Ubisoft says Outlaws failed because Star Wars is less popular. Is it?

In a recent general meeting at Ubisoft, CEO Yves Guillemot was quick to blame Star Wars Outlaws’ failure to meet sales expectations on the brand itself.

According to Guillemot, “the brand that [Outlaws] belonged to was in a bit of choppy waters.” And now it seems as though Outlaws itself has been canceled, if the rumor about a potential sequel for the game being scrapped is to be believed. Gutting for any fans who were looking forward to the next step in Kay Vess’ adventures.

Is Guillemot correct in saying that Star Wars is a spent force? The truth may not be so simple. While Star Wars isn’t at death’s door, it’s clear to anyone looking in that it also isn’t the same juggernaut it was from 2016 to late 2019.

Star Wars Outlaws was released in August 2024, hot on the heels of the June release of The Acolyte, one of the most expensive Star Wars TV shows ever made, and one that was completely mired in controversy from the get-go. From stars calling out Disney for not protecting its non-white cast from the truly eye-watering amount of hate being thrown their way to review-bombing, it felt impossible to wade through the muck to find genuine, good-faith criticism addressing The Acolyte’s failings (of which there were many, as with most Star Wars media, yes, even Andor). Even after the show was canceled before a second season, the conversation surrounding its efforts to tell a unique story, utterly separate from the Skywalker name, continued for months afterwards.

Not long after, Skeleton Crew premiered on Dec. 3. Despite being set up as Star Wars’ answer to The Goonies and Stranger Things, it failed to capture an audience with its two-episode premiere, earning only 384 million minutes of watch time. In comparison to the premieres of The Mandalorian Season 2 and Season 3, which earned watchtimes of 1,032 and 823 million minutes respectively, it isn’t difficult to see why Guillemot pointed the finger at Star Wars being the problem, rather than Outlaws itself.

I’ve seen an immediate rush to defend the pride of this giant franchise. While I can’t understand the urge to white-knight for any corporation — it’s Star Wars, guys, it’ll be okay if it gets some criticism — I can see why the impulse exists in Star Wars’ current climate.

To all intents and purposes, Star Wars is hotter than ever. Andor season 2 remains critically acclaimed, and its viewing numbers during its release were fairly decent, albeit slightly boosted by the simultaneous release of three episodes each week. There’s also the strange case of EA’s Star Wars Battlefront II smashing its previous records for player count, eight years after its initial release. On the surface level, Star Wars is in. Star Wars is hot. I want some Star Wars. Star Wars it’s gonna be.

With all this in mind, it seems evident that, as well as having significant losses, there are also some incredible wins for the franchise right now. So, one question remains: what is doing well for Star Wars, and why?

The Mandalorian, even in its lackluster season 3, soared higher than the other Disney Plus Star Wars properties in terms of viewing numbers. The first season was released around the same time as The Rise of Skywalker, a film just as divisive as its predecessor, The Last Jedi. While general sentiment around the sequels fluctuates, The Mandalorian arrived at a time when fans were eager to move away from the lightsaber fights and big names like Skywalker and Solo. Instead, they wanted the Everyman, the average guy who’s just trying to make a living in the universe. Pedro Pascal’s Mandalorian, real name Din Djarin, was that guy and more.

It helped that The Mandalorian featured a much more grounded setting, at least at first. The majority of the first season is Din in seedy bars or rural villages, speaking to the everyday person and fighting back against the remnants of the Empire or pirates. While war undoubtedly still played a part, as it always does in Star Wars, it wouldn’t be too remiss to say that it was mostly about people, with no real big nefarious villain introduced until the very end.

But as much as an everyman and a familiar setting matter, The Mandalorian’s real superweapon and, in my humble opinion, the reason why it continues to be so well-regarded, is because it’s ultimately a family-friendly show. Din Djarin chooses to throw in his lot with Grogu, a cute, alien creature who is the same species as Yoda, and effectively becomes his parental figure throughout the three seasons. Who doesn’t love a dad-and-his-son story? Throw in the fact Grogu is a cute mascot character — whose popularity may grate now, but most certainly helped with the reception of The Mandalorian — and you’ve got a guaranteed success.

Nostalgia, whether Star Wars fans want to admit it or not, is still fuel for the property. Despite middling reviews, Obi-Wan Kenobi’s premiere was incredibly successful and Ahsoka, which features characters from both The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Rebels TV series, also had a successful run overall. The Disney Plus Obi-Wan Kenobi show came out 17 years after the last time we saw Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen as Obi-Wan and Anakin Skywalker — of course fans were going to flock to it to see what came next. The same can be said for Ahsoka, who was first introduced in 2008 in the animated film, The Clone Wars. It’s hard to deny that these characters — characters that older fans have grown up with and are introducing to their children — are pulling people back in. After all, childhood is comforting; it feels safer, and in corporate speak, is usually the way to go for getting butts in seats, regardless of whether it’s at the movie theater or in the comfort of your own home.

Star Wars is not a monolith, and as times change, the creators behind new iterations of the property will attempt to adapt. The latest move from Disney looks like a shift back to films rather than TV shows. After all, according to Andor showrunner Tony Gilroy, the House of Mouse believes streaming is effectively “dead”. Ahsoka season 2, Star Wars: Visions season 3, and Maul: Shadow Lord are the only upcoming TV shows planned for the brand right now. However, with the numerous planned movies that Star Wars has quietly dropped throughout the years, the lack of confidence in its movie projects doesn’t exactly fill you with hope either.

The next big thing for Star Wars is the 2026 film, The Mandalorian & Grogu, followed by the Ryan Gosling-led Star Wars: Starfighter. Considering that The Mandalorian remains Disney’s most popular Star Wars show, I don’t doubt for a second that a lot is banking on this film being a success — at least at the box office. Whether it will tie up Din and Grogu’s story for good is also a mystery, though considering how successful the duo are, Disney might want to hold onto this cash cow for a bit longer — especially if the movie succeeds in China, where Star Wars has notoriously failed.

But it’s not the only way for Star Wars to function. Andor’s success shows that a nitty-gritty spy drama reminiscent of HBO can bring prestige to the Star Wars name, but let’s face it: there’s still plenty of love (and audience) for the more light-hearted, family-oriented adventures. What succeeds, what fails, much like time itself, is in a constant flux.