Troubling Sign for Star Wars Outlaws?

Pre-Release Discount Raises Concerns for Future Sales

Star Wars Outlaws is already available for a significant discount, weeks before its official release. The game, which has been lambasted by YouTubers criticizing some seriously questionable ai and “explosions” can’t seem to find a smooth landing…

It’s being offered for pre-order at a reduced price of $44.99 on QVC, with free shipping using the code KCLQVC25 - thx to Wario64 on Twitter for the heads up!

Discounting Before Release: A Red Flag?

While pre-release discounts are not unheard of, they are relatively uncommon for a major franchise title like Star Wars Outlaws. Traditionally, publishers price high-profile games at full price at launch to capitalize on the excitement and anticipation built through marketing campaigns and brand recognition… but this is Ubisoft. A publisher known for slashing prices almost immediately after going on sale. Offering significant discounts BEFORE release is a new one… and can be seen as a lack of confidence in the game’s sales prospects or an attempt to boost pre-order numbers due to lukewarm reception during previews. This could just simply be QVC offering a deal to entice new customers, outside of Ubisoft’s control… but even still, it’s a terrible look. You’d think for this release, Ubisoft wouldn’t allow it to be discounted and that this game would be exempt from pre-release deals… but nope.

Seems like they want to brag to investors about how many copies sold, not how much they were able to make.

The Potential Impact on Sales

Pre-release discounting signals issues with the game's projected sales performance. It creates a perception among consumers that the game may not live up to the hype or be worth the entry fee, leading to hesitancy and a wait-and-see approach before committing to a purchase. Early discounts also impact the perceived value of the game, potentially diminishing its long-term profitability.

Oh.. and in addition to a specific retailer offering the game at a lower price point before launch - it could undermine any appeal to hardcore fans willing to pay full price, reducing the average revenue per unit. If be pissed if I bought it at full price only to see others getting it way cheaper. If Star Wars Outlaws struggles to meet sales expectations at launch, it may lead to further price reductions, diminishing returns, and impacting the publisher's financial forecasts… and this is a game that Ubisoft HAS to have preform well, or it may send the company into a death spiral.

Industry Trends and Consumer Behavior

The gaming industry has seen shifts in consumer behavior over recent years, with many gamers opting to wait for discounts or sales before purchasing new titles. The rise of subscription services like Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus has also changed how players approach game acquisitions, often choosing to wait for games to appear on these platforms instead of buying them outright. Ubisoft has wanted to gain more Ubisoft+ customers, and have even been quoted as stating they don’t want consumers to own their games moving forward. A strange approach to business, but hey… money does funny things to executives.

With Star Wars Outlaws already available at a discount, it may influence overall gamer/consumer expectations and behavior, setting precedent for future pricing strategies and potentially impacting the sales of similar high-profile titles.

While pre-release discounts do definitely attract us budget-conscious gamers …and even boost initial sales for a company, they also signal deeper issues within the game's marketing and development strategy. For Star Wars Outlaws, the early price discounting raises even more questions about the game's prospects and the publisher's confidence in its success. As the release date approaches, industry analysts are watching closely to see how these factors impact the game's performance and what it means for the future of AAA gaming titles…. But again… this is Ubisoft, so is anyoje really surprised with heavy discounts, even pre-launch?

~Smash