Star Wars Outlaws to Feature Tatooine Once Again, Despite Fan Fatigue

Star Wars Outlaws to Feature Tatooine Once Again, Despite Fan Fatigue

It’s looking increasingly likely that Star Wars Outlaws will venture back to the all-too-familiar sands of Tatooine. Despite fans expressing weariness over the planet’s recurring role, its significance to the series’ lore is hard to sidestep, especially for a narrative steeped in the galaxy’s seedy underbelly during this particular era.

The official gameplay walkthrough from Ubisoft, while not explicitly stating Tatooine’s inclusion, strongly hints at it with a closing scene featuring protagonist Kay Vess amidst a desert backdrop that’s quintessentially Tatooine.

The planet’s ubiquity in Star Wars content, appearing in the majority of the original films as a barren wasteland of little consequence, has not precluded its persistent return in the extended universe—much to the chagrin of the fanbase. Tatooine often serves as a touchstone for the franchise’s cinematic heritage, sometimes at the expense of narrative innovation. This has led to some degree of Tatooine fatigue within the community, as the planet shifts from being the dull, remote locale of Luke Skywalker’s youth to a focal point of galactic affairs.

However, Star Wars Outlaws may have a valid narrative reason to revisit the dunes of Tatooine. The game’s focus on the interplay between criminal factions necessitates some interaction with the Hutts, and Tatooine is the well-known stronghold of Jabba the Hutt. For a game centered on outlaws, the planet’s lawlessness and detachment from central authority are fitting.

Set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, Outlaws could potentially involve direct encounters with Jabba’s domain. The teaser’s glimpses of iconic elements like Han Solo in carbonite and a rancor hint at possible overlaps with the film’s events, suggesting we might witness or even engage with the storylines that have made Tatooine so central to the Star Wars saga.