Star Wars Outlaws Breaks One Major Ubisoft Tradition

The open-world genre is perhaps one of the most widespread in the industry, as it can slot in any number of places, and it is usually very fun to delve into a fully immersive open world. However, while some games have tried to innovate in the open-world genre like Elden Ring, some have relied on certain formulas. Ubisoft's open-world formula, namely, is one of the most criticized, as it hasn't really changed across the publisher's massive catalog. That appears set to change with Star Wars Outlaws, though.

Ubisoft's open-world formula is often defined by towers that uncover areas of a map, constant checklists of activities to do, loads of map markers, and otherwise packing a map with so much content that it awkwardly feelings restricting. Some earlier Ubisoft games like Far Cry 3 did this well, some went too far, and it's not uncommon to see other games even underbake this exact formula. When Ubisoft confirmed it was working on an open-world Star Wars game, many expected this formula—but it is clearly expanding, innovating, or entirely uprooting this formula.

Star Wars Outlaws is Open-World, But Doesn't Adhere to Ubisoft's Open-World Formula

During Ubisoft Forward, the company showed roughly ten minutes of Star Wars Outlaws gameplay. From the onset, it's clear that the UI is less muddied. It's very direct and simple, not inundating players with a hundred locations to check out immediately. It could very well be that certain elements of the UI are hidden, but even if that's the case, it could suggest players will be able to turn off those elements. As a whole, though, the UI looks much more simplistic, straightforward, and immersive compared to some Ubisoft open-world games. Furthermore, it's clear that Star Wars Outlaws will not be trapped on one planet, which would likely serve as a similar, formulaic map of checklists and activities. Instead, there is a wider list of currently-known mechanics involved in this world: a controllable AI companion in Nix, a Grapple Hook, vehicles, a Red Eye system similar to Red Dead Redemption, a Wanted meter like GTA, and more, all driven at how players interact with the world more fluidly than checklists.

Star Wars Outlaws will feature multiple planets, and while the general design of each planet has yet to be revealed, the sheer variety is likely to be reflected in gameplay too. Fans can and should expect genre staples like collectibles, but a variety in planets means a variety in map design, which in turn means a variety in gameplay design. It seems incredibly unlikely that this is just multiple maps with the same exact formula applied, not based on what was shown anyway. But even more than that, it seems innovative. Star Wars Outlaws has full-blown space combat, not simply transitions between planets, and it seems that the open world is leveraged more so than normal. It is adding these new features, fleshing them out, and building on that design that shows exactly how Massive Entertainment is breaking from the Ubisoft formula.

For example, players are shown escaping a combat sequence but being chased by the mercenaries. Even if scripted, it's a smart use of the open-world design, and the same could be said for when Kay refuses to bribe the Imperial. She has to flee to space, but if players do bribe her, it likely means a different approach to this open-world sequence. Even if it's more choices, choice-based open-world design is not something really seen in Ubisoft games.

Ultimately, it remains to be seen how much Star Wars Outlaws breaks from or innovates upon the open-world Ubisoft formula, but it seems clear this gameplay walkthrough isn't what anyone expected. That bodes well for its release next year, as well as any forthcoming marketing.