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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Star Wars Outlaws takes place between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. You play Kay Vess, a young scoundrel trying to escape a criminal life and build a new one, with her merqaal companion Nix at her side. The Empire still dominates the galaxy, but rival syndicates are exploiting the disorder. This guide explains the setting, characters, factions, canon status, story structure, platforms and additional content without revealing the ending.
When does Star Wars Outlaws take place?
The game is set during the Age of the Rebellion, in the interval between Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. In practical terms, the opening occurs after the Battle of Hoth and after Han Solo has been captured, but before the rescue operation and final confrontation shown in Return of the Jedi.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
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Star Wars Outlaws /PS5 | $19.94 | Buy on Amazon |
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Star Wars Outlaws - Limited Edition (Amazon Exclusive), PlayStation 5 | $31.00 | Buy on Amazon |
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Star Wars Outlaws Limited Edition (Exclusive to Amazon.co.uk) (PS5) | $43.34 | Buy on Amazon |
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That placement matters because the original trilogy’s major events are still unfolding around the characters. The Empire remains the dominant military power, while the Rebellion is fighting a wider war that is usually seen from the perspective of soldiers, senators or Jedi. Outlaws chooses a different angle: the criminal underworld that grows in the gaps between Imperial control, Rebel activity and local power struggles.
Ubisoft describes the game as the first open-world Star Wars game, a product-positioning description rather than an independent industry statistic. Its planets, settlements and travel routes let you move through this period as an ordinary operator trying to survive, rather than as a celebrated hero with a lightsaber.
#1 Best Overall
- 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.
What is the story about?
Kay Vess begins as an emerging scoundrel who wants freedom and a clean start. She and Nix have survived by pulling small cons and taking jobs on the margins of society. A crisis in the underworld turns that precarious life into a much larger problem: Kay becomes a target of Sliro, the leader of the criminal organization Zerek Besh, and must find opportunities that could let her escape.
The setup is intentionally smaller than a galaxy-saving war. Kay is not introduced as a Jedi, a Rebel commander or a member of a famous family. Her concerns are immediate—money, transport, trust, leverage and survival—but those concerns draw her into conflicts involving powerful syndicates and the Empire. The story asks what a person with limited resources can do when every alliance has a price.
Kay’s route is shaped by jobs for competing organizations. Helping one syndicate can improve your standing with that group while damaging your relationship with another. The result is not a simple “good faction versus bad faction” story. Each group has its own interests, and Kay’s reputation determines which doors open, which missions become available and who is willing to deal with her.
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Kay Vess is the player character and the central viewpoint for the entire campaign. She is an inexperienced but capable scoundrel seeking the freedom to start over. Her skills are practical rather than mystical: improvisation, stealth, blaster use, persuasion and the ability to recognize an opportunity before it disappears.
Because Kay is not an established movie character, the game can show a corner of the timeline that the films leave largely unexplored. You learn about the underworld through her contacts and jobs, and your decisions determine which syndicates see her as useful, dangerous or untrustworthy. She remains an authored character with a defined personality, but the order in which you pursue opportunities gives your version of her rise a personal shape.
Rank #2
- Only at Amazon Limited Edition Content - The Rogue Infiltrator Character Pack includes cosmetics for Kay and Nix.
- 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, Kay’s partner
Nix is Kay’s merqaal companion and her closest partner in cons and field work. The StarWars.com Databank describes Kay as having started out pulling small cons with Nix. In play, Nix is more than a pet or cosmetic companion: he can help create distractions, interact with objects and support Kay during jobs.
Their relationship also anchors the story emotionally. Kay’s plan for a new life is not only about escaping a location; it is about protecting the small partnership that has kept both of them alive. Nix gives the campaign a personal counterweight to its faction politics and criminal deals.
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Sliro and Zerek Besh
Sliro is presented as the leader of Zerek Besh, a new criminal organization operating from Canto Bight. His interest in Kay makes the underworld’s ordinary dangers much more personal. Instead of merely accepting jobs from whoever pays, Kay has to stay ahead of an organization with the resources to pursue her across the galaxy.
