Behind the Music of Star Wars Outlaws: Crafting the Soundtrack of the Galaxy’s Underworld

Behind the Music of Star Wars Outlaws: Crafting the Soundtrack of the Galaxy’s Underworld

If there’s one thing the Star Wars universe consistently nails, it’s the music. Lightsabers clash, ships scream through hyperspace, and somewhere—probably—John Williams’ ghost of inspiration hovers in the background. So when Ubisoft’s Star Wars Outlaws started dropping breadcrumbs about its soundscape, it was time to pay attention. The full story, including insights from the composers themselves, was recently covered in this excellent Thumbsticks article. After all, this isn’t just another pew-pew adventure in a galaxy far, far away. It’s a story set in the morally ambiguous, vibey underbelly of the Star Wars timeline, and the music? It had to match that grit.

Scoring the Outlaws’ Playground

Star Wars Outlaws is a bold departure from the Jedi-centric epics we’re used to. The story centers on Kay Vess, a cunning scoundrel trying to get by in a galaxy ruled by criminal syndicates. And what better way to tell her story than with a soundtrack that captures every shady deal, barroom bluff, and narrow escape?

Enter composers Wilbert Roget, II and the legendary Gordy Haab. If you’ve dipped into the world of Star Wars games before (think Battlefront, Jedi: Fallen Order), you’ve probably heard Haab’s work whispering through the speakers. This time, the duo set out to create a score that honored the musical DNA of Star Wars, but also added something uniquely Outlaw-ish.

Musical DNA: Somewhere Between Cantina and Crime Thriller

Roget and Haab approached the Outlaws’ soundtrack like Star Wars’ jazz-loving cousin from the wrong side of Coruscant. The result? A blend of vintage analog synths, gritty textures, and orchestral motifs that flirt with the familiar while carving out a space all their own.

Think moody ambient tones mixed with sudden flares of tension—the kind of stuff you’d expect while sneaking past a Hutt’s palace or negotiating with a Trandoshan arms dealer who’s had a bad day. According to Haab, they were constantly balancing a fine line: too far from the classic Star Wars sound, and it loses its roots; too close, and it becomes a copy-paste job. Spoiler alert: they nailed it.

Immersion Through Audio: More Than Background Noise

This isn’t just music to fill the silence. It’s designed to enhance gameplay—to make each smuggling run or bounty hunt feel cinematic. For Kay’s journey, the composers created musical themes that evolve depending on the choices the player makes. That dynamic layering is a big deal in open-world games, and it’s not easy to pull off without it sounding like a DJ trying to sync three remixes at once.

The soundtrack adapts to action sequences, stealthy exploration, and high-stakes decisions. It’s not just reactive—it’s emotional. There’s music for when you’re outgunned, outnumbered, but not out of options. There’s music for that triumphant moment when you finally outwit a crime lord, and you know the odds were totally not in your favor.

Instruments of the Fringe

Want a deep dive into nerdy details? Good—because Roget and Haab went full mad scientist with their gear. The duo leaned heavily into analog synths, rare orchestral instruments, and even retro tech from the ’70s and ’80s to capture that gritty, lived-in Star Wars vibe. We’re talking cassette tape loops, modular synth patches, and enough reverb to make a Wookiee swoon.

This tech-heavy, vintage-inspired approach makes sense. Star Wars Outlaws takes place between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi—a chaotic, rebellion-fueled time in galactic history. The music needed to match that sense of turmoil without losing the cool factor. Basically: less polished opera, more galactic dive bar blues.

The Soundtrack’s Role in Star Wars Lore

One of the coolest things about this project? It adds another layer to Star Wars’ already expansive lore. The audio experience of Outlaws doesn’t just accompany the game—it helps flesh out the emotional and cultural depth of the era. It’s music that belongs in-universe, which is no small feat when the galaxy is already full of Ewok chants and Resistance anthems.

Even if you’re more into the books, comics, or movies, there’s a strong argument that this soundtrack could earn a spot on your curated Star Wars playlist. It’s as immersive as a Thrawn monologue and as textured as a Mandalorian’s backstory.

Conclusion: Setting the Soundtrack Standard

Star Wars Outlaws might not reinvent the wheel, but its music is certainly tuning it to a different frequency. Roget and Haab’s score reflects the game’s ambition: bold, atmospheric, and unafraid to break from tradition while honoring it. The end result is a soundscape that complements the underworld tone perfectly, making it not just another entry in the Star Wars musical canon—but a standout moment.

Whether you’re here for the smuggler drama, the moral gray areas, or just trying to see what life in the galaxy feels like beyond the lightsaber battles, the music of Star Wars Outlaws makes sure you don’t just see the world—you hear it in every blaster echo and bass drop.

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