Star Wars Outlaws was only properly unveiled this summer, even if it was confirmed to exist in January 2021. However, we now know that its life began long before that, with developers at San Diego Comic-Con sharing that Ubisoft first pitched this game "just before the pandemic". This means we can assume the idea was greenlit in late 2019, and has already been in the works for some time.
This comes as another Star Wars Outlaws preview event passes without a specific release window. Right now, all Ubisoft has shared is that it's aiming for a 2024 launch, and won't get more specific than that. It doesn't seem that Comic-Con attendees were shown much more than what we got during showcase season either, so we may have to wait some time for a substantial update on the project.
Being in development since late 2019 or early 2020 bodes well for those hoping Outlaws actually does launch in 2024 and isn't pushed back into the following year. Such a long development cycle is also not too surprising, given how much is set to be crammed into the single-player game already.
It's the first ever open-world Star Wars game (no, we can't believe there hasn't been one either), so naturally, there's a lot of room to work with. Although given that it's a Ubisoft game, that can sometimes sound like more of a threat than a feature. Still, the devs have promised that nothing will be procedurally generated, so hopefully, everything that makes it into the world will feel like it's been crafted for a reason, rather than shoved in to populate a dull world.
The Comic-Con panel shed some light on this, explaining that Tatooine will feature Mos Eisley, Jabba's palace, and the moisture farms. Admittedly, I'm not sure there's a whole lot of action to be had on those farms, aside from picking up some blue milk, but the cantina and Hutt cartel sound a bit more exciting. Better yet, you'll be able to choose whether you help or harm local gangs - although if you get on their bad side, they'll send bounty hunters after you. Hopefully, this means the world will feel interactive, not static and lifeless as some Ubisoft open worlds have faced criticism over.
Whenever it launched, Star Wars Outlaws will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC - skipping the Nintendo Switch and last-gen platforms. Although PC players might have to free up some more space, as it's coming exclusively to Ubisoft Connect.