Ubisoft says Star Wars Outlaws is the primary open-world online game based mostly on the favored sci-fi franchise. But it surely additionally provides one other first: In a brand new trailer for Outlaws that debuted at Ubisoft Ahead 2024, we see our first canonical instance of an in-universe online game in Star Wars.
Star Wars Outlaws was first proven by Ubisoft in 2023. The open-world motion sport stars scoundrel Kay Vess and her horny robotic buddy ND-5 as they attempt to put collectively a crew for a big heist whereas additionally dodging the Empire and dealing with felony syndicates to make some credit. The sport is ready between The Empire Strikes Again and Return of the Jedi, throughout a time when the Galactic Empire is at its strongest and most unfold out. However who cares about all that? What I wish to talk about is the large reveal that arcade video games exist within the Star Wars universe.
The historical past of video video games in Star Wars
It’s bizarre to consider, however though there have been a whole bunch of Star Wars video games launched over the previous couple of a long time, we’ve by no means seen a canonical depiction of a online game within the universe itself.
The Wookieepedia entry for “in-universe video video games” is extremely brief and small. In a franchise the place “Geese” have a number of paragraphs and photos of their wiki entry, it stands out that video games are so underrepresented within the universe.
Technically, video video games had been talked about as soon as in Legends (the previous canon from earlier than Disney purchased the franchise), within the 1993 Select Your Personal Journey novel “Jedi Daybreak.” They later confirmed up in two non-canon books for teenagers. And…that’s it. I suppose you might say Dejarik, aka the holo-chess sport seen within the Milennium Falcon is kind of a online game, however I think about that extra an digital tabletop factor. I don’t care when you use an iPad while you play Dungeons & Dragons, it’s not a online game.
In order that implies that the arcade machine we noticed within the Star Wars Outlaws gameplay video on June 10 is the primary canonical depiction of a online game on display within the franchise’s practically 50-year historical past. That’s fairly wizard!
In a special video, Ubisoft says the arcade machine we see in Outlaws is Raven 6 and the devs described it as “an area shooter” that Kay Vess has performed “for years.” Much more thrilling, Ubisoft says you’ll be capable to discover different arcade video games across the galaxy and they’re all playable, too.
And…wait. Oh, no. Now I’m realizing that if video video games exist in Star Wars, that in all probability means annoying chuds who take them too critically in all probability exist as effectively. Oh no. Star Warfares incorporates avid gamers. Fuck. Shit. Welp, we had an excellent run, everybody.
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