Star Wars Outlaws release date not too far, far away

Ubisoft has revealed a new Star Wars Outlaws story trailer – and with it, confirmation of the game's release date.

Happily, the blockbuster Star Wars adventure will launch sooner than many had expected: on 30th August 2024. Stump up some more credits for the game's Gold or Ultimate Editions, or subscribe to Ubisoft+, and you'll get three days' early access.

Today's trailer shows a cantina-full of Star Wars aliens and settings. Fans will recognize groups such as Crimson Dawn and the Hutt Clan, Twi'leks, Mon Calamari and Quarren, and battles against TIE-Fighters and AT-STs.

“It's a golden age for the underworld. The Empire controls every corner of the galaxy, but they're distracted by a Rebellion that won't remove,” a sauve-looking villain named Sliro states. “It's an opportunity to make millions.”

Step up Kay Vess, Outlaw's protagonist and “the underworld's favorite new scoundrel”, who has crossed paths with Sliro's powerful crime syndicate – the Zerek Besh – who now wants her dead.

We see Vess take a mission from a fellow outlaw (is that Tobert from Only Murders in the Building?) to outmanoeuvre the Zerek Besh. Sees' plan? To steal Sliro of her fortune from ella and use the funds to buy her freedom from ella.

Next follows more of what we've seen previously: Jabba the Hutt and Han Solo frozen in Carbonite, sweeping views of the game's open-world planets, your cute axolotl-like buddy Nix distracting guards and stealing objects.

The trailer concludes with the bad guys suggesting Vess is “mixed up into something bigger”, as we see Vess tangle with pirates, the Empire and Dune-esque sand worms. It's exciting stuff.

Star Wars Outlaws is the next game from The Division and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora studio Massive Entertainment. Disney had recently suggested the game would arrive in late 2024 – so its arrival sooner comes as a nice surprise.

Outlaws' Gold Edition includes its Season Pass, containing two DLCs, an exclusive mission at launch involving Jabba the Hutt, and some cosmetic items. The Ultimate Edition adds to that with further cosmetics and a digital art book.

As spotted online, Star Wars Outlaws requires an internet connection to install the game, even with a physical copy.

The game is one of two major launches from publisher Ubisoft due this year, alongside the long-awaited Assassin's Creed: Codename Red, a samurai entry in the long-running historical stabathon series.