<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>Massive Enterainment &#8211; Video Game News, Reviews, Walkthroughs And Guides | GamingBolt</title>
	<atom:link href="https://gamingbolt.com/tag/massive-enterainment/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>https://gamingbolt.com</link>
	<description>Get a Bolt of Gaming Now!</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Thu, 23 Oct 2025 11:20:44 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<language>en-US</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>
	hourly	</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>
	1	</sy:updateFrequency>
	<generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4</generator>
	<item>
		<title>Star Wars Outlaws Studio Offers Employees the Option to Voluntarily Leave</title>
		<link>https://gamingbolt.com/star-wars-outlaws-studio-is-offering-its-employees-the-option-to-voluntarily-leave-the-company</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joelle Daniels]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 23 Oct 2025 11:16:59 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[android]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[iOS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Massive Enterainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ps4]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ps5]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the division 2]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Division 2: Survivors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the division 3]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the division resurgence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ubisoft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xbox Series S]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xbox Series X]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://gamingbolt.com/?p=630329</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[As part of this, the company is offering employees taking up the offer career and financial assistance as part of the severance package.]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>As part of Ubisoft’s recent business moves, the company has now asked employees of another one of its studios – Massive Entertainment – to opt for a “voluntary career transition program”. As part of this program, Ubisoft is essentially asking some Massive Entertainment employees to more or less be subject to voluntary lay-offs. This was announced by the studio itself with a statement on social media.</p>
<p>This voluntary career transition program, for the employees that agree to it, involves the employee being let go from Massive Entertainment with a comprehensive severance package that would involve financial and career assistance.</p>
<p>“As part of our ongoing evolution and long-term planning, we have recently realigned our teams and resources to strengthen our roadmap, ensuring our continued focus on <em>The Division</em> franchise and the technologies, including Snowdrop and Ubisoft Connect, that power our games,” wrote the studio in its statement.</p>
<p>“To support this transition responsibly, we introduced a voluntary career transition program, giving eligible team members the opportunity to take their next career step on their own terms, supported by a comprehensive package that includes financial and career assistance.”</p>
<p>Along with this, Massive Entertainment also establishes its intent to fully commit to <em>The Division</em> as a franchise, which would involve more content for <em>The Division 2</em>, as well as development of the upcoming <em>The Division 2: Survivors</em>, support work for <em>The Division Resurgence</em>, and even work on the third game in the franchise. “These projects continue with strength, focus and ambition,” said the studio, “and we look forward to sharing more in the future.”</p>
<p>A recent report indicated that Ubisoft had similarly <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/ubisoft-redlynx-has-gotten-a-restructuring-proposal-that-could-affect-60-jobs">offered a “restructuring proposal”</a> for another one of its studios – Ubisoft RedLynx. As part of this proposal, up to 60 positions in the studio are set to be affected. This proposal, however, doesn’t yet have full approval yet, and there is no timetable for when it will go forward.</p>
<p>“This proposal reflects difficult choices we may need to make, and it comes after careful consideration,” said Ubisoft RedLynx managing director Celine Pasula. “We recognise the weight of this announcement and want to acknowledge the impact this proposal may have on individuals and teams.”</p>
<p>“We are confident that, with the proposed changes, RedLynx would continue to play a meaningful role in Ubisoft’s future – driving technical excellence on mobile devices, and strengthening Ubisoft’s cross and multi-platform capabilities on small screens to expand our audience reach.”</p>
<p>It is worth noting that, as part of this restructuring proposal, RedLynx would move on from being a multiplatform game developer to only focusing on small-screen experiences – namely mobile.</p>
<p>These moves come just a few weeks after Ubisoft had <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/ubisofts-new-subsidiary-is-vantage-studios-will-work-on-assassins-creed-far-cry-and-rainbow-six">officially unveiled</a> the name of its <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/ubisoft-to-establish-new-subsidiary-overseeing-assassins-creed-far-cry-and-rainbow-six">new subsidiary company</a> – Vantage Studios. The company, headed up by co-CEOs Charlie Guillemot and Christophe Derennes, will be in charge of the development and support for three of Ubisoft’s largest franchises – <em>Assassin’s Creed</em>, <em>Far Cry</em>, and <em>Rainbow Six</em>.</p>
<p>Among other things, the forming of Vantage Studios also <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/former-assassins-creed-franchise-head-reveals-why-he-left-ubisoft">eventually led to the departure</a> of former <em>Assassin’s Creed</em> franchise head Marc-Alexis Côté <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/assassins-creed-franchise-head-marc-alexis-cote-has-left-ubisoft">earlier this month</a>.</p>


<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/XCb9TPZ09m">pic.twitter.com/XCb9TPZ09m</a></p>&mdash; Massive Entertainment &#8211; A Ubisoft Studio 🎮 (@UbiMassive) <a href="https://twitter.com/UbiMassive/status/1981020343587258732?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>
]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">630329</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Tom Clancy&#8217;s The Division 2: Battle for Brooklyn &#8211; Everything You Need to Know</title>
		<link>https://gamingbolt.com/tom-clancys-the-division-2-battle-for-brooklyn-everything-you-need-to-know</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Matthew Carmosino]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 08 May 2025 10:50:56 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Article]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Feature]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Massive Enterainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ps4]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ps5]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the division 2]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tom Clancy's The Division 2]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tom Clancy's The Division 2: Battle for Brooklyn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ubisoft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xbox One]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xbox Series S]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xbox Series X]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://gamingbolt.com/?p=618366</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The latest story expansion promises 6-10 hours of content within the most nostalgic (and clamored for) area in the series.]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span class="bigchar"></span>I<span class="bigchar"></span>t’s been five long years since the last <em><i>Division</i></em> story DLC, <em><i>Warlords of New York</i></em>, graced player’s screens. Sure, the game has gotten continual support in the form of seasonal updates since that time, but <em>The Division 2</em> has crawled along without a significant story update since March of 2020. As of May 27<sup>th</sup>, <em>The Division 2</em> finally receives its latest story expansion, and it’s set in the most nostalgic locale of all. Remember the E3 trailer for <em>The Division 1</em>? The snowy Brooklyn streets were many fans&#8217; first glimpses into <em>The Division</em> and that’s where this DLC is heading back to after all these years &#8211; minus the snow. Though player counts aren’t exactly what they used to be, <em><i>The Division 2</i></em> still has a devoted playerbase, and Ubisoft is banking on catching new players with its friendly onboarding features. While <em><i>Battle for Brooklyn</i></em> isn’t altering the core gameplay loop the base game had, it’s certainly the most substantial expansion the game has received since 2020. Here’s everything you need to know before buying <em>The Division 2: Battle for Brooklyn</em>.</p>
