This game could finally give us an unfiltered glimpse into the criminal underworld of the Star Wars universe.
For years, Star Wars has danced around the darker aspects of its universe. Despite the looming presence of crime lords, slavery, and illicit dealings, the franchise has often sanitized its seedy underbelly, perhaps out of a desire to remain kid-friendly. But with Star Wars Outlaws, we may finally see the franchise embrace its grittier side and deliver the unapologetically dark narrative fans have been waiting for.
From the very beginning, Star Wars has struggled with how to portray its criminals. Even George Lucas, the creator of the franchise, softened the edges of one of its most iconic characters, Han Solo. The infamous “Han shot first” controversy highlighted Lucas’s discomfort with letting his charming rogue be a true anti-hero. Over time, the portrayal of criminal elements in Star Wars has only become more sanitized, culminating in Disney’s family-friendly re-imaginings.
Take The Book of Boba Fett, for example. What could have been a deep dive into the machinations of a crime boss instead gave us a watered-down version of the character. The show teased a story about power and crime but ultimately shied away from showing any real darkness. Instead of a ruthless crime lord, we got a Boba Fett who was more concerned with being a benevolent ruler than running a criminal empire.
But Star Wars Outlaws could change that. Set in a time when the criminal underworld is thriving under the shadow of the Empire, the game promises to explore the darker corners of the galaxy. Ubisoft has been clear that this is a game about crime and criminals, with factions like the Hutts and Pykes playing a central role. The protagonist, Kay Vess, is no hero—she’s a criminal with her sights set on a massive heist, navigating a world where morality is murky at best.
The game’s narrative director, Navid Khavari, has hinted that Outlaws will show the underworld in its full, unfiltered glory. “What happens when you have a civil war consuming the galaxy? Well, criminal organizations and syndicates, they find a space to rise up,” Khavari explained. “To enter into the underworld within that window felt like a perfect starting point for someone like Kay and for the player.”
Of course, Kay Vess will likely have moments of heroism—this is still Star Wars, after all. But for the contrast between her criminal activities and her moral choices to be compelling, the game needs to show us just how dark the galaxy can get. If Ubisoft delivers on its promises, Star Wars Outlaws could be the franchise’s first true exploration of its criminal underworld—a game where the dirtbags don’t need to hide their grime. So, for fans who have longed to see the darker side of Star Wars, Outlaws may finally be the game that pulls back the curtain on the galaxy’s underworld. And that could be something truly unprecedented in the Star Wars universe.
