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Star Wars Outlaws takes place between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Han Solo has been captured after the Battle of Hoth, the Empire still dominates much of the galaxy, and criminal syndicates are exploiting the disorder. You play Kay Vess, an emerging scoundrel trying to escape her past and build a new life, with her merqaal companion Nix at her side. The story follows jobs, betrayals and alliances in the underworld rather than Jedi training or Rebel command.
This guide explains the setting, premise, main characters, factions, canon position, platforms and expansions without revealing the ending or late-game twists.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Star Wars Outlaws Gold Edition (Xbox Series X) | $37.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Star Wars Outlaws - Limited Edition (Amazon Exclusive), PlayStation 5 | $31.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Star Wars Outlaws for Xbox Series X | Buy on Amazon | |
| 4 |
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Star Wars Outlaws /PS5 | $19.94 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Star Wars Outlaws for Playstation 5 | $18.99 | Buy on Amazon |
When does Star Wars Outlaws take place?
The game is set during the Age of the Rebellion, specifically in the period between the events of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. In practical terms, the opening context comes after the Battle of Hoth and Han Solo’s capture. The story occurs before the rescue mission and final confrontation shown in Return of the Jedi.
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That placement gives the game a very specific status-quo. The Empire remains the dominant military power, but its control is not absolute. Smugglers, bounty hunters and syndicates can move through the gaps between Imperial authority, local governments and frontier settlements. Kay’s problems grow out of that criminal economy, not from a new Sith threat or a mission to rebuild the Jedi Order.
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- Explore distinct locations with bustling cities and cantinas. Race across sprawling outdoor landscapes on your speeder. Each location brings new adventures, unique challenges, and enticing rewards if you’re willing to take the risk.
- Live the high-stakes lifestyle of an outlaw. Turn any situation to your advantage with Nix by your side: fight with your blaster, overcome enemies with stealth and gadgets, or find the right moments to distract enemies and gain the upper hand.
- Take on high-risk, high-reward missions from the galaxy’s crime syndicates. Steal valuable goods, infiltrate secret locations, and outwit enemies as one of the galaxy’s most wanted. Every choice you make influences your ever-changing reputation.
Why this period matters to the story
The films focus on the Rebel Alliance’s war against the Empire. Outlaws looks sideways at the same historical moment. Its central question is what an ordinary, ambitious criminal can gain by taking risks while larger powers are distracted by the Galactic Civil War.
You will see a galaxy where an Imperial checkpoint, a crowded cantina and a syndicate-controlled district can all be dangerous in different ways. A job that looks like a simple theft may affect who will sell to Kay, which doors open to her and which faction sends people after her. The timeline is therefore more than a date label: it explains why the underworld has room to maneuver and why Kay can become important without replacing the films’ protagonists.
What is the story of Star Wars Outlaws?
Kay Vess starts as a small-time scoundrel who wants freedom and a chance to start over. She has already been pulling minor cons with Nix, her loyal merqaal companion. A survival crisis in the criminal underworld forces Kay to pursue bigger opportunities than the jobs she has previously attempted.
As Kay takes work from rival organizations, she draws the attention of Sliro, leader of the new Zerek Besh organization. Sliro operates from Canto Bight and represents the central criminal threat described in the game’s setup. Vail, a skilled bounty hunter hired to track Kay, adds a personal and persistent danger to her attempt to stay free.
Kay Vess and Nix
Kay is the player character, but she is not introduced as a famous hero with a galaxy-wide mission. She is an emerging scoundrel whose immediate goals are survival, independence and a new life. That scale makes the story easier to approach: you learn the underworld’s rules alongside her instead of entering as an expert.
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- Discover a galaxy of opportunity. Explore distinct locations with bustling cities and cantinas. Race across sprawling outdoor landscapes on your speeder. Each location brings new adventures, unique challenges, and enticing rewards if you’re willing to take the risk.
- Experience an original scoundrel story. Live the high-stakes lifestyle of an outlaw. Turn any situation to your advantage with Nix by your side: fight with your blaster, overcome enemies with stealth and gadgets, or find the right moments to distract enemies and gain the upper hand.
- Embark on high-stakes missions. Take on high-risk, high-reward missions from the galaxy’s crime syndicates. Steal valuable goods, infiltrate secret locations, and outwit enemies as one of the galaxy’s most wanted. Every choice you make influences your ever-changing reputation.
