STAR WARS: OUTLAWS UNDERPERFORMS IN EUROPEAN SALES
Ubisoft’s Star Wars: Outlaws Stumbles in Debut, Raising Questions About the Gaming Giant’s Future
The first open-world Star Wars game has landed with a thud, selling fewer copies in Europe than its predecessor and sending shockwaves through the gaming industry. Despite high expectations and compelling trailers, Star Wars: Outlaws has dramatically underperformed, causing JP Morgan to slash sales projections and triggering urgent damage control from Ubisoft. With the company now exploring strategic options, including potential talks with Tencent, the game’s disappointing reception could mark a critical turning point for one of gaming’s most prominent developers.
The early warning signs are clear: Outlaws has crashed into the 47th position of European game sales, a stunning setback that threatens to derail Ubisoft’s ambitious plans. As the company rushes to release patches and evaluate its next moves, the gaming world watches with bated breath to see how this Star Wars adventure will ultimately unfold.
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Quick Takeaways
- Star Wars: Outlaws struggled to perform well in the market, despite high expectations.
- It sold fewer copies in Europe in 2024 compared to Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, which launched earlier in 2023.
- Ubisoft faces challenges as weak sales impact its stock and lead to lower projections.
Sales Disappointment for Star Wars: Outlaws
Star Wars: Outlaws, Ubisoft's first open-world Star Wars game, failed to live up to market expectations. Reports from VGC revealed that European sales lagged behind those of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, despite Survivor hitting shelves a year earlier. Outlaws ranked 47th among European game sales in 2024—a lackluster result for such a major release.
Mixed Reception Despite Strong Anticipation
The game stirred excitement during development, thanks in part to trailers and Ubisoft’s collaboration with Massive. However, public reception has been mixed. Some praised the ambitious approach, but others pointed out gameplay issues and uneven execution.
Broader Implications for Ubisoft
The poor performance of Outlaws has added pressure on Ubisoft, both financially and strategically. JP Morgan analyst Daniel Curwen downgraded projected sales of the game by 2 million copies. This stock performance setback coincided with increased scrutiny of Ubisoft’s future. Reports suggest the company has begun exploring options for its intellectual properties, with discussions surrounding a possible acquisition by Tencent.
Efforts to Address Game Issues
Ubisoft has responded to fan concerns by releasing updates to improve the game. These patches address gameplay bugs and performance issues, but whether they can turn the tide for Outlaws remains uncertain.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Star Wars Jedi: Survivor?
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is an action-adventure game developed by Respawn Entertainment and published by Electronic Arts. It is a sequel to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and follows the journey of Cal Kestis as he continues his fight against the Empire in the Star Wars universe.
Why did Star Wars Jedi: Survivor reportedly outsell Star Wars Outlaws in Europe in 2024?
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor reportedly outsold Star Wars Outlaws in Europe due to its strong pre-existing fanbase, being a sequel to a highly acclaimed game, and its earlier release date. The established popularity of its gameplay and storyline likely also contributed to its commercial success.
What is Star Wars Outlaws about?
Star Wars Outlaws is an open-world action-adventure game developed by Ubisoft. It centers on a new protagonist, Kay Vess, as she navigates the criminal underworld of the Star Wars galaxy in a story set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.
What are the key differences between Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and Star Wars Outlaws?
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor focuses on lightsaber combat and the Force abilities of its Jedi protagonist, while Star Wars Outlaws emphasizes stealth, exploration, and interactions in the criminal underworld as a non-Jedi character. Their gameplay styles and narratives also diverge significantly.
Which Star Wars game is better: Jedi: Survivor or Outlaws?
The preference between Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and Star Wars Outlaws depends on personal taste. Jedi: Survivor appeals to fans of traditional Jedi action and lore, while Outlaws offers an open-world, non-Jedi experience with a focus on the Star Wars underworld.
When was Star Wars Jedi: Survivor released?
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor was released on April 28, 2023. It became a commercial success shortly after its launch, particularly in regions such as Europe.
Is Star Wars Outlaws connected to Star Wars Jedi: Survivor?
No, Star Wars Outlaws and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor are not directly connected. They are separate games with different developers, stories, and characters, though both take place in the Star Wars universe.
Filipino Translation:
Nakaka-surprise 'yung mixed reception ng Outlaws kasi first-ever open-world Star Wars game siya. Ang taas pa naman ng hype dahil sa trailers at dahil involved si Massive na developer, pero ayun, kalahati ang mga natutuwa at kalahati ang medyo disappointed.
Mukhang malaking challenge 'to hindi lang para sa game pero pati sa Ubisoft mismo. Bumagsak daw ang stock nila dahil sa sales numbers, tapos ni-revise pa ni JP Morgan's Daniel Curwen yung projected sales figures—binawasan nila ng 2 million copies. As a response, naglabas na ang Ubisoft ng updates para ayusin mga glitches at issues sa game. At eto pa, may balita na nagwo-work daw sila with advisors para maghanap ng options sa intellectual property nila. Actually, may rumors pa nga tungkol sa possible acquisition ng Tencent.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Reportedly Outsold Star Wars Outlaws Across Europe In 2024 was first published here.
