Navigating the expanse of the Star Wars universe, Star Wars Outlaws beckons players into a galaxy of scoundrels, rogues, and daring adventures. At the heart of this space opera is Kay Vess, a character that not only ushers in a new era for female protagonists in the Star Wars gaming landscape but also resonates deeply with the experiences of the Venezuelan-born actress Humberly González. We had the privilege to engage in an enlightening conversation with Navid Khavari, Narrative Director of Star Wars Outlaws, as we delved into the intricate threads of Kay’s journey, the challenges of crafting a relatable and multifaceted character, and the immersive tapestry of the game’s open-world experience. Khavari offered insights into the intersection of character and culture, narrative and gameplay, and the uncharted territories that Star Wars Outlaws bravely treads.
BUT WHY THO: Star Wars Outlaws introduces Kay Vess, played by Venezuelan Humberly González, which is a significant step in increasing representation in the gaming industry. Can you tell us more about the development team’s decision to have a Latina be the lead character and how Kay’s background and heritage may resemble Humberly’s own experiences may be woven into her character arc and interactions within the game’s universe?
Get BWT in your inbox!
Get BWT in your inbox!
Navid Khavari: We are incredibly proud and fortunate that Humberly Gonzalez is playing our lead protagonist, Kay Vess. We had a strong sense of who we wanted Kay to be when writing the character but then through extensive casting we found Humberly and that was when Kay really came to life. It’s absolutely a great opportunity for us to increase representation in our industry but it truly came about because Humberly was the best person for the role and the one that really knew and understood Kay. I believe a script isn’t real until an actor says the words, and the moment we started rehearsing and working with Humberly we actually went back to our material and understanding of what Kay is all about.
Humberly’s delivery, personality, and especially her heart reflected back to Kay the character to create a hero that falls within that scoundrel archetype, but truly has an aspirational resilience that we really got excited about. Humberly and I did talk often about her connection to Kay, her own experiences growing up in Venezuela, and that was a really an amazing part of the process – when writing and performance comes together in a conversation to create something new. That’s also what makes Star Wars great, it’s a galaxy where everyone can find a place for themselves in.
BUT WHY THO: Female protagonists in Star Wars games have been relatively rare, and Kay Vess breaks new ground in this regard. How has the team approached crafting a compelling and relatable female character, and what unique perspectives and experiences will Kay bring to the game’s narrative that may not have been explored in previous Star Wars titles?
Navid Khavari: It was very important for us to build a three-dimensional, complex character – and it was an organic process that we gravitated to a female lead for the game, anchored by Humberly’s performance. It just felt right. I think a key word in your question is relatable. This really was a pillar to us for her character, and we found the way to capture that was to give Kay some vulnerability. She’s not perfect. Kay doesn’t have everything figured out, she’s a rookie struggling to get by, relying on her skills as a thief and her companion, Nix to barely survive.
This is someone who is not looking to the stars at some big galactic civil war between the Empire and the Rebels, but who is on the ground seeking out a score that will set her and Nix up for life. So when she’s launched across the galaxy with a bounty on her back and has to pull off an impossible heist, she really has no idea what she’s in for – just like the player. So there’s a balance we’ve sought to strike with her character between the strength of a scoundrel that will roll the dice and an individual that is grounded, vulnerable and growing as a character – that’s Kay Vess to us. And we really can’t wait to share more about her story.
BUT WHY THO: Star Wars Outlaws boasts a vast open-world experience with diverse environments with some even have distinct weather events. Can you provide more insight into the level of interactivity players can expect within the cities and environments, such as hidden secrets, unique side quests, or interactive NPCs?
Navid Khavari: Throughout the entire development of the game, we’ve had this goal that Kay’s story should pull you through each of the locations in the game but along the way you should be distracted by curiosity. So, if you take on a contract in a cantina on Toshara, but decide to venture off the beaten path on your speeder and search for a hidden amberine artifact, or decide to engage in a side quest that involves a corrupt Imperial, the story will adapt to that and reward your exploration. There will obviously be a golden path for those that just want to experience the core story – but we’re aiming for this to be a deeply immersive experience that rewards exploration and we’ve built a world to support that.
BUT WHY THO: Kay Vess’s sidekick, Nix, plays a pivotal role in the game’s narrative and combat. How will the relationship between Kay and Nix evolve throughout the story, and can players expect any branching storylines based on their interactions with Nix?