<p><iframe title="The Division 2: Battle For Brooklyn DLC - 15 Things You NEED TO KNOW Before You Buy" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FUodCmQPh_w?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<h2></h2>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Relatively Newbie-Friendly</h2>
<p>Ongoing live-service games can be intimidating to start up for the first time, but games like <em>The Division 2</em> make an effort to ease fresh players into its systems. This DLC is one such example with its immediate access to the new zone and content right out of the gate. And for Gold Edition buyers, there’s an instant level 40 boost to get into the content with a better advantage.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Coincides With the Start of Year 7</h2>
<p>Aside from the story DLC from 2020, 2023’s ‘<em>The Descent</em>’ was the the latest large-scale expansion the game has had. As usual, large DLCs coincide with the start of a new yearly rollout of seasons. In this case, players can get a headstart on Season 1, Year 7 with the recent beta update that went live on April 25<sup>th</sup>. The update features a prototype build of the new season, minus the new zone and campaign, for a limited time. As revealed by the patch notes, Y7, S1 introduces a new global modifier that streamlines builds with set bonuses for the Firearms, Stamina, and Electronics Attribute Tiers. There’s also new active and passive modifiers that reward smart team play. Lastly, this season introduces one new Exotic Weapon and two new Exotic Gear pieces. Yeah, modifiers and a handful of new weapons don’t seem too exciting for casual players, but the DLC itself is where the meaty content lives.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Revisiting Brooklyn</h2>
<p>Ah, Brooklyn. Old-school <em>Division</em> fans yearned to return to the snowy city streets that started it all, and now they can &#8211; except, this time without the snow. The original Brooklyn stage only took place within a fast-paced linear story prologue, so expanding it into a freely explorable open-world zone is a nostalgia bomb for fans well worth downloading the game again for.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Two Large Districts</h2>
<p><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-618372" src="https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/the-division-2-battle-for-brooklyn-01-1024x576.jpg" alt="the division 2 battle for brooklyn 01" width="720" height="405" srcset="https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/the-division-2-battle-for-brooklyn-01-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/the-division-2-battle-for-brooklyn-01-300x169.jpg 300w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/the-division-2-battle-for-brooklyn-01-15x8.jpg 15w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/the-division-2-battle-for-brooklyn-01-768x432.jpg 768w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/the-division-2-battle-for-brooklyn-01-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/the-division-2-battle-for-brooklyn-01.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px" /></p>
<p>The new Brooklyn map is divided into two districts. Brooklyn Heights is situated to the southwest of the player’s main settlement, while the district of Dumbo is to the northeast. The Deep Dive video gives us a good look at the in-game map, cluing us into the face that each district has two World Missions each. Brooklyn Bridge is the most notable landmark throughout the DLC, as it neatly separates the two districts with its monolithic presence. Detailing historic environments tends to be Ubisoft’s strong suit, so it’ll be neat to visit real-life landmarks like the Manhattan skyline and the Dumbo-Manhattan Bridge Waterfront &#8211; and, of course, Brooklyn Bridge itself.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Main Missions Are Separate From the Open-World</h2>
<p>One thing players won’t be doing is running through these Brooklyn districts within tightly crafted story missions much like <em>The Division 1</em>’s prologue briefly did. Instead, the devs opted to keep the main campaign missions outside of the Brooklyn map instead cordoned off within bespoke mission-specific locations. It’s interesting that they decided to do a 180 reversal of The <em><i>Division 1</i></em>’s prologue in this regard. Players will do all of their open-ended exploration within the Brooklyn map and the DLC’s campaign outside of it.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Story</h2>
<p>The story picks off mostly where the last story expansion left off: with Division agents cleaning up the mess that the NYC hurricane caused. Unfortunately, the Bridge Settlement folk don’t just have natural disasters to worry about; the Cleaner and Riker gangs have mass produced a devastating new weapon aimed right at them called the Purple Flame. Much of the campaign involves stopping these gangs and presumably snuffing the Purple Flame out of existence.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Returning Characters</h2>
<p><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-618373" src="https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/the-division-2-battle-for-brooklyn-02-1024x576.jpg" alt="the division 2 battle for brooklyn 02" width="720" height="405" srcset="https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/the-division-2-battle-for-brooklyn-02-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/the-division-2-battle-for-brooklyn-02-300x169.jpg 300w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/the-division-2-battle-for-brooklyn-02-15x8.jpg 15w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/the-division-2-battle-for-brooklyn-02-768x432.jpg 768w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/the-division-2-battle-for-brooklyn-02-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/the-division-2-battle-for-brooklyn-02.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px" /></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Longtime Division fans can expect plenty of familiar faces from previous games and DLC. Dr Kandel hasn’t been seen since her role developing the cure for the Green Poison in <em>The Division 1</em>, and now acts as an essential ally for the Brooklyn Bridge Settlement. We’ve already seen screenshots of Keener’s old crew in the new DLC such as Theo Parnell and Agent Hoskins, to name a few.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">6-10 hour run-time</h2>
<p>During the DLC Deep Dive, the creative director noted that the campaign will take between 6 to 10 hours to complete. Since the map is open-ended and filled with side activities, it’s likely to take 10 or more hours to squeeze every last ounce of content out of it with the main story path averaging around the 6 hours.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Open-World Activities</h2>
