Highlights

  • Paywalling bonus quests in both Star Wars Outlaws and Assassin's Creed Shadows has sparked mixed reactions.
  • Assassin's Creed Shadows' pre-order bonus offers a quest while Star Wars Outlaws' pre-order bonus focuses on cosmetic content.
  • Players have the option to purchase special editions for additional content and determine if what they offer seems worthwhile to them.

The heat has cooled on it tremendously since it was initially announced, but Star Wars Outlaws had a relatively big point of contention concerning Ubisoft’s decision to lock a bonus mission featuring Jabba the Hutt behind a special edition paywall. The initial controversy seemed to stem from the misconception that Star Wars Outlaws’ optional quest, dubbed “Jabba’s Gambit,” would be the only way players could interact with Jabba. This was debunked soon thereafter, though not being able to access the quest without the Ultimate edition’s season pass, which promises two future story DLCs, has still left a sour taste for some.

Meanwhile, Assassin’s Creed Shadows was recently revealed with a cinematic trailer alongside a release date and its own helping of special edition content. This Ubisoft game has its own bonus mission available in a nearly identical model with an Ultimate edition bearing a season pass and two upcoming expansions, but there hasn’t seemed to be any dissent toward this formula on this side of Ubisoft’s yard, at least nowhere as vocally. Where Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ edition model differs from Star Wars Outlaws’ is in the former’s decision to provide a unique mission to players as a pre-order bonus; either way, both games’ approaches are not only reasonable but also tenable.

Star Wars Outlaws Season Pass Controversy
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Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ Bonus Quests Demonstrate the Best of Both Worlds

It’s currently unclear what Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ paywalled season pass mission will entail as only its pre-order bonus quest, dubbed “Thrown to the Dogs,” has been described and given key art. Based on this key art it looks like it’ll be exclusive to Naoe and is perhaps consequently a stealth-oriented quest, though probably a lighthearted one if players are accompanying an adorable dog.

It’ll be interesting to see how “Thrown to the Dogs” equates to Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ season pass mission—whether it’s far shorter and therefore more appropriate as a pre-order quest, for instance. Nonetheless, criticisms about bonus missions can be fair, arguing that they could have simply been a part of the base game to begin with; if the season pass mission is available at launch, paywalling it could irritate anyone who believes they’re being told to fork over more money to earn Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ full launch package.

However, assessing what players receive in Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ special editions and pre-order bonuses ensures that while they would have to pay more, the incentives are worthwhile. The Ultimate Pack does come with a lot of the standard decorative fare players have grown to expect from such editions, such as a Photo Mode filter and cosmetic skins, but these superficial goodies are supplemented with all other available content in Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ Ultimate edition, including its quest-laden season pass and three-day early access.

Moreover, like any purchase players make, these editions are entirely optional and reserved for anyone who deems the content they’ll receive as substantial enough. If players are skeptical, there’s no need for them to reach for their wallets for additional quests in the Gold or Ultimate editions. The boon here, then, is that actual quests are being offered as day-one and post-launch DLC when many other AAA games may lean more heavily on ornamental content.

Star Wars Outlaws’ Editions Push Cosmetics, But Its Bonus Quest Still Sticks Out Sorely

Star Wars Outlaws’ special editions are nearly identical to Assassin’s Creed Shadows’, where a Gold edition delivers all story- and quest-related content for excited players to enjoy without needing to dip into Ultimate edition territory. This includes its own season pass with two post-launch narrative expansions, which is divisive but certainly not unheard of for a single-player title.

That said, Star Wars Outlaws does lower itself into a sarlacc’s mouth by pushing cosmetic content as its pre-order bonus when it could’ve offered the season pass’ “Jabba’s Gambit” quest like Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ pre-order bonus is offering “Thrown to the Dogs.” Star Wars Outlaws’ Ultimate edition is no different, offering abundant skins for Kay Vess, Nix, the speeder, and the Trailblazer in two distinct bundles, though it also tosses in a digital art book.

It’s admittedly more difficult to defend this choice when Assassin’s Creed Shadows has an ideal model for its pre-order bonus. But once more, whole quests and story content should debatably be cherished and encouraged as DLCs when the alternative is far less enticing. Plus, everything players could want beyond the base game itself and its pre-order bonus is completely optional and players will probably have a satisfying fill of Star Wars Outlaws’ Hutt Cartel regardless.

Perhaps “Jabba’s Gambit” will be far more content-rich than “Thrown to the Dogs” is, for example, but there is at least no bonus quest in either game that players need an Ultimate edition for, leaving their most expensive editions for cosmetic enthusiasts and dedicated fans of their respective franchises.