about the future of Star Wars video games and Ubisoft’s approach towards using licensed intellectual properties.

Background on Star Wars Outlaws

Star Wars Outlaws

Star Wars Outlaws, a game developed by Massive Entertainment and published by Ubisoft, made its debut on August 30, 2024, for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. This adventure follows the story of Kay Vess, a self-proclaimed scoundrel, and her partner Nix as they traverse the shady corners of the Star Wars galaxy. Their exploits include executing heists and staying one step ahead of the Empire during the time gap between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.

The game showcases an expansive open world, offers reputation systems with various crime syndicates, and features cameos from legendary characters like Jabba the Hutt and the Millennium Falcon.

The game garnered a variety of opinions, earning an average Metacritic score of 76. User ratings were relatively moderate, hovering around 3.9 out of 5 on platforms such as the Epic Games Store. Sales failed to meet projections; Ubisoft acknowledged in September 2024 that the initial sales were “lower than anticipated.

Simply put: the game was a major flop and an embarrassing disaster for Disney and Ubisoft.

Later on, Yves Guillemot, the CEO of Ubisoft, shifted the responsibility towards Disney and Lucasfilm, suggesting that the failure of the game was due to the “Star Wars” franchise facing turbulent times, referring to larger difficulties associated with the intellectual property.

Following its release, I found myself immersed in a game that Ubisoft continued to refine, enhancing performance, adjusting gameplay mechanics, and improving overall user experience through regular updates. Two impressive downloadable content packs were unveiled: Wild Card and A Pirate’s Fortune. In the latter, I joined forces with the roguish pirate Hondo Ohnaka, delving into ancient tombs and confronting fresh challenges together.

The planned release date for the Nintendo Switch 2 remains set for September 4, 2025, and we’re expecting a fresh trailer to be unveiled, highlighting the upgraded capabilities of this innovative dual-purpose console.

Details of the Rumor

On July 24, 2025, during the Insider Gaming podcast, it was rumored that the sequel to Star Wars Outlaws, titled Star Wars Outlaws 2, was initially being developed but did not advance beyond its early stages and failed to enter full production.

Henderson stated that ideas for a follow-up game were developed immediately following the initial release, but it was put on hold indefinitely due to the original’s disappointing sales and public response. This decision seems to line up with Ubisoft’s current cost-reduction strategies and reassessment of their product line as they face financial difficulties.

There hasn’t been an official word yet from Ubisoft or Lucasfilm on this matter, which means the rumor is still unverified but gaining popularity among many.

Reasons Behind the Alleged Cancellation

It seems that the main reason for the disappointing performance of the game, “Star Wars Outlaws,” is its commercial flop. Despite a significant marketing effort and the lingering appeal of the Star Wars brand, the game was met with criticism for its repetitive missions, technical problems at launch, and what many perceived as a lack of innovation in its open-world design. Ubisoft’s leadership has openly pointed fingers at external factors like fan exhaustion with the franchise (which is understandable), but industry insiders also hint that internal mismanagement and high production costs may have contributed to the game’s demise.

In other words, Ubisoft has its share of the blame too.

This potential cancellation might indicate wider issues for Ubisoft, a company that has experienced job cuts, postponed projects, and decreasing stock value in recent times. Shifting their focus towards live-service games and remakes, they seem to consider developing a new Star Wars game as too risky an endeavor.

Implications for Star Wars Gaming

If it’s confirmed, the scrapping of the “Star Wars Outlaws” sequel creates a gap in Star Wars gaming. With EA’s exclusivity agreement terminated, Ubisoft was poised to delve deeper into the underworld tales of Star Wars. Now, fans are turning their attention towards other projects, such as Respawn’s Jedi series and future titles from Quantic Dream.

For Ubisoft, this might imply a shift towards concentrating on well-known series such as Assassin’s Creed rather than high-risk licenses like Star Wars. However, the Star Wars intellectual property is still grappling with obstacles, as recent films and productions have garnered mixed reviews.

In the midst of the buzz, I can’t confirm the validity of the gossip just yet, but boy, does its swift propagation hint at a delicate state of affairs for high-budget gaming in 2025.

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2025-07-26 18:56