<p>Speaking of content, we already have the full list of activities dotting the new map. Battle for Brooklyn will consist of three main campaign missions. This seems may seem dainty at first blush, but campaign missions typically range between two to three hours each if past campaign missions are anything to go by. There are four world missions with two in each district and four control points. The amount of living world activities is 12, while there are 16 world bosses to take out. If you like bounties, you’re in luck because the DLC features 10 of them along with 8 hunter riddles scattered about the Brooklyn map.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Most Vivid Environments Yet</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-618374" src="https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/the-division-2-battle-for-brooklyn-03-1024x576.jpg" alt="the division 2 battle for brooklyn 03" width="720" height="405" srcset="https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/the-division-2-battle-for-brooklyn-03-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/the-division-2-battle-for-brooklyn-03-300x169.jpg 300w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/the-division-2-battle-for-brooklyn-03-15x8.jpg 15w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/the-division-2-battle-for-brooklyn-03-768x432.jpg 768w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/the-division-2-battle-for-brooklyn-03-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/the-division-2-battle-for-brooklyn-03.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px" /></p>
<p>It’s a delight to see the Brooklyn map looking so beautiful considering the amount of activities players will be engaging with here. The snowy winterscape from <em><i>Division 1</i></em>’s prologue is replaced with a vibrant Autumn landscape this time around. I’m surprised just how colorful and contrasting the outdoor environments look; it’s not exactly the kind of ambience that comes to mind when thinking of a <em>Tom Clancy</em> game. The foliage in particular looks highly detailed and full of warm Fall vibrancy.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">World Missions Are Now Replayable</h2>
<p>Finally, a highly requested feature makes its debut in <em><i>Battle for Brooklyn</i></em>: replayable World Missions. World Missions are basically the side missions of <em><i>The Division 2</i></em>. They take roughly half as long as main campaign missions and take place within the open world areas of the game map. As stated, the DLC includes four World Missions.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">New Corrosive Ailment</h2>
<p>Your primary antagonistic force in the DLC is the Cleaner gang. Though, the only cleaning they do is the corrosive destructive kind. They’ve somehow managed to mass-produce a corrosive Purple Flame Flamethrower which dishes out devastating ailments out to players. Corrosion reduces max armor over a duration of time, whittling down players’ max defense as long as they stay in range of the Cleaner’s attacks. There’s a special brand of stress seeing your health bar shrink before your very eyes, and it looks like <em><i>The Division</i></em> equivalent to that is about to be a reality with the Purple Flame corrosion ailment.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Smart Cover is Back</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-618375" src="https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/the-division-2-battle-for-brooklyn-04-1024x576.jpg" alt="the division 2 battle for brooklyn 04" width="720" height="405" srcset="https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/the-division-2-battle-for-brooklyn-04-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/the-division-2-battle-for-brooklyn-04-300x169.jpg 300w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/the-division-2-battle-for-brooklyn-04-15x8.jpg 15w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/the-division-2-battle-for-brooklyn-04-768x432.jpg 768w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/the-division-2-battle-for-brooklyn-04-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/the-division-2-battle-for-brooklyn-04.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px" /></p>
<p><em><i>Division 1</i></em> players will be delighted to know that the Smart Cover skill returns in all its glory with the new DLC. It’s not exactly the same here though. Players will be rewarded for using cover points with their choice of an offensive or defensive buff reward. Specifically, the Precision Smart Cover variant enhances weapon handling and damage and provides auto-reloading of rounds. While Fortified Smart Cover gives extra armor (perfect against the Purple Flame), various resistances, including an OP stagger resistance.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Pricing and Editions</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-618376 size-large" src="https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/the-division-2-battle-for-brooklyn-05-e1746701430852-1024x321.jpg" alt="the division 2 battle for brooklyn 05" width="1024" height="321" srcset="https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/the-division-2-battle-for-brooklyn-05-e1746701430852-1024x321.jpg 1024w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/the-division-2-battle-for-brooklyn-05-e1746701430852-300x94.jpg 300w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/the-division-2-battle-for-brooklyn-05-e1746701430852-768x241.jpg 768w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/the-division-2-battle-for-brooklyn-05-e1746701430852-1536x482.jpg 1536w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/the-division-2-battle-for-brooklyn-05-e1746701430852.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></p>
<p>Considering the DLC’s healthy 10-hour campaign, the price here isn’t as eye watering as we’ve been accustomed to over the months. For <em><i>The Division 2</i></em> players, <em><i>Battle for Brooklyn</i></em> can be purchased as a stand-alone expansion for $14.99. New players will have to purchase the game and DLC separate or as a bundle with the Gold or Ultimate Editions. Besides including the new DLC, Gold Edition adds on the level 40 boost and <em><i>Warlords of New York</i></em> DLC. While the Ultimate Edition adds on a year 1 pass, Ultimate Pack, and 1,000 credits on top of those perks.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Release Date and Platforms</h2>
<p><em><i>Battle for Brooklyn</i></em> launches worldwide on May 27<sup>th</sup> for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, Amazon Luna, and PC. A Ubisoft Connect account is required to play the game regardless of platform. A small silver lining is players don’t have to play exclusively through Ubisoft’s launcher and can play through Steam or Epic.<i></i></p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">618366</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Star Wars Outlaws&#8217; Initial Sales &#8220;Softer Than Expected&#8221;, Updates Planned to &#8220;Polish and Improve the Experience&#8221;</title>
		<link>https://gamingbolt.com/star-wars-outlaws-initial-sales-softer-than-expected-updates-planned-to-polish-and-improve-the-experience</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shubhankar Parijat]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Sep 2024 18:52:18 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Massive Enterainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ps5]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Star Wars Outlaws]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Steam]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ubisoft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xbox Series S]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xbox Series X]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://gamingbolt.com/?p=599813</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The Massive Entertainment-developed open world action-adventure title is also set to launch for Steam on November 21, Ubisoft has said. ]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Developed by Massive Entertainment and, of course, touting the <em>Star Wars </em>name, <em>Star Wars Outlaws </em>was a massive release, though the open world title has failed to perform the way publisher Ubisoft would have hoped for. Reported to have <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/star-wars-outlaws-sales-estimated-at-about-800000-units-by-august-end-per-analyst">sold less than a million units</a> by the end of August, and with its disappointing sales have <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/ubisoft-stock-prices-drop-after-middling-star-wars-outlaws-launch">contributed to a steady decline in stock prices</a> for the company, Ubisoft has now confirmed in its earnings release that the game didn&#8217;t perform to expectations.</p>
