A Disappointing Launch
Star Wars Outlaws kicked off with high hopes from Ubisoft, but the outcome has been less than satisfactory. Internal reports reveal that the game sold only one million copies in its debut month, a number that significantly trails expectations. To put this into perspective, titles such as Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Far Cry 5 experienced much higher initial sales. At the same time, competing games like Persona 3 Reload and Yakuza: Like a Dragon – Infinite Wealth surpassed the one million mark within just a week. This weaker than anticipated
start is also cited as the reason for the delay of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, another major Ubisoft title.
Reasons Behind the Commercial Flop
The lackluster reception of Star Wars Outlaws can be attributed to several issues. Initially, the game was plagued with technical glitches, including poorly executed stealth sequences, which received a lot of criticism from players. Ubisoft responded quickly by releasing patches, but these measures were not enough to salvage the game’s reputation. Additionally, the game’s marketing failed to sustain player interest over the long term. The lack of originality in both the storyline and gameplay mechanics, despite being set in the highly marketable Star Wars universe, failed to attract a franchise-faithful audience.
Despite the strength of the Star Wars brand, it wasn’t enough to turn Outlaws into a commercial success. Other games from less prominent franchises, like Stellar Blade, managed to sell as many units in two months, without the backing of a heavyweight license like Star Wars. This highlights the disconnect between Ubisoft’s investment and fan expectations, who were hoping for a more innovative and engaging game.
What’s Next for Ubisoft and Star Wars?
Following this lukewarm launch, Ubisoft needs to learn from this setback to improve its future titles. The decision to delay Assassin’s Creed Shadows suggests that the publisher is keen to avoid repeating the mistakes made with Outlaws. It remains to be seen if this awareness will be enough to regain the trust of the gaming community.