Summary
- Star Wars Outlaws is underperforming compared to 2023's Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.
- Ubisoft's stock price significantly declined following Star Wars Outlaws' August 2024 launch.
- Negative player feedback regarding combat and stealth mechanics contributed to the game's poor reception.
Adding to the challenges faced by Star Wars Outlaws, Ubisoft's open-world title is reportedly being outsold by 2023's Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. Despite initially positive reviews upon its August 2024 release, player dissatisfaction with the combat and stealth mechanics significantly impacted its performance. While Ubisoft addressed these issues through updates, this proved insufficient to reverse the negative trend.
This underwhelming reception translated into disappointing sales, with Ubisoft acknowledging the game fell short of expectations in September. The subsequent sharp drop in Ubisoft's stock price following the August 27, 2024 launch fueled concerns about the publisher's financial stability and sparked discussions about a potential privatization. Despite this, Ubisoft and developer Massive Entertainment remain hopeful that post-launch DLC can revitalize Star Wars Outlaws' performance.
However, a recent report by VGC and journalist Christopher Dring casts further doubt on this optimism. The report indicates that Star Wars Outlaws is not only underperforming but is also being outsold by Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. While precise sales figures remain undisclosed, Respawn Entertainment's single-player sequel clearly outpaced Star Wars Outlaws in overall sales. In Europe, Star Wars Outlaws recently ranked only 47th in 2024's best-selling video games.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor's Superior Performance
Several factors likely contributed to Star Wars Jedi: Survivor's success over Star Wars Outlaws. As a sequel to the already popular Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, it benefited from established brand recognition and positive critical reception upon its April 2023 release. Furthermore, a subsequent PS4 and Xbox One update last year generated renewed interest in Cal Kestis's adventure.
In contrast, Star Wars Outlaws has struggled to gain traction despite ongoing updates and DLC releases from Massive Entertainment. The first expansion, Star Wars Outlaws: Wild Card, launched in November, introducing Kay Vess and Lando Calrissian. A second DLC, Star Wars Outlaws: A Pirate's Fortune, featuring the return of Hondo Ohnaka, is slated for Spring 2025.