<p>In an earnings <a href="https://staticctf.ubisoft.com/8aefmxkxpxwl/5U6140Jg0IaqobyAIIEawC/af3b587a1c81f379d57bc64eefdd0285/PR_Trading_update_25092024_final.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">release</a>, the company wrote, &#8220;Despite solid ratings (Metacritic 76) and user scores across the First Party and Epic stores (3.9/5) that reflect an immersive and authentic <em>Star Wars</em> universe,<em> Star Wars Outlaws&#8217;</em> initial sales proved softer than expected.&#8221;</p>
<p>Ubisoft says that to address feedback from players, development teams are working on a series of patches that will look to improve the overall gameplay experience. In an update on <a href="https://x.com/StarWarsOutlaws/status/1838971704820801966" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter</a>, Massive Entertainment has stated that these patches will bring &#8220;optimization, gameplay polishing and tweaks, as well as quality-of-life changes, including adjustments to combat and stealth gameplay&#8221;.</p>
<p>Massive says it will also be releasing the game&#8217;s first story pack, <em>Wild Card</em>, on November 21, which will see Kay and Nix &#8220;infiltrate a high-stakes Sabacc tournament where they will face off against the Legendary Lando Calrissian&#8221;. In addition, new contracts will also be released for free for all players.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, November 21 will also see <em>Star Wars Outlaws </em>coming to Steam. Ubisoft has confirmed that it intends to release its titles on Valve&#8217;s platforms on day 1 going forward, <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/assassins-creed-shadows-will-release-on-steam-day-1-dropping-season-pass-model">including the upcoming <em>Assassin&#8217;s Creed Shadows</em></a>, which was recently <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/assassins-creed-shadows-has-been-delayed-to-february-14-2025">delayed to February next year</a>.</p>
<p><em>Star Wars Outlaws </em>is available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Read our review of the game <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/star-wars-outlaws-review-flying-so-low">through here</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">599813</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Star Wars Outlaws Sales Estimated at About 800,000 Units by August End, Per Analyst</title>
		<link>https://gamingbolt.com/star-wars-outlaws-sales-estimated-at-about-800000-units-by-august-end-per-analyst</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ravi Sinha]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Sep 2024 14:15:03 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Massive Enterainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ps5]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Star Wars Outlaws]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ubisoft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xbox Series S]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xbox Series X]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://gamingbolt.com/?p=599228</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The title launched on August 30th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC to a middling reception, causing Ubisoft's stock prices to drop.]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>With so many big titles occupying headlines in September, it&#8217;s easy to forget that <em>Star Wars Outlaws</em> launched less than three weeks ago. As one of Ubisoft&#8217;s blockbuster releases, with <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/star-wars-outlaws-has-the-biggest-marketing-campaign-ever-for-a-ubisoft-game">an extensive marketing budget</a>, there&#8217;s been no news on its sales or even a celebration by the publisher. However, it&#8217;s estimated to have sold about 800,000 units on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S per Ampere Analysis&#8217; Piers Harding-Rolls.</p>
<p>Speaking on the recent GI Microcast with James Batchelor and Chris Dring of Games Industry, he revealed that the estimate is for August end. While<em> Outlaws</em> launched globally on August 30th, early access went live on August 27th for Gold and Ultimate Edition owners. With less than a week and PC numbers to consider, it may have crossed one million sold.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, physical launch sales in the UK have been somewhat underwhelming, <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/star-wars-outlaws-launch-sales-in-the-uk-are-about-half-of-assassins-creed-mirages">coming in about half of <em>Assassin&#8217;s Creed Mirage</em></a>. Such was the response that <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/ubisoft-stock-prices-drop-after-middling-star-wars-outlaws-launch">Ubisoft stock prices dived</a>. Time will tell if sales pick up, so stay tuned. For more details on <em>Star Wars Outlaws</em>, check out our review <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/star-wars-outlaws-review-flying-so-low">here</a>.</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="GI Microcast | The PS5 Pro, and Ubisoft&#039;s woes" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/d0cMgk_u_eY?start=2480&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">599228</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Star Wars Outlaws Patch Enables Cross-Saves, Tweaks Insta-fail Stealth Sections</title>
		<link>https://gamingbolt.com/star-wars-outlaws-patch-enables-cross-saves-tweaks-insta-fail-stealth-sections</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shubhankar Parijat]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Sep 2024 15:43:09 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Massive Enterainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ps5]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Star Wars Outlaws]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ubisoft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xbox Series S]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xbox Series X]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://gamingbolt.com/?p=598636</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The patch also brings various graphical fixes, ultrawide support in all cinematics, optimizations and performance improvements on PC, and more. ]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>Star Wars Outlaws </em>hasn&#8217;t got off to the start that Ubisoft would have hoped for, both in terms of <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/star-wars-outlaws-director-is-a-little-disappointed-with-its-metacritic-score">critical reception</a> and <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/star-wars-outlaws-launch-sales-in-the-uk-are-about-half-of-assassins-creed-mirages">initial sales</a>, but developer Massive Entertainment is still very much at work continuing to polish up the experience. Creative director Julian Gerighty recently confirmed that an upcoming patch would <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/star-wars-outlaws-will-nerf-its-early-insta-fail-stealth-sections-with-an-upcoming-patch">make much-needed adjustments</a> to some of the game&#8217;s more frustrating insta-fail stealth sections, and that patch has now arrived.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.ubisoft.com/en-ca/game/star-wars/outlaws/news-updates/PCOasRfTRCek2FfFirser" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Title update 1.1.2</a> has made tweaks to various stealth sections and general mechanics, such as AI detection. Additionally, it also adds support for cross-progression, so players can no carry their saves across platforms through Ubisoft Connect. Various other improvements and tweaks are also included, such as performance improvements on PC, crash fixes on all platforms, fixing a bug that prevented a Trophy from being unlocked on PS5, and more. You can check out the full patch notes below.</p>
<p><em><a href="https://gamingbolt.com/star-wars-outlaws-review-flying-so-low">Star Wars Outlaws</a> </em>is available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.</p>
<p><em><strong>TITLE UPDATE 1.1.2 NOTES:</strong></em></p>
<p><em><strong>New Feature</strong></em></p>
<ul>
<li><em>Cross-progression and saving is now available between all platforms through Ubisoft Connect. </em></li>
</ul>
<p><em><strong>Performance &amp; Stability</strong></em></p>
<ul>
<li><em>Various crash fixes and stability improvements across all platforms.</em></li>
