Ubisoft’s Star Wars Open-World Game Will Include Major ‘Rise of Skywalker’ Location
Written by Luck Wilson on June 17, 2023
Earlier this week, Ubisoft’s highly anticipated open-world Star Wars adventure was finally shown off at the Xbox Games Showcase, with gameplay following the next day at Ubisoft Forward.
Star Wars: Outlaws is set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi and will focus on the underworld during that time. Fans were introduced to scoundrel Kay Vess and her adorable companion Nik, as well as the internet’s new robot daddy, ND-5, a trenchcoat-wearing BX-commando droid.
The main draw for most, however, is the fact that Outlaws promises to finally satisfy the long-standing desire to explore the Star Wars galaxy in an open-world game.
It’s been a long time coming for many gamers, and it seems that the traversal is strong with this one, with the footage already giving fans a taste of what is to come and documenting some of the locations that will be available to explore.
Somehow Kijimi Returned
Gameplay footage for Ubisoft’s Star Wars: Outlaws revealed one traversable location last seen in 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker.
Kijimi was a Mid-Rim planet known for its frigid mountainous geography, and fans will remember it as having particular importance to Oscar Isaac’s Poe Dameron, who spent time here in his youth when he was a spice runner alongside Zori Bliss.
Of course, it was also the planet where fan-favorite Babu Frik made his iconic debut, and it looks like fans may get to pilgrimage to the beloved Anzellan’s workshop.
Here are 3 other planets that fans will get to explore:
Toshara
Toshara was the star of the show during Outlaws‘ gameplay showcase, and the main location showcased in its trailer. Kay and ND-5 visited the settlement of Jaunta’s Hope, and if the trailer is anything to go by, the planet is likely to be important to Kay’s story. From what can be seen, the Pyke Syndicate also has a presence on this moon.
Tatooine
Being the original icon in Star Wars astrography, Tatooine needs no introduction. It was only seen briefly in Outlaws‘ trailer where Kay fought an AT-ST. Some fans are already rolling their eyes at another project featuring the backwater dustball. However, it makes perfect sense to feature in a game focusing on the underworld, given the Hutt Cartel’s vice-like grip on the planet.
Akiva
Although the planet wasn’t shown off much in Outlaw‘s debut footage, it was recently mentioned in an article on StarWars.com, and fans were treated to a glimpse of the remote world in the extended gameplay footage.
For those who read Chuck Wendig’s Aftermath, Akiva will be a welcome surprise. Known primarily as the place where Rebel hero Wedge Antilles retires with Nora Wexley, it’s a remote planet in the Outer Rim that had ties to the Empire during its reign. Akiva’s inclusion makes perfect sense given the imperial presence in the gameplay trailer.
A Galaxy of Adventure in Star Wars: Outlaws
Whilst it may seem like a short list of locale, Outlaws has huge expectations to meet, and Ubisoft knows it. A first look at the game was only just revealed, and more is sure to be announced in the coming months.
Fans have been clamoring for an open-world Star Wars game for an extremely long time. Outlaws will also mark a first for Disney-era Star Wars as it will be the first Star Wars game to be made outside of EA. Lucasfilm ended its exclusivity deal with Electronic Arts in early 2021.
One key takeaway from the trailer was Kay pointing out that she and ND-5 could go anywhere they wanted. While this was simply just character dialogue, Ubisoft clearly included it for a reason, as a nod to just how expansive this open-world adventure could be.
There are plenty of Outer-Rim planets that have a known crime syndicate, including Han Solo’s homeworld of Corellia, featured in Solo.
The inclusion of Akiva also shows just how interconnected the publishing and gaming sides of Star Wars can be. Crimson Dawn, who also debuted in the Han Solo flick, has been a huge part of the publishing side recently and could well crop up in this immersive underworld adventure.
Of course, time will tell just how many planets will be explorable, and with it being such early days Ubisoft and Star Wars will be reluctant to give too much away. It’s also unknown how truly open these locations will be.
Star Wars: Outlaws is set to launch on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC in 2024.
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