Highlights
- Star Wars games set in the Outer Rim offer more gameplay opportunities due to the lawlessness and unpredictability of the region, allowing for exciting adventures and gameplay experiences.
- The Outer Rim provides narrative flexibility for game developers, allowing them to craft their own stories without conflicting with established Star Wars canon, providing room for new storytelling opportunities.
- While some fans may desire games set in the Inner Rim, the Outer Rim still offers plenty of gameplay and narrative potential, and developers continue to take advantage of the freedom it provides.
The Star Wars galaxy is filled with unique planets that introduce countless opportunities for compelling video games. Between the desert sands of Tatooine and the neon-soaked underbelly of Coruscant, the amount of locations that developers could explore is almost unfathomable. The Star Wars Battlefront and LEGO Star Wars franchises have given players an opportunity to trek through many of these familiar locations, but in more story-centric Star Wars games, it seems only a certain type of planet get any attention. That is planets that fall into the galaxy's Outer Rim, and not those like Coruscant that reside in the Inner Rim.
Star Wars' galaxy is organized into a series of distinct regions. These regions include the Core Worlds, Inner Rim, Outer Rim, and the Unknown Regions, with billions of star systems spread across each territory. Rich, densely populated planets like Coruscant make up the Core Worlds and Inner Rim, while backwater systems like Tatooine dot the Outer Rim. While many of the Inner Rim and Core World planets are rich with gaming opportunity, story-based titles don't typically explore these areas of space. They usually focus on the Outer Rim, and it's likely an intentional decision on the part of developers and Lucasfilm higher-ups.
Star Wars Games In The Outer Rim Allow For More Gameplay Opportunities
The Outer Rim is a largely lawless region of space, as the influence of the Republic or Empire isn't as strong there as it is in the Core. This means there's more room for pirates and scoundrels to flourish, and it makes a great place for Star Wars Rebels to hide out in. This lack of order and general unpredictability makes the Outer Rim an excellent setting for video games. Developers can use planets like Endor and Nar Shaddaa as their personal playground, crafting gameplay opportunities they likely wouldn't be able to create otherwise on more orderly planets like Naboo.
Star Wars Outlaws is a prime example of the Outer Rim's flexibility when it comes to game development. Ubisoft's upcoming open-world Star Wars adventure follows Kay Vess, a scoundrel just trying to make her way in the galaxy. Outlaws is sure to be filled with criminal exploits, and such activity is best facilitated by planets that cater to lawless activity. If a game like Outlaws were to take place on a planet like Alderaan, there likely wouldn't be enough for players to do simply because it's more peaceful than other worlds. With planets in the Outer Rim, there's more room for action, adventure, and a thrilling video game experience.
Star Wars Games In The Outer Rim Provide Narrative Flexibility
Every Star Wars game has the challenge of fitting into the wider Star Wars canon. From the films to the most obscure comic books, game developers have to avoid contradicting these established stories while crafting a narrative all their own. Oftentimes, the secret to finding this balance is setting a game somewhere in the Outer Rim. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor took this approach with the planet Koboh, giving players an open world to explore that allowed for new storytelling opportunities. With enough separation from the Core, Survivor could do what it wanted without interfering with other canon events.
The Star Wars franchise has a truly mammoth galaxy, and game developers have gone great lengths to take players to several corners of it. While some fans may want more titles that focus on Coruscant and other planets in the Inner Rim, the Outer Rim is still rife with gameplay and narrative opportunities. There may come a time when a game like the canceled Star Wars 1313 comes along and delivers the densely-populated game some fans are hoping for, but for now, it seems most Star Wars developers aren't done taking advantage of the freedom that the Outer Rim allows.