'Star Wars Outlaws' Publisher Ubisoft Blames Poor Sales on Star Wars Franchise Decline
Ubisoft shifts blame to the Star Wars franchise for Star Wars Outlaws’ disappointing sales. Has the Force lost its pull?
The TL;DR...
Ubisoft attributes Star Wars Outlaws’ poor sales to a declining Star Wars franchise, falling short of the 5.5 million unit target.
Released on August 27, 2024, the game triggered a financial overhaul, with net bookings slashed to €1.95 billion.
A broader franchise slump since 2020, marked by mixed media reception, fuels Ubisoft’s argument.
Performance bugs and a day-one patch, contrasted by Battlefront II’s revival, hint at quality issues.
It’s a galactic misfire—can the saga reclaim its glory?
Ubisoft Declares Star Wars Outlaws Sales Fell Short of Expectations
Ubisoft recently pointed to a fading Star Wars franchise as the culprit behind Star Wars Outlaws’ underwhelming performance. The open-world title, launched on August 27, 2024, aimed for 5.5 million units sold by March 2025 but missed the mark, according to IGN. This shortfall forced Ubisoft to revise its fiscal projections, cutting net bookings from €500 million to €1.95 billion for the second quarter.
The game, developed by Massive Entertainment, promised a sprawling adventure across the Outer Rim, but early sales data suggests players didn’t bite, marking a rare stumble for a high-profile Star Wars release.
Why Does Ubisoft Point to a Star Wars Franchise Decline?
The publisher’s stance hinges on a perceived erosion of the Star Wars brand. Yves Guillemot, CEO of Ubisoft, addressed shareholders with a blunt assessment: “the brand that it belonged to was in a bit of choppy waters” as reported by Insider Gaming.
For Star Wars Outlaws, we didn’t reach our sales targets. The game suffered from a number of items. First, it suffered from the fact that it was released at a time when the brand, the brand that it belonged to was in a bit of choppy waters. And the game had a few items that still needed to be polished, and they were polished and debugged in the early weeks, but it did affect sales volumes.
We did heavily improve the game by troubleshooting and debugging, and when it will be released on upcoming consoles, such as the Switch 2, it will be the new version of the game.
This aligns with industry trends, where GamesIndustry.biz highlights a dip in media interest since 2020. Films like The Rise of Skywalker (2019) drew mixed reviews, and the cancellation of Disney+ series such as Rangers of the New Republic signaled a creative stall. Ubisoft argues this fatigue, not just game-specific issues, dragged Outlaws down.
How Have Poor Sales Impacted Ubisoft’s Financial Standing?
The financial fallout has been stark for Ubisoft. The company’s share price plummeted over 50% in the past year, nearing a decade-low, per GamesIndustry.biz, as investors reacted to the Outlaws disappointment. The revised net bookings forecast reflects a $300 million shortfall, prompting layoffs and project reviews across the firm. Analysts from Reuters suggest this could signal a broader retreat from risky licensed titles, with Ubisoft now prioritizing established franchises like Assassin’s Creed. The ripple effect underscores how a single underperforming game can shake a gaming giant.
How Did Performance Issues and a Day-One Patch Undermine Outlaws?
Quality concerns plagued Star Wars Outlaws from the start. The game launched with notable performance issues—bugs causing crashes, VRAM leaks straining systems, and frame rate drops marring gameplay, as detailed by IGN. A day-one patch attempted to address these, but the damage was done, with early reviews docking points for technical instability.
This contrasts sharply with Star Wars Battlefront II, which has seen a surprising resurgence, boasting over 20,000 daily players in 2025, per SteamDB, thanks to community-driven events like May 24’s “Resurgence Day,” reported by Windows Central.
Maybe Outlaws just sucked? The comparison fuels speculation about Ubisoft’s execution.
What Does Battlefront II’s Resurgence Reveal About the Market?
Star Wars Battlefront II’s comeback offers a counterpoint to Ubisoft’s narrative. Initially criticized for microtransactions in 2017, the game transformed with post-launch updates, drawing a loyal player base. SteamDB data shows a steady climb, with peak concurrent players hitting 25,000 in July 2025, driven by nostalgia and free content drops. Windows Central notes the community’s “Resurgence Day” event revitalized interest, suggesting that strong support and quality improvements can defy franchise fatigue. This raises questions about whether Outlaws’ issues stemmed more from its own flaws than a broader Star Wars decline, adding complexity to Ubisoft’s defense.
Can Star Wars Outlaws and the Franchise Bounce Back from This Setback?
Star Wars Outlaws’ rocky debut, coupled with Ubisoft’s franchise blame, casts a shadow over the saga’s gaming future. The game’s narrative—featuring smuggler Kay Vess navigating a pre-Empire galaxy—had potential, but performance hiccups and a $70 price tag may have turned off buyers, per IGN user reviews.
Meanwhile, the franchise’s cinematic and TV ventures, like The Acolyte’s mixed reception on Disney+, hint at ongoing struggles. Yet, Battlefront II’s success and upcoming projects like Jedi 3 from Respawn offer hope. As Ubisoft plans post-launch support for Outlaws, the industry wonders: can Star Wars reignite its gaming empire, or is this a permanent hyperspace detour? The jury’s still out.
News compiled and edited by Ivy Adams for Pirates & Princesses.
Sources:
IGN: Reports on Star Wars Outlaws sales, financial revisions, performance issues, and user reviews (2024-2025 data)
GamesIndustry.biz: Analysis of Ubisoft’s financial impact and franchise decline (2024 data)
Insider Gaming: Quote from Yves Guillemot on franchise impact (2025 data)
SteamDB: Star Wars Battlefront II player data (2025 data)
Windows Central: Context on “Resurgence Day” for Battlefront II (2025 data)
Reuters: Ubisoft financial and layoffs analysis (2025 data)
Variety: Overview of Star Wars media trends (2024 data)
X trends on Star Wars Outlaws and Battlefront II performance (general data)