Zerek Besh is the central new threat in the setup. Its presence links Kay’s local jobs to a larger pursuit, while Sliro’s authority gives the conflict a clear face. The game keeps the precise reasons for Sliro’s interest and the campaign’s later turns spoiler-sensitive, so a pre-start explanation is best limited to the fact that Kay’s survival depends on outmaneuvering him and his organization.
Vail, the bounty hunter
Vail is a skilled bounty hunter hired by Zerek Besh to track Kay. She functions as a recurring pressure on Kay’s plans: even when Kay is negotiating with a syndicate or preparing a heist, Vail’s pursuit can turn a manageable job into a flight or confrontation. Her role is distinct from Sliro’s. Sliro directs the organization, while Vail is the professional sent to find Kay.
Rank #3
- PlayStation 5Specifications
- Multiplayer: Single Player Only
- Format: Physical
- Weight: 1 lbs
- Produced with the highest grade materials
Which syndicates appear in the game?
Outlaws uses several underworld factions to make reputation part of the narrative rather than a separate score. Jobs, alliances and betrayals can alter your standing. A favorable relationship may provide access to a location, mission or reward; a poor relationship can close that route or make movement through a territory more dangerous.
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| Faction | What to know before starting | Spoiler-light role |
|---|---|---|
| Zerek Besh | A new organization led by Sliro from Canto Bight. | The main criminal threat pursuing Kay. |
| Pyke Syndicate | An established underworld power in the Star Wars setting. | One of the rival groups whose jobs can affect Kay’s reputation. |
| Hutt Cartel | Another long-established criminal power. | Offers opportunities and conflicts as Kay works through the underworld. |
| Ashiga Clan | A new syndicate developed with Lucasfilm Games. | Provides a distinct faction relationship and mission route. |
| Crimson Dawn | Included in Ubisoft’s syndicate material. | Its exact importance is best discovered while playing. |
The factions are not simply a sequence of bosses. You can pursue contracts and opportunities in an order that reflects your preferred allies. That structure means two players can reach the same broad story situation with different reputations, unlocked contacts and opinions of Kay. It does not turn every event into a radically different campaign, but it changes how you approach the underworld and which rewards are available along the way.
How does the story play?
An open-world journey across planets
The campaign moves through distinct planets and their settlements rather than keeping Kay in one city. You will visit urban districts, cantinas and outdoor spaces, then travel between them by speeder and other means. Each location supplies its own mix of Imperial presence, criminal contacts, traversal routes and side opportunities.
The open-world format supports the story’s premise. Kay is not following a single official chain of command; she is choosing which lead to pursue, which contact to trust and when to take a risk. Exploration can uncover contracts, equipment opportunities and faction activity that make the main conflict easier to approach, but the game’s central motivation remains Kay’s attempt to secure a future outside the underworld.
“Fight, steal and outwit” as narrative verbs
Ubisoft frames Kay’s toolkit around fighting, stealing and outwitting opponents. A blaster can solve a problem, but stealth, distractions and negotiation may preserve a valuable relationship. Nix’s assistance expands those choices by letting you manipulate situations before a shootout begins.
Rank #4
- PRE-ORDER BONUS* Pre-order to get the Kessel Runner Bonus Pack including a Trailblazer spaceship cosmetic and a speeder cosmetic.
- GOLD EDITION CONTENT* Play up to three days early with the Gold Edition, which includes the base game and the season pass.**
- 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.
Heists and contracts therefore connect mechanics to character. Kay succeeds not because she commands an army, but because she combines limited resources, local knowledge and timing. A mission can begin as a discreet job, turn into an escape and finish with a reputation decision that changes your next set of options.
Reputation changes the route through the underworld
Syndicate reputation is a narrative system with practical consequences. Your standing affects access to jobs, locations and rewards, so helping one organization can open an opportunity while provoking another. When deciding between contracts, consider more than immediate payment:
- Which faction’s territory or contacts will become easier to use?
- Will the job damage a relationship needed for a later opportunity?
