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Star Wars Outlaws fell way, way short of expectations during its launch, confirmed Insider Gaming.
According to the report, the game, set in the Star Wars universe, sold only one million copies during its first month on the market, a relatively slim figure considering the amount of money Ubisoft must have spent making the licensed video game adaptation – Ubisoft CEO Yves Guilletmot’s earlier earnings call revealed Star Wars Outlaws had the “biggest marketing campaign ever so far for a Ubisoft game.”
Initially showing promise as an open-world experience with an original story set in the galaxy far, far away, which doesn’t revolve around the Jedi and the Sith, Star Wars Outlaws quickly found itself saddled with controversy ahead of its release, as discussions about its poorly designed stealth sequences, numerous bugs, glitches, and “uglified” female protagonist overshadowed any of its positive aspects.
Star Wars Outlaws’ disappointing numbers and the underperformance of Xdefiant have forced Ubisoft to admit that it has to change course. The French publisher’s share price has dropped by over 75 percent since 2019.
At the moment, Ubisoft is attempting to weather this financial storm by releasing more content for Star Wars Outlaws to take advantage of the holiday season. It has also confirmed that it will start releasing its games on Steam going forward, allowing them to reach a bigger audience. Finally, Ubisoft has delayed its next AAA project, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, for "further polishing".
It remains to be seen if these pivots are enough to save Ubisoft from a potential firesale. We’ll find out more about the company’s financial health during its next earnings call on October 23.
