Summary
- Star Wars Outlaws is underperforming compared to 2023's Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.
- Ubisoft's stock price significantly decreased 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 launch, 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 sales performance led to Ubisoft acknowledging the game fell short of sales expectations in September. The subsequent sharp drop in Ubisoft's stock price following the August 27, 2024 launch further fueled concerns about the publisher's financial health and sparked discussions about a potential privatization. However, Ubisoft and developer Massive Entertainment remain optimistic about the game's future, citing planned post-launch DLC as a potential catalyst for a turnaround.
Recent reports from VGC and industry journalist Christopher Dring indicate that Star Wars Outlaws' underperformance extends beyond overall sales, with Star Wars Jedi: Survivor outselling it. While precise sales figures remain undisclosed, this comparison highlights the significant disparity in their market success. In Europe, Star Wars Outlaws ranked only 47th in best-selling games of 2024.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor's Superior Performance
Several factors likely contribute 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 an established fanbase and received overwhelmingly positive reviews upon its April 2023 release. Furthermore, a PS4 and Xbox One update released last year by EA and Respawn rekindled interest in Cal Kestis's adventure.
Conversely, Star Wars Outlaws has struggled to gain traction, despite ongoing updates and story DLC from Massive Entertainment. The November release of the first expansion, Star Wars Outlaws: Wild Card, featuring Kay Vess and Lando Calrissian, failed to significantly boost sales. A second DLC, Star Wars Outlaws: A Pirate's Fortune, slated for Spring 2025, will feature the return of Hondo Ohnaka, but its impact remains to be seen.
