Star Wars Outlaws faced significant challenges upon release, prompting Ubisoft to make substantial adjustments. Unfortunately, the game did not resonate well with the broader gaming community, with players worldwide assigning it generally low scores. As a result, it’s no surprise that it sold just one million copies in its first month on the market, far below Ubisoft’s expectations.
Ubisoft had anticipated more robust sales, and the disappointing performance explains some of the recent remarks from the company about the game’s reception being “softer than expected.” This underperformance has had a ripple effect, contributing partly to the delay of another highly anticipated Ubisoft title, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, which has been pushed back from its original November 2024 release date to February 2024. While the exact sales target for Star Wars Outlaws was never publicly disclosed, sources close to the project have confirmed that the game has just reached the one-million-copy milestone.
To provide context, Star Wars Outlaws’ sales figures pale compared to those of Assassin’s Creed Mirage, which secured five million sales within its first three months on the market, as reported in January 2024. The stark difference between these two titles reflects the varying consumer interest and satisfaction levels.
Star Wars Outlaws initially garnered excitement through its early trailers and demos, which showcased a vast, open-world environment and introduced players to a new character set within an original storyline. The promise of an expansive universe to explore resonated with fans eager for fresh content in the Star Wars universe. However, as the game’s release date approached, that excitement began to wane. Gameplay footage released closer to launch failed to sustain the initial hype, leaving many gamers uncertain whether the final product would meet their expectations.
The decline in enthusiasm was evident across social media platforms and streaming sites. The once-buzzing chatter around Star Wars Outlaws quickly fizzled out as launch day approached. Instead, social media became dominated by clips showcasing the game’s numerous issues, including poorly executed stealth mechanics and frustrating bugs. These technical shortcomings led to widespread disappointment among players. Though Ubisoft promptly released patches to address some of these problems, the initial damage to the game’s reputation had already been done.
In its first thirty days on the market, Star Wars Outlaws has managed to sell just one million copies, and projections suggest that the game is unlikely to see a significant increase in sales moving forward. Despite Ubisoft’s efforts to salvage the title post-launch, the game’s rocky debut has left a lasting impression, and it remains to be seen whether the company can turn things around with future updates or expansions. For now, Star Wars Outlaws stands as a cautionary tale of high expectations unmet and the challenges of delivering a blockbuster title in today’s competitive gaming landscape.