Star Wars Outlaws: Ubisoft's flagship launch cut its stock 13.5%

Star Wars Outlaws — Ubisoft's open-world Star Wars adventure developed by Massive Entertainment, the studio behind The Division — was the publisher's flagship title of 2024, launched August 30 after years of development. It was Ubisoft's most important release in a period when the company's outlook depended on it.

The reviews were decent, but the sales were not: within days of launch, analysts reported the game had failed to meet sales targets. Ubisoft shares fell 13.5% in the wake of the release, and J.P. Morgan cut its sales forecast from 7.5 million units to 5.5 million for the fiscal year — noting the game cost 30% more than Assassin's Creed Mirage while underperforming it by 15%.

The failure landed at the worst possible moment: Ubisoft's market value had already been sliding, and Outlaws — priced and positioned as the company's comeback — accelerated the decline, with the stock hitting multi-year lows in the weeks after. One game, one launch, and the publisher's credibility as a premium studio was the collateral.