Ubisoft CEO: Star Wars Outlaws Failed Due to Brand's 'Choppy Waters'

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot has attributed Star Wars Outlaws' underwhelming performance to what he described as the "choppy waters" surrounding the broader Star Wars fandom. During a recent Q&A with shareholders, Guillemot pointed to the franchise's current cultural climate rather than the game's internal shortcomings, stating, "Outlaws was released at a time when the brand that it belonged to was in a bit of choppy waters."

While it's true the Star Wars brand has faced recent challenges—including mixed reactions to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and underwhelming viewership for Disney+ series like The Book of Boba Fett and The Acolyte—blaming the game’s reception solely on external brand fatigue has sparked criticism. Many fans and critics feel the explanation overlooks the game’s own issues.

Guillemot made no mention of Outlaws' technical flaws at launch. IGN’s [Star Wars Outlaws review], which awarded the game a "Good" 7/10, noted repetitive combat mechanics and an abundance of bugs upon release. These factors likely played a significant role in shaping player experience and critical response.

The game also faced backlash prior to launch, when Ubisoft was accused of "pushing an agenda," leading to polarized reactions and heated discussions online. This controversy fueled division in the community well before the game hit shelves.

In May, Star Wars Outlaws received its first story expansion, A Pirate’s Fortune, available on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. The DLC teams players with Hondo Ohnaka, the charismatic leader of the Ohnaka Gang. A familiar face to fans of Star Wars: The Clone Wars and the 2017 comic series Star Wars: Darth Maul, Hondo has also appeared as an animatronic figure at the Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge theme park attraction. In this expansion, he joins protagonist Kay Vess in a mission to take down Stinger Tash and her Rokana Raiders, explore a mysterious tomb, and complete high-stakes smuggling jobs for the Miyuki Trade League.

Looking ahead, Star Wars Outlaws is set for a Nintendo Switch 2 release on September 4, bringing the galaxy far, far away to Nintendo’s next-generation platform.