<li><em>PC performance improvements and optimization across the game.</em></li>
<li><em>Improvement for FPS drops during some scenes.</em></li>
<li><em>VRAM Improvement.</em></li>
<li><em>Higher graphic fidelity when using ray reconstruction and frame generation technologies.</em></li>
</ul>
<p><em><strong>UI, HUD and Settings</strong></em></p>
<ul>
<li><em>Game version will now be visible from the settings.</em></li>
<li><em>Quality mode will be set as default on console.</em></li>
<li><em>Corrected default settings for motion blur on quality mode for consoles.</em></li>
<li><em>HDR Brightness values have been modified.</em></li>
</ul>
<p><em><strong>Graphics</strong></em></p>
<ul>
<li><em>Various graphics and lighting fixes.</em></li>
<li><em>All cinematics now supported on ultra-wide screens.</em></li>
</ul>
<p><em><strong>Audio</strong></em></p>
<ul>
<li><em>Fix for potential music loss when fast-travelling in Toshara.</em></li>
</ul>
<p><em><strong>Worlds, Fauna and Flora</strong></em></p>
<ul>
<li><em>Many additional idle animations for NPC have been added across all planets.</em></li>
<li><em>Fixed an issue where the Imperial Speeder Bike 74-z would be missing a part.</em></li>
</ul>
<p><em><strong>General Gameplay</strong></em></p>
<ul>
<li><em>It is now less likely to be detected while rolling.</em></li>
<li><em>Level of detection adjusted depending on location.</em></li>
</ul>
<p><em><strong>MAIN &amp; SIDE QUESTS</strong>__ (beware of spoilers)__</em></p>
<p><em><strong>Toshara</strong></em></p>
<ul>
<li><em>Fixed the issue where the energy barrier in Kerro&#8217;s Speakeasy would not be disabled after successfully slicing the terminal.</em></li>
<li><em><strong>&#8220;The Underworld&#8221; &#8211;</strong> NPC numbers have been adjusted and environmental guidance markers added to better facilitate infiltration.</em></li>
<li><em><strong>&#8220;The Mechanics&#8221;-</strong> Fixed the issue where Kay would spawn outside the quest area if she died inside the wind turbine.</em></li>
<li><em> <strong>&#8220;The Wreck&#8221; &#8211;</strong> AI detection has been adjusted.</em></li>
<li><em><strong>&#8220;Hyperspace&#8221;</strong> &#8211; Fixed the issue where no prompt was shown to take off.</em></li>
</ul>
<p><em><strong>Tatooine</strong></em></p>
<ul>
<li><em><strong>&#8220;Partners&#8221;</strong> &#8211; Fixed the issue where Kay would not gain wanted levels on other planets when reaching the objective &#8220;Meet with Hoss in the cantina&#8221;.</em></li>
</ul>
<p><em><strong>Akiva</strong></em></p>
<ul>
<li><em><strong>&#8220;The Veteran&#8221;</strong> &#8211; Fixed the issue where &#8220;reporting to the droid&#8221; objective would not update after reporting back to MT-7.</em></li>
</ul>
<p><em><strong>Miscellaneous</strong></em></p>
<ul>
<li><em>&#8220;Old School Cool&#8221; trophy can now be unlocked for PlayStation 5 players.</em></li>
<li><em>Inverting one axis in the controls menu will no longer invert the other one in Photo mode.</em></li>
<li><em>Nix accessories and treats can now be checked in the loadout menu while Kay Vess is piloting the Trailblazer.</em></li>
</ul>
]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">598636</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Star Wars Outlaws Will Nerf its Early Insta-fail Stealth Sections with an Upcoming Patch</title>
		<link>https://gamingbolt.com/star-wars-outlaws-will-nerf-its-early-insta-fail-stealth-sections-with-an-upcoming-patch</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shubhankar Parijat]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 09 Sep 2024 04:04:12 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Massive Enterainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ps5]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Star Wars Outlaws]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ubisoft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xbox Series S]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xbox Series X]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://gamingbolt.com/?p=598344</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Creative director Julian Gerighty admits the sections in question are "incredibly punishing", calling them "a mistake" that "crept in in the last week or so" of the game's development.]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>Star Wars Outlaws&#8217;s </em>critical reception has <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/star-wars-outlaws-director-is-a-little-disappointed-with-its-metacritic-score">been a little bit more mixed</a> than creative director Julian Gerighty would have liked, and though the action-adventure title has seen praise from many for everything from its open world design to how it well it captures the <em>Star Wars </em>aesthetic, other aspects of the game have come under fire from many. One element in particular that has been commonly criticized are the game&#8217;s insta-fail stealth sections- which even the aforementioned Gerighty admits are &#8220;incredibly punishing&#8221;.</p>
<p>Speaking in an interview with <a href="https://www.gamesradar.com/games/open-world/star-wars-outlaws-director-agrees-the-early-instant-fail-stealth-missions-are-incredibly-punishing-and-ubisoft-is-easing-the-pain-with-a-patch-coming-maybe-in-10-days/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GamesRadar</a>, Gerighty spoke about one of the game&#8217;s earlier insta-fail sections, admitting its issues, and adding that developer Massive Entertainment is currently working on fixing the issues.</p>
<p>&#8220;You&#8217;re probably thinking of one of the early missions in Mirogana, which is incredibly punishing,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And for me, that is a mistake, and this is something that we&#8217;re going to work on improving. I don&#8217;t think it means removing the fail state completely, but I do think there are millions of low hanging fruits where we can make it so much more enjoyable and understandable.&#8221;</p>
<p>Gerighty went on to add that the goal wasn&#8217;t to make the section feel &#8220;unfair&#8221; as it does in its current form, which, he explained, was something that &#8220;crept in in the last week or so&#8221; of the game&#8217;s development. The patch that fixes said issues, meanwhile, will arrive sometime in the next 10 days, as per Gerighty.</p>
<p>&#8220;We just don&#8217;t want it to feel unfair. And today, I think it feels unfair,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And believe it or not, this wasn&#8217;t our intention. This is more of something that crept in in the last week or so, and that we&#8217;re correcting already for a patch that&#8217;s coming out maybe in 10 days.&#8221;</p>
<p>Director Mathias Karlson went on to explain how Massive Entertainment approached balancing stealth sections in the game, before adding that if the existing balance doesn&#8217;t work as intended, the developer will listen to players&#8217; feedback.</p>
<p>&#8220;[We want players to be] in that knife edge range between, &#8216;okay, I&#8217;m completely in stealth, oh s**t: They&#8217;re about to see me. They saw me, but I can still do something about it, as long as I don&#8217;t raise the alarm. I can create chaos locally to be able to avoid that happening.&#8217; However, if that turns out to not connect with its current tuning and with enough people, it&#8217;s, of course, something we take very, very seriously, and we&#8217;ll consider.&#8221;</p>
<p>Gerighty echoed that sentiment, saying, &#8220;If you tell me today that that&#8217;s a blocker for people enjoying the game, then we&#8217;re going to tweak the narrative context, right? We&#8217;ll have an announcement on the PA saying [does pretend PA voice] &#8216;well, stormtroopers have gone down Toshara and now we have the skeleton crew on site.&#8217; The context will change, just so that we can get people to enjoy those moments as much as possible.&#8221;</p>
<p>In our review of <em>Star Wars Outlaws</em>, we gave it a score of 6/10, saying, &#8220;<span style="color: initial;"><em>Star Wars Outlaws</em> boasts strong open world design and the swashbuckling and improvisational vibe of a classic <em>Star Wars</em> scoundrel story, but from technical rough edges to some dated design decisions to clunky movement, it&#8217;s got more than a few significant issues that weigh it down.&#8221; Read the full review <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/star-wars-outlaws-review-flying-so-low">through here</a>.</span></p>
