Star Wars Outlaws™ is coming to Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via Ubisoft Connect on August 30 and is available for preorder now at the Ubisoft Store. Gold Edition or Ultimate Edition owners and Ubisoft+ Premium subscribers will get early access on August 27. In a new story trailer, more details were revealed about cunning scoundrel Kay Vess and her loyal companion Nix’s search for an opportunity of a lifetime.
The new trailer also revealed new characters and criminal syndicates. Kay and Nix will need to travel to the far reaches of the galactic underworld, building their reputation with legendary criminal organizations: the Pyke Syndicate, the Hutt Cartel, the Ashiga Clan, and Crimson Dawn. Ubisoft News spoke with Narrative Director Navid Khavari to learn more about these crime syndicates, the game’s antagonist, Sliro, and what it was like creating new syndicates in the Star Wars galaxy.
In the story trailer, we meet Sliro. What can you tell us about Sliro and his connection to Kay Vess?
Navid Khavari: Sliro is one of the galaxy’s elite, living in Canto Bight and leading his own burgeoning and highly lethal criminal syndicate, Zerek Besh. After a failed job, Sliro doesn’t take kindly to Kay, placing a bounty on her head and sending one of the galaxy’s best bounty hunters, Vail, to hunt her down. In search of her freedom from the bounty that follows her, Kay will set out across the Outer Rim, seeking out and convincing skilled and capable outlaws to help her pull off one of the greatest heists the galaxy has ever seen.
In the opening scene of the trailer, Sliro has assembled members of multiple syndicates. Why is Sliro meeting with these syndicates?
NK: Sliro organized this gathering of syndicates as a demonstration of that power and to show that his organization, Zerek Besh, should not be crossed. That’s all we can say for now, but we hope players look forward to learning more when they experience this moment for themselves.
Which syndicates will be featured in Star Wars Outlaws, and what can you tell us about each one?
NK: In the golden age of criminal syndicates, the syndicates in Star Wars Outlaws are spread across the Outer Rim and their impact can be felt everywhere. We have previously shared that The Pyke Syndicate, The Hutt Cartel, and the Ashiga Clan – which is a new syndicate created in close collaboration between Massive Entertainment and Lucasfilm Games – are in the game. Today, we got to reveal that the elegant and sophisticated, yet highly dangerous syndicate, Crimson Dawn, will also be a key player in the underworld of Star Wars Outlaws.
Across the Outer Rim, Kay will build her reputation and form tense and ever-changing alliances with each of these syndicates, which will offer varying gameplay and narrative opportunities depending on your actions, whether providing you access to some of the most lucrative jobs in the galaxy or hunting you down if you’ve double-crossed them. From the old and wealthy Pyke syndicate that made their money from spice mining, the legendary Hutt Cartel with its history of smuggling, Crimson Dawn with spies that lurk in the shadows, and the Ashiga Clan which are driven by the needs of their hive and deal in smuggling, extortion, and sabotage among other things – Kay will learn to navigate these syndicates, their leaders and perhaps even earn herself some support… or at least some credits.
While playing as Kay, in what ways can players interact with these syndicates in the game?
NK: Our game takes place in a golden age for the underworld – these syndicates have real power in the underworld in each of the locations Kay and Nix will visit on their journey. Their impact and influence will be felt wherever you go, from the vendors you interact with, the jobs you take on, the support you receive, and even the access you have to certain territories. As you travel the galaxy, you’ll encounter a range of syndicates and you’ll take on jobs for them which can impact your reputation both positively and negatively, which will definitely help you out in some situations you can’t talk yourself out of.
Kay comes face to face with Jabba the Hutt in the trailer. Can Kay take on jobs for Jabba?
NK: The legendary Hutt Cartel represent one of the criminal syndicates that Kay will encounter during her journey across the Outer Rim. Kay and Nix will come face to face with their leader Jabba in his iconic throne room on Tatooine but the Hutt presence will be felt across other locations and planets too, where you will meet some new faces of the Hutt Cartel, so you’ll need to be careful as your reputation will follow you.
Zerek Besh and the Ashiga Clan are new syndicates. What was it like being able to create new syndicates in the Star Wars galaxy?
NK: It was an honor to collaborate with Lucasfilm Games on bringing new syndicates to life and to be able to add something to this legendary galaxy. Ever since I was a kid, Star Wars was an escape for me and my family and I’ve gone from playing with the Star Wars toys and making up little stories with my brother to now contributing alongside an amazing team and giving back to the franchise that I’ve loved for so long.
Developing Zerek Besh was a really cool experience as they are key to the story – being a game centered on the underworld, our antagonist Sliro needed a syndicate that would follow his every word. Zerek Besh was born out of that idea and we feel we’ve been able to craft something truly unique. They’re a syndicate that is rich and lethal but also quite mysterious – I’m excited for players to learn more about them throughout their journey.
For the Ashiga Clan, this is a syndicate that Kay will encounter and build her reputation with throughout the Outer Rim but primarily in Kijimi, where they have dominated for generations. It was an amazing opportunity to take a species Star Wars fans might be familiar with, like the Melitto and be able to build out this new, very monarchist syndicate based around a hive that leans into their insect roots while introducing new elements and telling a new story with them. Kay will also meet the Queen Ashiga, who can be seen in the trailer.
Sliro hires the bounty hunter, Vail, to go after Kay. Tell us more her.
NK: Sliro hires Vail as she is one of the best bounty hunters in the Outer Rim, raised in the underworld – Vail has had a toe in every syndicate and has learned from each of them. Because of her experience, Vail is a formidable adversary for Kay, she can fight, pilot, hunt, smuggle – anything she needs to in order to pull off a job and claim her bounty.
Kay is informed that in order to buy her freedom, her best and last option is to rob Sliro’s fortune. Why does Kay need a crew to help her, and what can you tell us about the crew?
NK: As a member of the galaxy’s elite, Sliro’s mansion is heavily fortified by multiple levels of security and his own personal syndicate, Zerek Besh. Attempting to rob his mansion alone would be impossible – even if Kay and Nix got in, they wouldn’t be getting out. In order to pull off the job, Kay and Nix will need to travel across the Outer Rim to find skilled outlaws and convince them to join her in pulling off the greatest heist the galaxy has ever seen. There’s a lot of fun and exciting characters that you’ll meet on your journey, some of whom you will have seen in the trailer.
In the trailer, Kay says she’s going to risk it all in order to live free. What does freedom mean to Kay? What does a life of freedom look like for her?
NK: Kay grew up alone, fighting for scraps in the Workers District of Canto Bight, relying on her skills as a thief and Nix to pull off small cons to get by. Kay has always felt that the galaxy is rigged against people like her, and has always dreamt of a life beyond Canto, where she does not answer to anyone. This job is her opportunity to make that dream of hers a reality and to finally be truly free.
Star Wars Outlaws is launching on Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC via Ubisoft Connect on August 30, and can be played up to three days early with a Ubisoft+ Premium subscription or by preordering the Gold Edition or Ultimate Edition. You can preorder Star Wars Outlaws now at the Ubisoft Store and receive the Kessel Runner Bonus Pack that includes cosmetics for Kay’s speeder and her ship, the Trailblazer, plus access to an exclusive mission with Jabba the Hutt called ‘Jabba’s Gambit’. For more on Star Wars Outlaws, visit starwarsoutlaws.com.