Navid Khavari: Nix is Kay’s heart, support system, and fierce protector – in a lot of ways Kay is really his motivation, she’s his best friend and only family. He wants just the two of them to be able to journey the galaxy with nothing holding them back, together always. Kay and Nix have been together for a very long time and so you’ll see that bond in the game and it’s even shown in gameplay in how he supports you. He also has a very distinct personality, sure he’s cute but he will turn feral and vicious when he needs to. Nix also often reflects Kay’s mood so if she’s tense he’s guarded, if she’s fighting he’s vicious.
Total tangent but it’s also a lot of fun to write “curious squeak” or “relaxed chirp” and see what Dee Bradley Baker, who provides Nix’s vocalizations, comes back with. He’s a master. Now there are definitely some fun story moments with Nix that I won’t spoil but as you’ve seen in the walkthrough you will be able to control both Kay and Nix so there aren’t necessarily branching options based on your interactions with Nix but rather more him adapting to how you’d like to approach gameplay situations – whether through stealth or combat.
BUT WHY THO: As a droid veteran of the Clone Wars, ND-5 brings a unique perspective to the story. How does this character’s past experiences and memories from that tumultuous time influence their decisions and interactions throughout the game?
Navid Khavari: ND-5 was a really fascinating character for us to develop, especially in terms of incorporating the BX commando history and behavior as a Droid, but also there’s this sort of weathered aspect where ND-5 has experienced so much during the Clone Wars – represented as sort of a hunch on the back, the battle scars across his chest, even his delivery and cadence with words. And that was what was awesome about Jay Rincon who plays ND-5, is that he delivers ND-5’s lines with force and intensity, but also a bit of heart underneath.
It creates this perfect balance of Droid emotion. You’ll see that kind of duality in his journey throughout the game too – as a commando droid he’s experienced and seen a lot and that has impacted him with this rough exterior and immeasurable strength but he also has a deeper history and emotional weight that impacts him too. This is a character that since the Clone Wars has experienced the underworld through and through, and is being forced to work with a rookie like Kay, so there is immediate conflict that was definitely fun to write for.
BUT WHY THO: The game’s combat system appears to offer a blend of blaster combat, hand-to-hand combat, and stealth. Can you elaborate on the range of weapons and equipment players can acquire and customize to suit their preferred playstyle?
Navid Khavari: Kay’s blaster is an essential tool of the trade for a scoundrel – it is lovingly kit bashed together from different parts to fulfill her needs at any given moment. The key feature of her blaster is its modular design which gives it much needed versatility in a firefight.
Over the course of her adventure, Kay will grow from a rookie thief to a full-fledged gunslinger and her blaster in addition to her skills will reflect that growth in some exciting ways that we’re excited to talk about later on. But as you saw in the gameplay walkthrough, you will have some melee options available to you and you’ll also be able to pick up some heavier weaponry your adversaries drop, ones that you can use for a period of time to help you gain or perhaps re-gain the upper hand. Kay’s companion, Nix also compliments her abilities and skills by creating distractions to maximize opportunities to be stealthy, turn the tide of a fight, or even fetch useful weapons.
BUT WHY THO: The Trailblazer serves as Kay’s ship and a symbol of her freedom. Will players have opportunities to upgrade and customize the ship, and can they expect space combat scenarios that offer a sense of progression and mastery in piloting skills?
Navid Khavari: This was another thing that we talked about really early on. One of the core parts of the scoundrel fantasy is having your own ship. The Trailblazer is essentially Kay’s home. A key aspect of Kay seeking freedom and is what you use for the jobs you’re going to take, the dog fights you’re gonna engage in. It’s also a space for Kay to kick back and relax with Nix and maybe a poke a little fun at ND-5.
The Trailblazer really is Kay’s home and we narratively wanted that to feel significant and meaningful to the character as she blazes through the underworld and grows into a full-on outlaw. The Trailblazer will reflect Kay’s growth throughout her journey and you will be able to customize it in ways that we’re looking forward to sharing later on.
BUT WHY THO: The timeframe between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi provides a rich narrative canvas. Can you share any insights into how the game will incorporate significant events from the Star Wars lore during this period, and will players have opportunities to interact with iconic characters from the films or other media?
Navid Khavari: It’s a writer’s dream to have that playground between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. For me, it’s just such a perfect era where the stakes are just extremely high from a character and a galactic perspective. But placing our game during this time speaks to the fact that there’s so much to explore in the underworld from a scoundrel perspective in that one year period.
And when we looked at the time between Empire and Jedi, we had to ask ourselves what can we say here that hasn’t been said? And for us it was that combination of Kay’s rookie scoundrel perspective with her inherent wonder of the wider galaxy and underworld. That this is someone who has no kind of experience with the galactic civil war, at a time when it feels like so much of the galaxy’s future is being shaped by that war, was just super refreshing for us.
