Star Wars Outlaws Faces Further Sales Decline

Summary

• Star Wars Outlaws is being outsold by 2023's Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.
• Ubisoft’s stocks dropped sharply following the launch of Star Wars Outlaws in August 2024.
• Players dislike the game's combat and stealth mechanics.

In disappointing news for fans and investors, Ubisoft's open-world title, Star Wars Outlaws, is reportedly being outsold by 2023's Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. Despite receiving largely positive early reviews upon its launch in August 2024, Star Wars Outlaws has failed to capture the hearts of players, particularly due to dissatisfaction with its combat and stealth mechanics. Ubisoft has acknowledged these issues and attempted to address them through subsequent updates, but these efforts have not been enough to win back initial detractors.

The financial performance of Star Wars Outlaws has been underwhelming, falling short of sales expectations as Ubisoft admitted in September. This disappointing sales performance led to a sharp decline in Ubisoft's stock prices shortly after the game's release on August 27, 2024. The drop in stock value has sparked concerns about the company's future, with discussions emerging about potentially taking Ubisoft private. Despite these challenges, both Ubisoft and the game's developer, Massive Entertainment, remain hopeful that Star Wars Outlaws can recover with the help of planned post-launch downloadable content (DLC).

Adding to the game's woes, a recent report by VGC and former GamesIndustry.biz journalist Christopher Dring revealed that Star Wars Outlaws is not only underperforming but is also being outsold by Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. Respawn Entertainment's action sequel to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order has managed to sell more copies, though specific numbers have not been disclosed. In Europe, Star Wars Outlaws ranked as the 47th best-selling video game of 2024, highlighting its struggle to gain market traction.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is Outselling Star Wars Outlaws

Several factors may explain why Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is outperforming Star Wars Outlaws. As a sequel to the successful Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor enjoyed a strong foundation and received widespread acclaim upon its April 2023 release. The continued support from EA and Respawn, including a PS4 and Xbox One update released last year, has helped sustain interest in Cal Kestis's latest adventure.

In contrast, Star Wars Outlaws has struggled to build a loyal fanbase. Despite ongoing efforts by Massive Entertainment to enhance the game through patches and story expansions, it has not resonated with audiences as hoped. The first DLC, Star Wars Outlaws: Wild Card, released in November, introduced a storyline featuring Kay Vess teaming up with Lando Calrissian. The second DLC, Star Wars Outlaws: A Pirate’s Fortune, is scheduled for release in Spring 2025 and will feature the return of Hondo Ohnaka from Star Wars: The Clone Wars. These expansions aim to rejuvenate interest and improve the game's overall reception.