- Jump into the pilot seat. Pilot your ship, the Trailblazer, as you engage in thrilling dogfights with the Empire and other foes. Find the right opportunities to chase, evade, and attack to get the upper hand.
Nix is Kay’s merqaal companion and partner in cons and field work. Their relationship is central to the tone of the adventure. Nix is not simply a cosmetic pet; the pair’s small scams and practical teamwork establish how Kay operates before the larger syndicate conflict begins. The official character description says Kay started out pulling small cons with Nix, which is the clearest spoiler-free explanation of their history.
Sliro, Zerek Besh and Vail
Zerek Besh is the principal new criminal organization driving the main threat. Sliro leads it from Canto Bight, while Vail is contracted to find Kay. Their pursuit gives the story a clear pressure point even when Kay is working for other factions.
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The exact sequence of jobs, reversals and confrontations is best experienced in the game. What is safe to know beforehand is that Kay’s choices about whom to help can create opportunities with one group while making another less willing to cooperate. The underworld is not a single ladder that Kay climbs; it is a network of competing interests that can pull her in several directions.
Key characters and what to know before playing
| Character | Role | Spoiler-light context |
|---|---|---|
| Kay Vess | Player character and emerging scoundrel | Seeks freedom and a new life after beginning with small cons. |
| Nix | Merqaal companion | Kay’s closest partner in cons and field work. |
| Sliro | Leader of Zerek Besh | Central criminal antagonist operating from Canto Bight. |
| Vail | Bounty hunter | Hired by Zerek Besh to track Kay. |
This is enough information to recognize the important names when the game introduces them. It deliberately leaves out later revelations about motives, loyalties and outcomes.
Which syndicates are in Star Wars Outlaws?
Kay’s route through the story is shaped by several criminal factions. Ubisoft describes syndicate jobs and alliances as responsive to player actions: helping one group can open jobs, locations or rewards, while provoking another can make that faction less friendly. The organizations are not interchangeable quest-givers; each represents a different relationship Kay must manage.
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| Faction | What it is | How it matters to Kay |
|---|---|---|
| Zerek Besh | A new criminal organization led by Sliro | Drives the central threat and sends Vail after Kay. |
| Pyke Syndicate | Established Star Wars underworld power | Offers work and can become more or less favorable depending on Kay’s actions. |
| Hutt Cartel | Established underworld power | Competes for influence and provides another route through the criminal economy. |
| Ashiga Clan | New syndicate developed with Lucasfilm Games | Adds a distinct faction whose jobs and relationship can shape Kay’s route. |
| Crimson Dawn | Named in the game’s syndicate material | Its precise story role is best discovered while playing. |
How reputation changes the experience
Reputation is both a progression system and a narrative system. Your standing with a syndicate affects access to jobs, locations and rewards. A favorable relationship may let Kay enter an area or receive an opportunity that would otherwise be unavailable. A poor relationship can close that path or create additional hostility.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsThis does not mean every decision produces a completely separate campaign. It means the same broad underworld story can feel different because the order of opportunities, the people willing to deal with Kay and the risks surrounding a job depend on whom she has helped or betrayed. Treat reputation choices as long-term planning rather than as isolated dialogue selections.
How the story is delivered through gameplay
Outlaws uses a third-person open-world structure across distinct planets. Story missions sit alongside contracts and exploration in cities, cantinas and outdoor areas. Kay can travel by speeder, take jobs for syndicates and use the environment to fight, steal or outwit opponents.
Planets, cities and travel
The open-world format lets the criminal story breathe between major missions. A cantina conversation may lead to a contract, while a journey across an outdoor region can expose Kay to patrols or faction activity. Speeder travel connects these spaces and reinforces the feeling that Kay is moving through a working underworld rather than visiting a sequence of isolated levels.
The game is promoted as the first open-world Star Wars game. That is a description of its format and product positioning, not a claim that every planet is fully explorable or that all locations follow one identical map design. Expect distinct worlds with their own settlements, routes and opportunities.
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- LIMITED EDITION CONTENT* The Rogue Infiltrator Character Pack includes cosmetics for Kay and Nix.
- Explore distinct locations with bustling cities and cantinas. Race across sprawling outdoor landscapes on your speeder. Each location brings new adventures, unique challenges, and enticing rewards if you’re willing to take the risk.
- Live the high-stakes lifestyle of an outlaw. Turn any situation to your advantage with Nix by your side: fight with your blaster, overcome enemies with stealth and gadgets, or find the right moments to distract enemies and gain the upper hand.
