Star Wars Outlaws Lead Blames Gamers For Toxic Culture Against Women & Minorities

Humberly González Claims Video Game Industry is Full of "Limitations and Misogyny" as Star Wars Outlaws Flounders...

Humberly González, the lead actress in Ubisoft’s newly released game Star Wars Outlaws, has made headlines with some pretty controversial statements about the gaming industry. In a recent interview with Comics Gaming Magazine (CGM), González claimed that the industry:

"...tends to have a lot of limitations and misogyny and kind of in-and-out politics of who can be a part of it and who you want to play as."

She praised Star Wars Outlaws for its approach, highlighting that the game centers entirely on a female protagonist—a decision she somehow considers revolutionary in a "male-dominated" field.

González, who plays the character Kay Vess, celebrated Ubisoft and Massive Entertainment for their choice to focus solely on a female point of view:

“I am incredibly proud of the team for having chosen someone like me, but also only me”

Emphasizing a significance of not having a male counterpart in the game...? For González, this decision represents a victory for representation, particularly for women of color, immigrants, and Latinas who are underrepresented in popular franchises like Star Wars.

Praising Representation Amidst "Misogyny"

González's comments were framed around the idea that the video game industry has long been plagued by sexism and exclusionary practices. She praised Star Wars Outlaws for breaking new ground by focusing on a female character in a role traditionally occupied by male figures, like the scoundrel archetype in Star Wars lore.

She even went so far in expressing immense pride in being part of a project that allows a female character to take center stage, stating:

“So the representation is incredible for me as an immigrant Latina in Canada to bring… what it means to me as an artist.”

However, these remarks come at a time when the game’s performance is raising questions about the market's reception to this kind of representation-driven approach. Early sales data indicates that Star Wars Outlaws is performing 55% lower than its predecessor, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, in the UK market, despite topping the sales charts initially. It suggests that while there was some initial interest, it is not translating into sustained success. Pairing this info from the forever undefeated John Trent writing at ThatParkPlace.com:

"Ubisoft Quebec’s Creative Scott Phillips revealed that when Assassin’s Creed Odyssey players were given the choice to choose between Alexios or Kassandra over two thirds of them chose the male character Alexios."

The Bet That Didn't Pay Off

González’s statements reflect a broader trend in the entertainment industry that continues to focus on identity politics and forced representation even against consumers demands.

She views this game as a significant step forward, not just for her own career, but for all underrepresented groups in the gaming space.

"For me, if they just simply get to see someone like them on screen, it means something to them [to feel] seen, represented, and strong."

Yet, despite González’s enthusiasm, the early reception from players seems mixed at best. Gamers appear less impressed by the game’s focus on representation and far more concerned with its overall quality and storytelling... You know - that one thing that ACTUALLY matters when it comes to playing a game?

Ubisoft and Massive Entertainment may have believed that centering the game around a single female protagonist would be a bold and progressive move - Stunning and brave, if you will...

But the disappointing sales numbers show that the audience isn't buying into that approach as much as they had hoped.

Misogyny and "In-and-Out Politics"?

González’s remarks on the gaming industry being riddled with "misogyny" and "in-and-out politics" have sparked quite the convo around the gaming water cooler. Her implications here is that there are systemic barriers preventing certain demographics from being represented or even participating in the industry.

She expressed frustration over what she perceives as restrictions on who gets to be a part of the industry and who is chosen to play certain roles:

"To be a leading woman not just in a Star Wars story but in the video game industry… that has a lot of limitations and misogyny"

While González paints the industry in broad strokes as exclusionary, her comments overlook substantial progress that has been made in recent years. Of course, these comments are coming from someone who has been put into a position to succeed is taking every opportunity to bitch about being there in the first place- it's ironic, to say the least. The industry's seen a significant increase in diversity both in front of and behind the screen. Games featuring strong, diverse female protagonists like The Last of Us (Part I & II), Bayonetta, Kena: Bridge of Spirits, Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, Horizon Zero Dawn, Metroid, and Tomb Raider - among MANY others - have achieved both critical and commercial success without relying solely on identity politics to sell their stories. So either she's completely out of touch with the gaming industry, or is trying to use this moment to push a socio-political agenda further... or both.

Is the Market Pushing Back?

The lukewarm reception to Star Wars Outlaws indicates a growing fatigue among gamers towards titles that prioritize social messaging over engaging gameplay/storytelling. While the developers and González see the game as a step forward for diversity and representation, the broader audience seems... far less convinced.

Ubisoft's decision to center the game exclusively around a female protagonist looks almost to have been a deliberate attempt to try and court favor with a more progressive audience (read: modern audience), yet the sales numbers suggest that this strategy is not paying off at all.

Despite topping initial sales charts in the UK, the game is still performing significantly worse than its male-led predecessor, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. Makes you wonder...

The Real Issue: Quality Over Agenda

At its core, the underperformance of Star Wars Outlaws highlights a critical disconnect between what some parts of the industry think audiences want and what players actually enjoy. Gamers are primarily interested in quality content—great storytelling, engaging gameplay, and memorable experiences. If a game focuses too heavily on pushing a social agenda at the expense of these elements, it alienates its core audience- EVERY SINGLE TIME.

While the inclusion of diverse characters is always welcome, it should complement, rather than overshadow, the primary goals of game design. The sales figures suggest that gamers are not swayed to buy a game based on diversity.

A New Hope... Gone

Star Wars Outlaws serves as yet another reminder for the gaming industry. While striving for more diverse representation is commendable on the surface, it shouldn't come at the cost of the quality and entertainment value that gamers expect. Humberly González may view the game's focus on a female protagonist as a triumph over industry misogyny, but the tepid market response suggests that gamers are more interested in compelling stories and engaging gameplay than in political messaging... Ironically pushing the industry in the opposite direction of her intentions with all this. Money talks, diversity walks.

If the gaming industry wants to truly innovate and grow, it should remember that players come for the experience, not the sermon. The next time a developer considers making a "bold" choice, they might be better served by focusing on what makes games great in the first place: fun, immersion, and a story that everyone can enjoy.

~Smash