She’s a character that is stealing, outwitting, conning folks, and then you get to follow her as she enters into the underworld and begins taking on contracts with massive criminal syndicates. A small fish in a galactic pond. Taking that character and placing them in that period felt like a really strong anchor for the rest of the narrative.
In terms of characters, we recently were happy to confirm at San Diego Comic-Con that Jabba the Hutt is in the game. We can’t wait for players to explore the world of Star Wars Outlaws and discover any references to the wider Star Wars galaxy for themselves. But we’re also really excited for them to experience new characters and planets in this iconic era as well.
BUT WHY THO: Star Wars Outlaws introduces new criminal syndicates, such as the Ashiga Clan, based on Kijimi. How will players learn about the history and motivations of these syndicates throughout the game, and will their actions impact the dynamics between various factions in the galaxy?
Navid Khavari: The Ashiga Clan are a brand new syndicate we’ve crafted that came from the collaboration between Massive and Lucasfilm Games. The Ashiga are based on the ice cold planet of Kijimi, which you might recognize from the Rise of Skywalker, and as a syndicate they have a strict code of honor based around a hierarchical Melitto hive. Their entire worldview is about the survival of the collective: everything and everyone is judged on their usefulness to the whole. The Ashiga have also worked their way into every aspect of Kijimi’s underworld, from smuggling to extortion, sabotage, weapons manufacturing – they have a stranglehold on criminal enterprise there.
In terms of interaction with the syndicates, Kay will form relationships with each of them by taking on jobs and building her reputation. Your reputation will impact Kay’s journey in a lot of ways. For example, if you pull off some jobs with the Hutts you might be rewarded with new contracts and better opportunities, but if you decide to betray them, say for the Pykes, your reputation will drop and the Hutts might hunt you down. But these choices are never going to be straightforward, they never are for a scoundrel. You can’t keep everyone happy so you’ll have to weigh the consequences of your actions and make some strategic decisions about your alliances and loyalty.
BUT WHY THO: Star Wars Outlaws is described as an original scoundrel story, offering players a new perspective on the galaxy. Can you elaborate on how the game’s narrative will explore the moral complexities and challenges faced by a scoundrel like Kay Vess, and how players can shape her journey based on their decisions?
Navid Khavari: Narratively there are some key elements to our scoundrel story – such as Kay going from being someone who is inherently a thief pulling off small cons, to then having a bounty on her head and trying to pull off one of the greatest heists the galaxy has ever seen in order to free herself – a heist that means Kay has to enter the underworld and take on high-risk, high-reward missions with some of the most notorious crime syndicates and syndicate leaders such as Jabba the Hutt.
In terms of perspective, I think what was really compelling for us is that notion that Kay has no intention of getting involved in the galactic civil war, and she really is on a journey where that has been pushed into the backdrop in her eyes. Exploring how individuals not involved in that larger, generational narrative would perceive that civil war, and as a character trying to make her way through the Underworld was exciting.
We also really wanted to explore the question of freedom and what that means to Kay, she’ll have a notion of what freedom means to her that is very clear at the start of her journey, and that opens up a lot of narrative opportunities for us to explore. Ideas of who you can trust on that journey, when is enough enough, all questions that organically grow from that starting point. I’ll have to leave it high level for now but I hope players look forward to diving into the story and some of those ideas with us.
In terms of shaping your journey, for us and Lucasfilm Games it’s all about authenticity and we need to ensure that Kay’s story fits within the wider galaxy of Star Wars – so for the main story itself, Kay’s journey has been very carefully crafted with specific key moments, in an open world story I like to refer to these as lighthouses for Kay’s journey. The variation does come through what you do in between, where you go off the beaten path, how you engage with the reputation system with each of the syndicates, so that every player will have a different experience throughout their own journey.
As the stars align for Star Wars Outlaws, it’s evident that the game is poised to leave an indelible mark on the Star Wars canon. The dynamic exploration of Kay Vess’s universe, a fresh perspective within the rich galaxy of Star Wars, promises players an experience that transcends the screen. The collaboration between Khavari, the development team, and the passionate fan base reveals a dedication to crafting narratives that resonate with authenticity and impact. As we eagerly anticipate stepping into Kay’s boots, blaster in hand, aboard the Trailblazer, one thing becomes clear – the scoundrel’s journey is not just about rewriting the galactic narrative but also about connecting players with characters whose struggles, triumphs, and identities mirror the diverse tapestry of our own world.