<p><em>Star Wars Outlaws </em>is available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">598344</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Star Wars Outlaws Director is &#8220;a Little Disappointed&#8221; with its Metacritic Score</title>
		<link>https://gamingbolt.com/star-wars-outlaws-director-is-a-little-disappointed-with-its-metacritic-score</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shubhankar Parijat]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Sep 2024 23:09:37 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Massive Enterainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ps5]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Star Wars Outlaws]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ubisoft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xbox Series S]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xbox Series X]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://gamingbolt.com/?p=598041</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The open world action-adventure title received relatively mixed reviews from critics, with its aggregate Metacritic score currently standing at 76.]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="https://gamingbolt.com/star-wars-outlaws-is-now-available-worldwide"><em>Star Wars Outlaws </em>launched last week</a>, and the open world action-adventure title seems to have got off to a worse start than Ubisoft was hoping for. Disappointing initial sales have reportedly <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/ubisoft-stock-prices-drop-after-middling-star-wars-outlaws-launch">caused a drop in stock prices for Ubisoft</a>, while things haven&#8217;t been significantly better where its critical reception is concerned either. The game currently sits at an aggregate score of 76 on <a href="https://www.metacritic.com/game/star-wars-outlaws/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Metacritic</a> after 81 reviews, and though that isn&#8217;t a terrible score by any means, it&#8217;s lower than many would have predicted- including the game&#8217;s own director.</p>
<p>Speaking in a recent interview with <a href="https://www.gamesradar.com/games/open-world/star-wars-outlaws-director-is-a-little-disappointed-with-the-metacritic-score-but-plans-to-keep-improving-the-game/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GamesRadar</a>, creative director Julian Gerighty expressed his disappointment at the game&#8217;s Metacritic score. &#8220;I&#8217;m a little disappointed with the Metacritic,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Of course, recognition from press and critics is very important to us, but players are really connecting with what we did.&#8221;</p>
<p>Gerighty went on to add that the development team as Massive Entertainment feels a &#8220;level of pride, happiness, and sense of accomplishment&#8221; in spite of the mixed reception the game has seen.</p>
<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s brought me so much joy to see the incredible images being captured and shared. And I think that&#8217;s proof positive that this is an experience like no other <em>Star Wars</em> experience before, that lets you step into this world and enjoy some virtual tourism,&#8221; he added.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, as you would imagine, Massive Entertainment plans on continuing to improve the game for some time to come. &#8220;This will be a game that millions of people are going to play for years and years, and we&#8217;re never going to stop improving it,&#8221; Gerighty said. &#8220;Well, that&#8217;s a lie. [Laughs] We&#8217;ll probably stop improving it, but today my mind is not on stopping improving it.&#8221;</p>
<p>In our review of <em>Star Wars Outlaws</em>, we gave it a score of 6/10, saying, &#8220;<span style="color: initial;"><em>Star Wars Outlaws</em> boasts strong open world design and the swashbuckling and improvisational vibe of a classic <em>Star Wars</em> scoundrel story, but from technical rough edges to some dated design decisions to clunky movement, it&#8217;s got more than a few significant issues that weigh it down.&#8221; Read the full review <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/star-wars-outlaws-review-flying-so-low">through here</a>.</span></p>
<p><em>Star Wars Outlaws </em>is available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. The game will <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/star-wars-outlaws-season-pass-trailer-highlights-jabbas-gambit-future-story-dlc">receive two paid story expansions</a> over the course of the coming months.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">598041</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Star Wars Outlaws Artists Discuss Authentically Recreating the Look and Feel of the Original Trilogy</title>
		<link>https://gamingbolt.com/star-wars-outlaws-artists-discuss-authentically-recreating-the-look-and-feel-of-the-original-trilogy</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joelle Daniels]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Sep 2024 19:05:23 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Massive Enterainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ps5]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Star Wars Outlaws]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ubisoft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xbox Series S]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xbox Series X]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://gamingbolt.com/?p=597968</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Star Wars Outlaws concept artist Samuel De Vos and associate art director Marthe Jonkers talk about making the game feel like it's part of the Star Wars universe's original vision.]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In the wake of its recent release, <em>Star Wars Outlaws</em> developers—concept artist Samuel De Vos and associate art director Marthe Jonkers—have spoken about the care that went into making sure that the title would offer <em>Star Wars</em> fans a visual experience that would be authentic to the original movie trilogy.</p>
<p>Speaking to <a href="https://www.gamesradar.com/games/action/star-wars-outlaws-devs-say-keeping-the-open-world-game-authentic-to-the-original-trilogy-was-very-important-and-required-a-lot-of-special-care/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GamesRadar</a>, De Vos and Jonkers discussed what into giving the game an “authentic” feel, and how its art also makes use of design inspired from the science fiction of the 60s and 70s.</p>
<p>“<em>Star Wars</em> is one of the most established IPs in the world, so creating authentic additions to that universe takes a lot of special care,” said De Vos. “We looked at what inspired [<em>Star Wars</em> creator] George Lucas and [conceptual designer] Ralph McQuarrie in the first place to make sure that the very base of our ideation came from a similar place.”</p>
<p>“You might see a ‘70s monorail design is quite apparent in its construction, combined with the very grounded elements that you see all throughout <em>Star Wars</em>,” continued De Vos.</p>
<p>Jonkers went on to talk about making use of McQuarrie’s work on the originals to inspire the studio to make <em>Star Wars Outlaws</em> feel like it belongs in the same universe as the movies.</p>
<p>“We printed out Ralph McQuarrie&#8217;s designs and enlarged them, and they hung all around the office so that we were always surrounded by those visuals,” said Jonkers. “Looking at that art, McQuarrie had a lot of surprising ideas that didn&#8217;t necessarily make it to the movies, so we tried to take a similar approach in how we designed Outlaws as well.”</p>
<p><em>Star Wars Outlaws</em> is available on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. The open-world adventure game’s release hasn&#8217;t gone exactly to plan, to the extent of <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/ubisoft-stock-prices-drop-after-middling-star-wars-outlaws-launch">bringing down Ubisoft’s stock prices</a>. The game puts players in the shoes of Kay Vess, and takes place between the events of <em>The Empire Strikes Back</em> and <em>Return of the Jedi</em>. For more details on <em>Star Wars Outlaws</em>, <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/star-wars-outlaws-review-flying-so-low">check out our review</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">597968</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Why I Am Looking Forward to Star Wars: Outlaws</title>