- Does the reward improve Kay’s ability to travel, infiltrate or escape?
- Are you comfortable accepting a temporary disadvantage in exchange for a better long-term alliance?
There is no need to treat every decision as a permanent moral verdict. The system is designed around risk management: Kay is trying to remain useful to several dangerous groups while avoiding the attention of the one organization actively hunting her.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.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 period in which the game is set. The safest description is that Outlaws is officially developed as part of the wider galaxy and is canon-compatible with the established timeline.
That wording matters for a choice-driven game. Your individual sequence of contracts, reputation changes and faction decisions may vary, while the setting and authored story remain consistent. It is more precise to call the game an official story set in the established era than to claim that every possible player choice creates one fixed historical account.
Best Value
- PRE-ORDER BONUS* Pre-order to get the Kessel Runner Bonus Pack including a Trailblazer spaceship cosmetic and a speeder cosmetic.
- 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.
Do you need to watch the films first?
You can start Outlaws without playing another game or watching every Star Wars film. The opening establishes Kay, Nix, Sliro and the syndicate conflict on its own. The main prerequisite is understanding the era: the Empire is powerful, the Rebellion is active and the underworld is taking advantage of instability.
Watching The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi first will provide useful context for the timeline and explain why Han Solo’s capture and the Battle of Hoth matter, but the game is designed to follow its own characters. If you want the lightest possible preparation, know only that the story sits between those two films and avoid reading summaries of the game’s ending.
Platforms and release information
Star Wars Outlaws launched on August 30, 2024. The original and currently listed platforms are PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC through Ubisoft Connect. There is no last-generation PlayStation 4 or Xbox One version listed in the supplied official platform information.
| Version or choice | What is established | What to check before buying |
|---|---|---|
| Base game | The main Star Wars Outlaws campaign and its open-world story. | Platform compatibility and whether you want additional story content. |
| Season Pass | Includes the named story packs Wild Card and A Pirate’s Fortune, plus additional bonus content listed by Ubisoft. | Exact inclusions can vary by edition and region. |
| Gold or Ultimate edition | Includes the Season Pass and additional bonuses according to Ubisoft’s product information. | Confirm the current bundle contents for your country and platform. |
| Physical or digital | Both formats may be offered depending on platform and market. | Check local stock, account requirements, language options and any platform-specific conditions. |
What additional content is available?
Ubisoft lists two story packs, Wild Card and A Pirate’s Fortune, as well as bonus content including Jabba’s Gambit, Kessel Runner, Hunter’s Legacy and Cartel Ronin. The exact way these items are packaged depends on the edition and market. If you are buying an older listing or a used physical copy, verify whether a Season Pass code has already been redeemed.
The base campaign is the right choice if your immediate goal is Kay’s main story. The Season Pass is relevant if you already know you want the two named story expansions and the associated bonus missions or cosmetics. Treat a bundle comparison as a purchasing decision, not a story prerequisite: you do not need the extra content to understand the main setup.
Quick Recap
How to begin without spoilers
- Start with the timeline. Remember that the game takes place between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.
- Learn the core relationships. Kay and Nix are partners; Sliro leads Zerek Besh; Vail is pursuing Kay for that organization.
- Expect competing loyalties. Pyke, Hutt and Ashiga interests can reward or punish your choices, while Crimson Dawn is best approached without advance plot assumptions.
- Use reputation deliberately. Before accepting a contract, consider which faction benefits and what access you may gain or lose.
- Keep the ending unsearched. Search only for platform, edition or basic mechanic information until you have finished the campaign.
What should you remember before pressing Start?
- The story is a criminal-underworld adventure, not a Jedi origin story.
- Kay Vess is trying to secure freedom and a new life while Zerek Besh hunts her.
- Nix is an active partner whose abilities support stealth, distractions and field work.
- Faction reputation changes available jobs, locations and rewards.
- The setting is the established original-trilogy era, after Hoth and before the events of Return of the Jedi.
- The campaign can be played as a self-contained introduction to Kay, even if you are new to Star Wars games.
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