Ubisoft Massive’s creative director, Julian Gerighty states that Star Wars Outlaws will break away from the usual Ubisoft open-world formula. Gerighty says that although Ubisoft Massive is part of Ubisoft, its approach and philosophy are distinct.
His team is dedicated to ensuring that Star Wars Outlaws stands apart from the typical Ubisoft open-world game. Historically, Massive started as an independent studio, later becoming part of Activision before joining Ubisoft, which has allowed it to develop a unique creative DNA.
Star Wars Outlaws Will Not Be Like the Ubisoft Games You Know
The concept of Star Wars Outlaws first came up in E3 2018 in a conversation between Ubisoft Massive’s then-managing director David Polfeldt and Disney. This led to a partnership between Massive and Disney, with Star Wars becoming the chosen project.
In an interview with GamesIndustry, Julian Gerighty talked about the development process that went into making Star Wars Outlaws.
We are hyper conscious of the Ubisoft house style. Massive has always been different. The Division and The Division 2 were different.
Gerighty describes this opportunity as a dream come true as the team has a passion for creating an authentic Star Wars experience that respects the lore and aesthetics of the original trilogy.
Instead of having a skill tree and a upgrade tree like a traditional game, here you seek out experts, to create this padawan/master relationship in the world..
Despite being known for large open-world games like Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry, Ubisoft is pushing boundaries with Star Wars Outlaws. The game’s world feels less like a collection of repetitive tasks and more like a cohesive narrative.
Instead of the usual skill trees, players will seek out characters across the galaxy to gain new abilities, so it becomes a more immersive, character-driven progression system.
The Game Is Deeply Rooted in Star Wars Lore and Style
One of the key design elements for Star Wars Outlaws is its visual style, which aims to evoke the cinematic feel of 1970s Star Wars movies. Ubisoft collaborated with Lucasfilm to create a camera lens that mimics the Panavision lenses used in the original films.
Originally Massive was an independent studio, then an Activision studio….The DNA of Massive is quite unique from Ubisoft. But there are so many great lessons to be learned by the Ubisoft way of making games.
This adds a touch of nostalgia while also using modern technology. This way the game not only feels like part of the Star Wars universe but also pays homage to its cinematic roots.
Star Wars Outlaws has a story set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. The game introduces new characters while incorporating familiar faces like Jabba the Hutt and Lando Calrissian. Gerighty emphasizes that the focus is on telling a new story with familiar touchpoints.
Ubisoft’s reputation for its open-world formula has led to some criticism over the years. Gerighty says that the game is fundamentally a Star Wars experience, not merely a Ubisoft game with a Star Wars skin.
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