		<link>https://gamingbolt.com/why-i-am-looking-forward-to-star-wars-outlaws</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Matthew Carmosino]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 22 Aug 2024 11:44:36 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Article]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Editorials]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Massive Enterainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ps5]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Star Wars Outlaws]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xbox Series S]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xbox Series X]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://gamingbolt.com/?p=595719</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Original trilogy vibes from the perspective of a scoundrel?...Sign me up!]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span class="bigchar">S</span>ay what you will about Ubisoft’s corporate practices and the controversies surrounding their recent games, but what they’ve shown of <em>Star Wars Outlaws</em> has nailed that authentic <em>Star Wars</em> tone and atmosphere to a tee. I’ve found myself particularly hard to please in this regard, mostly due to Disney’s treatment of the legendary franchise. But to my surprise, <em>Star Wars Outlaws</em> shares a lot of the authenticity found in the original trilogy. <em>Star Wars Outlaws</em> features five large locations to explore, and of course, the iconic desert Tatooine is one of them. Since <em>Outlaws</em> is set between the events of <em>The Empire Strikes Back</em> and <em>Return of the Jedi</em>, we’ll be getting a first-hand experience of the criminal underpinnings surrounding the Hutts.</p>
<p>Being able to fully explore Jabba’s Palace and take on jobs for the big Hutt himself seems almost too good to be true for a <em>Star Wars</em> fan. The infamous Hutt Cartel is one of many syndicates you can partner with in <em>Outlaws. </em>You&#8217;ll be chatting up familiar characters like Jabba’s right-hand critter Salacious Crumb as well as Bib Fortuna, and it&#8217;s even confirmed that Han Solo&#8217;s carbonite body will make an appearance. While Boba Fett hasn’t been confirmed, I’d bet some big galactic credits he at least gets a cameo, though I&#8217;d be especially keen to interact or join up with him on a bounty.</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="Why I&#039;m Excited About Star Wars Outlaws..." width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dRObmE4uLZM?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>Players rightfully got upset when Ubisoft announced the “Jabba’s Gambit” mission as an absurd $109.99 Gold Edition exclusive. The developer has since assured us that the Hutt Cartel syndicate as a whole is not affected by the exclusive mission, so we can still expect a whole lot of Jabba the Hutt content regardless of the edition. Since we&#8217;re on the topic of Tatooine, <em>Star Wars Outlaws</em> even allows you to trade with Jawas. Just like in <em>Episode IV</em>, you’ll find Jawas standing in front of massive Sandcrawler transports selling malfunctioning Gonk Droids and various other heaps of scrap. One of the preview quests showcases a quest retrieving a Sarlacc tooth to trade for a useful ship turret, perfect for dogfights around an orbit. How much more ‘<em>Star Wars</em>’ can you get? These kinds of flavorful quests are littered throughout the game.  While some quests may be hit or miss, like how empty the dead Sarlacc is in this case, there’s no denying how unmistakably ‘<em>Star Wars</em>’ the scenarios, characters, and environs are. I’m looking forward to seeing what other situations Kay Vess and her rodent-like companion Nix find themselves in, even if they don&#8217;t reach the heights of <em>The Witcher 3</em> or <em>GTA</em>&#8216;s quests.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-556075" src="https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/star-wars-outlaws-image-4-1024x576.jpg" alt="star wars outlaws" width="720" height="405" srcset="https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/star-wars-outlaws-image-4-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/star-wars-outlaws-image-4-300x169.jpg 300w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/star-wars-outlaws-image-4-15x8.jpg 15w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/star-wars-outlaws-image-4-768x432.jpg 768w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/star-wars-outlaws-image-4-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/star-wars-outlaws-image-4.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px" /></p>
<p>Of course, there’s more than just familiar scenarios and locations to experience in <em>Star Wars Outlaws</em>. The game manages to exude rich worldbuilding and environmental storytelling for brand-new locales such as the savannah-like moon of Toshara. Toshara is your quintessential open environment, but it’s also brimming with rich <em>Star Wars</em> worldbuilding. The vast savannah plains are dotted with objectives and stuff to explore and can be traversed on your speeder bike. The cities within Toshara couldn’t be more vividly contrasted with the surrounding plains. Mirogana is a valley city tucked against, and under, a giant arched butte-like mountain. The savannah atmosphere quickly disappears as Kay and Nix pass the Stormtrooper-lined security checkpoint using a fake ID to get into the downtown area. Wafts of smoke and beams of neon lights pervade the densely populated cityscape almost dissipating the outdoorsy charm completely. But they didn’t just copy/paste cantinas across locations.</p>
<p>The inner-city dons decor specifically suited to Toshara’s savannah-like surface, with canyon walls delicately carved to serve as the walls and pillars and native indigenous plants lined against the shelving. Besides the rich environmental details differentiating each area, NPCs chatter about local disputes and goings-on, usually related to the Pyke syndicate running things in that particular sector of Mirogana. Slapping a bow onto the rich atmosphere is the authentically scored soundtrack, which sounds like a subdued and ambient take on John Williams&#8217; classic work. When music isn’t playing, your earbuds still get a treat in the form of authentic <em>Star Wars</em> sound effects. Seriously, pay attention to how strong the sound design is in <em>Outlaws</em>. From the chirping of native insects to the whirring of your speeder bike engine, these are quintessential <em>Star Wars</em> sound effects. It’s hard to not feel satisfied when you’re chilling in Tatooine playing Sabacc to some classic Williams-esque music and the cries of a Gonk Droid buzzing about behind you.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-590113" src="https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/star-wars-outlaws-image-2-1024x576.jpg" alt="star wars outlaws" width="720" height="405" srcset="https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/star-wars-outlaws-image-2-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/star-wars-outlaws-image-2-300x169.jpg 300w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/star-wars-outlaws-image-2-15x8.jpg 15w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/star-wars-outlaws-image-2-768x432.jpg 768w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/star-wars-outlaws-image-2-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/star-wars-outlaws-image-2-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px" /></p>
