Ubisoft’s Star Wars Outlaws was being hailed as the game that fans of the franchises needed and deserved. The story trailer and gameplay walkthrough have given gamers a glimpse at the rarely explored underground elements within the story.
Well, as with almost everything Ubisoft, this title too has landed in some controversy. It seems the company is implementing some unpopular practices it’s learned from Dragon’s Dogma 2. However, it is doing so in the worst way possible, as a titular and much-awaited mission is now locked behind a season pass.
Get Ready to Pay Extra to Access All the Content in Star Wars Outlaws
It’s safe to say microtransactions are not popular among gamers. While common in multiplayer and live-service games, developers are now implementing them in single-player titles as well. While it makes sense for live-service titles, single-player games are usually supposed to be one-and-done when it comes to payments, aside from post-launch DLC.
So, when Ubisoft announced there would be a season pass for Star Wars Outlaws, the community was rightfully surprised and annoyed. First reported by Spanish outlet, Area Jugones, the game’s official website details everything included in the pass. This decision was annoying enough, but Ubisoft has even locked the Jabba’s Gambit mission behind it!
Jabba the Hutt, an iconic Star Wars character, was featured in the story trailer for the game. This led to much excitement among the fandom, as people would be able to see first-hand how the slaver operates. However, for people who are not purchasing the Gold or Ultimate Editions of the game, this mission is going to be off-limits. The season pass is available to purchase by itself, but it’s still not a good look for Ubisoft.
The pass will include another exclusive narrative mission and cosmetic additions for Kay and Nix. The issue is that gamers know the Jabba the Hutt mission could have been part of the base game. The game may have had more buyers if it didn’t have a season pass at all!
Star Wars Outlaws Season Pass Could Result in its Downfall
With the release of the story and gameplay trailer, it appeared to be smooth sailing for the title as it was drawing a lot of love. Fans were optimistic but still cautious, and many must now feel their skepticism was valid. Locking a mission with a fan-favorite character behind a Day 1 season pass is going to leave a bad taste in many people’s mouths.
While the narrative is in good hands, one must wonder who is behind the marketing decisions for the game. Microtransactions and season passes have been controversial in the gaming community for a while now, and one would think a company like Ubisoft would have its finger on the pulse.
The company also has several other live service titles that they could monetize with season passes. So the decision to do it for a single-player game is very strange. Regardless, it seems if Star Wars fans want to interact with the Hutt, they need to pay the toll.
What do you think of Ubisoft’s decision for Star Wars Outlaws? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
