Outlaws,
For this Dev Update, we’d like to chat about an aspect of the game that the team loved making and we see that you’ve loved experiencing during your journey across the galaxy, the mini-games.
Being an outlaw can be tough – from managing your reputation with menacing syndicates to tense blaster fights and not knowing who is friend or foe – Kay and Nix needed to have ways they can unwind. Whether you’re swindling some unsuspecting civilians out of a few credits in a game of Kessel Sabacc, testing the local cuisine with Nix or giving Raven 6 just one more attempt for the high score, there’s always ways to blow off steam and get in some quality time with Nix.
Here to dive deeper on this is Thibaut Machin, Game Director in our Paris Studio who led the efforts on the mini-games of Star Wars Outlaws!
Outlaws had many cities planned, and our goal was to make them as alive and immersive as possible to stay true to the Star Wars experience. Creating mini-games to achieve this made perfect sense, and that’s where our team focused their efforts, aiming to provide a refreshing experience through different game mechanics. With that in mind, this is how our journey to create Kessel Sabacc, Galactic Street Food, Canto Fathier Racing and arcade games began.
I'll share a few insights on how we developed them and highlight some of the key moments along the way!
SABACC
Sabacc was the very first idea that came to our mind when we began brainstorming mini-games for Outlaws. Its deep roots in Star Wars lore, first referenced in the original trilogy as the game through which Han Solo won the Millennium Falcon from Lando, made it a must-have. From the outset, we knew bringing this iconic, highly cinematic card game created for film into a video game would be complex, but it was a challenge we were eager to tackle.
We began by simplifying the rules, drawing inspiration and patterns from a mix of blackjack (binary choices of drawing or standing), rummy (drawing from face-up and face-down decks), and Uno™ (wildcard mechanics). Once we had a foundation, we tested the rules with a paper prototype until we felt confident enough in their inherent fun. Then, we introduced the Shift Tokens, which added a layer of strategy and unpredictability. That’s when our play sessions truly came alive. Team members started playfully taunting each other with unexpected twists and improbable comebacks that sometimes paid off. It was at that moment we knew we were ready for the next step.
Translating our paper prototype into a video game brought its own challenges but also made some tasks easier. For instance, there was no more shuffling or dealing since we had a very efficient droid to handle that! We also implemented the cheating mechanics we had envisioned from the start, which weren’t feasible with the paper version. These mechanics were introduced to counterbalance the inherent randomness of dice rolls or drawing cards, making them exciting to discover and learn while providing a real advantage. Thanks to the team’s passion and talent, the game grew, brimming with attention to detail and love.
Seeing the incredible response from players online has been thrilling. From fans building or printing their own Kessel Sabacc decks and crafting custom tables to passionate discussions about the best Shift Tokens, strategies to beat high rollers, and real-life or online challenges, the community’s creativity and enthusiasm has been truly heartwarming. This feedback and engagement have far exceeded anything we could have expected!
GALACTIC STREET FOOD
The Outer Rim is full of exotic and interesting dishes so we had to celebrate galactic cuisine in Star Wars Outlaws. Building Galactic Street Food was a unique adventure and we were really excited to craft these intimate scenes where our two beloved protagonists could bond, share meals, and discover new foods. As French developers, this concept naturally resonated with us!
Everything started to come together when we crafted the goofy, memorable moments that made each food stall unique. The first success was the scene where Nix’s tongue gets stuck on the ice while eating on Kijimi. Seeing team members smile widely at this adorable moment was the validation we needed.
From there, it was about ensuring every location had its own standout sequence. Watching players fall in love with Nix through these moments made all our effort worthwhile. It’s a testament to the care and effort the team poured into making Nix not just a companion, but a character with charm and personality that inspires joy and affection!
CANTO FATHIER RACING
Canto Bight is not only Kay and Nix’s home but also the home of Fathier Racing which is why it was a natural fit for our game. With Canto Bight in the game and syndicates obviously rigging races, it perfectly aligned with the world we were building. The races offer thrilling scenarios, where your fathier might make a desperate sprint to cross the finish line first, capturing the excitement of real horse races. We worked hard to make these races as entertaining as possible.
Here’s a little secret: to this day, no one has acquired their own fathier! To unlock this, players need to complete dedicated short quests scattered around these betting stations. This will reveal an additional quest that brings Kay back to Toshara for a special opportunity. Let’s see if anyone can crack it now!
ARCADE GAMES
Lastly, we wanted to recreate classic arcade games from the original trilogy era but with modern gameplay. Shooters and racers were obvious choices, as they were among the first video game genres ever created. During playtests, we saw players spend countless hours on these games, celebrating wildly when they beat the high scores. We even ran an internal contest to set the scoreboard. However, some mischievous team members discovered that fastening the game’s framerate in Rider allowed them to achieve incredibly fast race times, resulting in ridiculously high scores. At first, we were suspicious of these results and investigated until we uncovered the truth. While unintended, this discovery ultimately helped us debug and polish the game, ensuring a more balanced and refined experience in the end.
FINAL THOUGHTS
In the end, we hope players have enjoyed these mini-games, whether for a few minutes or many hours, as much as we loved creating them. We poured everything we had into leaving a lasting mark on the Star Wars galaxy. May the credits flow your way!
Thank you very much for reading this new Dev Update. As always, keep an eye on our socials for more from us, and be sure to give us your thoughts on Twitter, Instagram and start a conversation with us in our Official Discord.
Thank you again for your feedback and excitement!
- The Star Wars Outlaws Team