Star Wars Outlaws stands apart from the typical Ubisoft open-world game, asserts Julian Gerighty, the creative director at Ubisoft's Massive Entertainment. The game is designed to break free from the usual Ubisoft formula, promising a distinct experience for its players.

Gerighty elaborated on why Star Wars Outlaws will stand out during a discussion with GamesIndustry. He highlighted two primary aspects that set the game apart, emphasizing that Massive Entertainment operates differently. According to him, their studio has always possessed a unique approach, initially functioning as an independent studio and later, as part of Activision. This differentiation extends to their work on The Division and The Division 2, which were not typical Ubisoft productions either. Although Massive has a distinct identity, they acknowledge the valuable methodologies offered by Ubisoft's game development style.

Since its reveal, Ubisoft has promoted Star Wars Outlaws as the franchise's first open-world game. Lucasfilm has also expressed confidence in Massive Entertainment, recognizing that a limited number of studios worldwide can handle games of such a grand scale.

Gerighty shared that the concept for Star Wars Outlaws originated from a straightforward idea: "Be a scoundrel in a galaxy of wonder and opportunity." This concise synopsis serves as both an elevator pitch and a testament to the game's ambitions. The preview labeled it as one of the year's most ambitious open-world games, suggesting that Star Wars Outlaws could indeed forge its own path and avoid conventional Ubisoft frameworks.

The game's structural design also differentiates it from traditional open-world maps. Players will explore five distinct planets in the Outer Rim, and though most of these planets can be traversed in about five minutes on a speeder, Gerighty insists they offer ample distractions and a significant amount of gameplay. For an in-depth look at the game's scale and its technical challenges, the discussions with the directors of Star Wars Outlaws offer further insights.

Additionally, a detailed feature delves into the creation of the game’s galaxy, with the development team quickly realizing that a genuine Star Wars open-world experience needs to extend beyond just planet surfaces.