Star Wars Outlaws: Recreating the Style of the Original Trilogy

The upcoming open-world game, Star Wars Outlaws, is set to take place between Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. In an effort to capture the look and feel of those iconic films, Massive Entertainment has developed technology to recreate the style of a 1970s camera.

Creative director Julian Gerighty discussed this in an interview with Edge Magazine. He explained that the team wanted to emulate the feel of the time period between Empire and Jedi, which necessitated the creation of technology that could replicate the visual characteristics of a 1970s camera lens. This includes features such as vignetting, film grain, lens breathing, thicker lens curvature, and subtle lens flares. These elements come together to provide players with a more cinematic experience, enhancing the overall immersion of the game.

Gerighty emphasized that these details may seem subtle, but they play a crucial role in capturing the essence of the Star Wars universe. He explained that everything in the game goes through a process of reduction to distill it down to its essential properties. This attention to detail extends to the design of protagonist Kay Vess’ binoculars, which incorporates a shape language reminiscent of the ’70s or ’80s while maintaining a timeless quality.

However, Gerighty acknowledged the challenges of working within a long-running and valuable license like Star Wars. He recognized the need to understand the constraints, design philosophies, and principles that go into creating various elements of the game, including gadgets, weapons, and creatures.

As Star Wars Outlaws continues to develop, fans can expect more announcements and information from Massive Entertainment in the coming months. The game is currently slated for release in 2024.