- Take on high-risk, high-reward missions from the galaxy’s crime syndicates. Steal valuable goods, infiltrate secret locations, and outwit enemies as one of the galaxy’s most wanted. Every choice you make influences your ever-changing reputation.
Jobs, alliances and risk
Kay’s assignments include criminal work undertaken for competing interests. The official framing is to “fight, steal, and outwit” while building alliances and taking risks. In practice, a job has two layers: the immediate objective and the reputation consequence that may follow it.
- Check which faction is offering the job and which faction may object.
- Consider whether access, rewards or future contracts matter more than a short-term payoff.
- Use the open world to pursue contracts and exploration between major story missions.
- Expect the game to react to your standing rather than presenting every opportunity in the same order.
Is Star Wars Outlaws canon?
Ubisoft says Kay and her story were developed in close collaboration with Lucasfilm Games so they are an authentic part of the wider Star Wars galaxy and respect the source material and the time period in which the game is set. The safest description is that Outlaws is an officially developed, canon-compatible Star Wars story set in the established film-era timeline.
That wording matters because reputation choices can change Kay’s route through the underworld. The setting, characters and principal events are designed to fit the wider galaxy, while the exact sequence of jobs and faction relationships can differ from one player’s campaign to another. It is more precise to call the game part of the official Star Wars galaxy than to claim that every possible player decision produces one identical personal history.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Do you need to watch the films first?
No. You can start without playing another game or watching the original trilogy. The opening premise explains Kay, Nix, Sliro and the syndicates in its own terms.
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- PlayStation 5Specifications
- Multiplayer: Single Player Only
- Format: Physical
- Weight: 1 lbs
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Release date, platforms and editions
Star Wars Outlaws launched on August 30, 2024. The original and current listed platforms are PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC through Ubisoft Connect. There is no version listed for PlayStation 4, Xbox One or Nintendo Switch in the supplied platform information.
| Way to play | What it covers | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Base game | Main Star Wars Outlaws campaign and open-world systems | Choose this if you want the core story without the Season Pass bundle. |
| Season Pass | Two named story packs plus listed bonus content | Exact inclusions can vary by edition and region; check the current product listing. |
| Gold edition | Base game with Season Pass and additional bonuses | Confirm the regional bundle contents before purchase. |
| Ultimate edition | Base game with Season Pass and additional bonuses | Bonus items and availability should be verified for your region. |
| Physical copy | Disc-based console version where stocked | Retail stock, platform and region must be checked at the time of purchase. |
| Digital copy | Downloadable console or PC version | Platform store, account and regional availability apply. |
What additional content is listed?
Ubisoft lists the Wild Card and A Pirate’s Fortune story packs as additional story content. The listed bonus and mission content includes Jabba’s Gambit, Kessel Runner, Hunter’s Legacy and Cartel Ronin. Gold and Ultimate editions include the Season Pass and further bonuses, but the exact contents should be confirmed on the store page for your country because bundles can differ.
If your priority is the campaign’s initial premise, the base game is the relevant purchase. If you already know you want the two named story packs and the bundled missions or cosmetics, compare the current Season Pass, Gold and Ultimate listings instead of assuming an older package description still applies.
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- Choose the platform. Select PS5, Xbox Series X|S or PC through Ubisoft Connect, and check your account and storage requirements in that platform’s current listing.
- Decide how much story content you want. Buy the base game for the main campaign, or compare the Season Pass and editions if you want Wild Card, A Pirate’s Fortune and the listed bonus content.
- Set your spoiler boundary. The premise, factions and timeline are safe preparation. Avoid detailed late-game summaries if you want the story’s reversals to land naturally.
- Plan reputation choices. When a syndicate offers work, note what access or future opportunities may be affected before accepting a job.
- Use the timeline as context, not homework. Knowing the post-Hoth, pre-Return of the Jedi setting is enough to understand why the underworld is the focus.
What this spoiler-light guide deliberately leaves out
The game’s appeal depends on discovering how Kay’s criminal plan develops, how Sliro’s pursuit escalates and what each faction ultimately wants from her. Those details are not necessary to understand the setup, and revealing them would undermine the choices and reversals the game is designed to deliver.
You now have the essential orientation: Kay and Nix begin as small-time partners; Zerek Besh and Sliro create the central danger; Vail hunts Kay; the Pyke Syndicate, Hutt Cartel, Ashiga Clan and other underworld powers compete for influence; and your reputation determines which routes through that conflict become available.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
