Will ‘Star Wars Outlaws’ be on Steam?

Star Wars Outlaws is one of the biggest game releases of the year. However, PC players won’t be able to buy the game on every popular store, such as Steam, Epic, and GoG.

While Star Wars Outlaws is set in one of the most beloved fantasy universes ever, the game promises to offer players a unique experience. Even if the game takes place between Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, in Star Wars Outlaws, you don’t play as a Force-wielder or dive into the conflict between Rebels and the Empire. Instead, the game’s protagonist is the original character Kay Vess, a scoundrel trying to pull off the biggest heist the Outer Rims have ever seen. So, instead of choosing between Light and Darkness, Star Wars Outlaws will give you the freedom you need to explore the gray corners of the Galaxy.

Working for crime syndicates and taking on bounties to buy your freedom sounds exciting. Plus, the gameplay trailer for Star Wars Outlaws already shows the many different ways you’ll have to overcome challenges, from stealth to gun fighting. The game also includes a dynamic reputation system that can turn you into a target for a specific gangster or win their favor. In short, Star Wars Outlaws sounds like the kind of game you can sink hundreds of hours into. Sadly, you won’t be able to buy it on Steam.

Why won’t Star Wars Outlaws be available on Steam?

Star Wars Outlaws is developed by Ubisoft, one of the biggest companies in the industry. Ubisoft is so giant, and its catalog of games is so expansive that its distribution branch has been trying to launch a competitive storefront for many years. Ubisoft’s latest DRM attempt is Ubisoft Connect, the exclusive store where PC players can acquire upcoming games.

The first reason Ubisoft refuses to sell its games on different platforms is that each store, such as Steam, takes a cut of the game price for each sale. So, to increase the profit margin of its products, Ubisoft prefers to sell Star Wars Outlaws directly. Ubisoft has also launched a subscription-based service called Ubisoft+, which gives you access to their complete catalog of games for a monthly fee. The idea is to convince players to provide the company with money every month instead of buying only one or a few products per year. In addition to access to the newest Ubisoft+ releases, the subscription program gives early access to highly anticipated titles. In the case of Star Wars Outlaws, Ubisoft+ subscribers can play the game three days before its official release.

Star Wars Outlaws will be available for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows on August 30, 2024.