<p>The way <em>Star Wars Outlaws</em> organically dishes out minigames to the player is surprisingly antithetical to Ubisoft’s usual checklist mentality. You walk into characters playing card games and betting on holographic races. There’s no pop-up checklist or quest to play the minigames (that we’ve seen); you just interact with them when you feel like it. Other subtle activities not spelled out to the player include leaning on railings to enjoy the view of a landscape, petting Banthas, and listening in on the many conversations (and fights) between random NPCs populating the game. At the end of the day though, we’re still playing an open-world game, so a majority of activities are initiated by marking it on the menu and following the waypoint to the location. I never expected this to be a Rockstar <em>GTA</em>-like experience. Sure, you can bring your wanted level to six and have a horde of Imperial Stormtroopers coming after you, but this is more of a feature inside a game than a game-changer <em>GTA</em> experience. If you’ve ever wanted to live in a corner of the <em>Star Wars</em> galaxy like I have, exploration has many delights within <em>Star Wars Outlaws</em>, even if it is structured like a typical Ubisoft game.</p>
<p>Stealth is another thing I’m excited to try out in <em>Star Wars Outlaws</em>. Previews have cited <em>Outlaws</em>&#8216; stealth as laborious and slow, but I think I’d get a kick out of it based on my preferences. Maybe it’s because I just really love <em>Splinter Cell: Choas Theory</em>, or because I’m looking for something slightly different from your usual lightsaber duels, but having to remain unseen and careful about your movement is rather enticing. Using environmental objects like exploding barrels and such just adds to the environmental awareness required, which is a plus if you love taking a closer look at all the <em>Star Wars</em> doodads decorating the environs.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-590115" src="https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/star-wars-outlaws-image-4-1024x576.jpg" alt="star wars outlaws" width="720" height="405" srcset="https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/star-wars-outlaws-image-4-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/star-wars-outlaws-image-4-300x169.jpg 300w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/star-wars-outlaws-image-4-15x8.jpg 15w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/star-wars-outlaws-image-4-768x432.jpg 768w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/star-wars-outlaws-image-4-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/star-wars-outlaws-image-4-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px" /></p>
<p>As such, <em>Outlaws</em> features maze-like levels with more nooks and crannies than other <em>Star Wars</em> games, allowing you to see more of the galaxy’s seedy underbelly not shown in other games. Some of your gadgets include a ranged hacking device, grappling hook, and data spike lockpicking. I’m impressed by how these stealth gadgets function and control in-game, especially the lockpicking, which as we all know has a reputation for being bad in video games. Of course, you can always solve things with your blasters if you hate slinking around unseen in the shadows. <em>Outlaws</em> makes a blaster build very doable with a wealth of upgrades and temporary heavy weapons that Nix grabs off of enemies for you to use. Even though I’m most excited by the stealth gameplay, <em>Outlaws</em> still allows a variety of styles to get through its situations.</p>
<p>And regarding stealth, Massive Entertainment, who worked on <em>Tom Clancy’s The Division</em>, was itself made up of former <em>Splinter Cell</em> staff. And then you have the upcoming <em>Splinter Cell</em> remake, being made in the same Snowdrop engine as <em>Star Wars Outlaws</em>. <em>Outlaws</em> doesn’t just have some stealth elements in it, it’s got that classic Ubisoft stealth spanning across decades.</p>
<p><em>Outlaws</em> would probably not satisfy every <em>Star Wars</em> fan. But it does so much right where it really matters. That authentic <em>Star Wars</em> atmosphere and worldbuilding are all here, as well as a plethora of open-world activities that players can engage themselves in for months at a time. Whether you’re interested in the stealth or want to play like a <em>GTA</em> gang member, <em>Star Wars Outlaws</em> is sure to provide some satisfaction based on what we’ve seen of the previews.</p>
<p><em><i>Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.</i></em></p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">595719</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Division 2 Won&#8217;t Go Ahead with Season 2.0&#8217;s Planned Seasonal Characters</title>
		<link>https://gamingbolt.com/the-division-2-wont-go-ahead-with-season-2-0s-planned-seasonal-characters</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shubhankar Parijat]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 15 Jul 2024 03:43:59 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Massive Enterainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ps4]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ps5]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the division 2]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Division 2: Warlords of New York]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ubisoft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xbox One]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xbox Series S]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xbox Series X]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://gamingbolt.com/?p=593341</guid>

					<description><![CDATA["We hear you and want to assure you that we have carefully considered your feedback," developer Massive Entertainment says.]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Five years into <em>The Division 2&#8217;s </em>life, developer Massive Entertainment is looking to inject new life into the looter shooter with some significant changes to its core loop, though it seems not all of them will be implemented the way the studio would have hoped for. <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/the-division-2-year-6-season-1-kicks-off-on-june-11-brings-new-seasonal-progression-system-and-story-content">Last month</a>, Ubisoft revealed that going forward, <em>The Division 2 </em>would reset players back down to base level at the start of each season, allowing content to be delivered to both fresh and veteran players alike without having someone be too overleveled or underleveled.</p>
<p>That was, however, a controversial change among many in the player base, and after loud backlash from the community, Massive Entertainment has decided to walk back on its decision. Taking to Twitter, the developer confirmed that based on feedback from players, it has decided to not move forward with Seasonal Characters as planned.</p>
<p>&#8220;After thorough examination and discussions with the team, we have decided to reevaluate Season 2.0 with particular attention to Seasonal Characters with the goal of progressing without them,&#8221; Massive Entertainment wrote. &#8220;This change will not impact the previously announced Year 6 plans, but it will require us to assess the changes necessary to the new Seasonal Experience, which will be integrated with Year 6 Season 2 this fall. Once we have ironed out the finer details, we will return with more information, a livestream, and a [public test server].&#8221;</p>
<p>How the removal of Seasonal Characters will affect other planned changes and additions in terms of the new seasonal delivery of content remains to be seen, but those who were desperately hoping for the looter shooter to not adopt this particular new approach can rest easy that that won&#8217;t happen.</p>
<p><em>The Division 2 </em>is available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, and is playable on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S via backward compatibility. It will also <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/the-division-2s-next-expansion-has-been-delayed-to-2025">receive a new paid expansion next year</a>. <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/tom-clancys-the-division-3-announced"><em>The Division 3 </em></a><a href="https://gamingbolt.com/tom-clancys-the-division-3-announced">is also currently in development</a>.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">A message from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheDivision2?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheDivision2</a> team. <a href="https://t.co/BcLNITdqew">pic.twitter.com/BcLNITdqew</a></p>
<p>— Tom Clancy&#8217;s The Division (@TheDivisionGame) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheDivisionGame/status/1811751120508764170?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 12, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">593341</post-id>	</item>
	</channel>
</rss>
