When does Star Wars Outlaws take place?

When does Kay Vess' journey take place?

Kay Vess standing with her handds on her hips in Star Wars Outlaws.
Image via Massive Entertainment

Star Wars Outlaws is another chapter in the vast Star Wars franchise that spans thousands of years. With the franchise constantly jumping around in time, it’s understandable if some fans are confused about when it takes place.

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Here’s what you need to know about when Star Wars Outlaws takes place.

Where does Star Wars Outlaws fall in the Star Wars timeline?

Kay Vess riding past a Krayst Dragon in Star Wars Outlaws.
Her journey bridges the gap between the two films. Image via Massive Entertainment

The Star Wars Outlaws story takes place between Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. At this time, the Galactic Empire is still trying to stamp out a growing Rebel Alliance. Meanwhile, scoundrels like Kay Vess and the criminal underworld are thriving as the government’s attention is focused elsewhere.

There’s a one-year gap between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, and Kay Vess’ story slots into the gap between these two films, showcasing what the galaxy looked like for those operating in the shadows.

This framing is perfect for the Star Wars Outlaws story, as it shifts the focus from the ongoing war between the Empire and the Alliance to the golden age that the underworld is enjoying. In Outlaws, players can engage with different criminal factions and choose their temporary allegiances while also doing Star Wars stuff like using blasters on enemies, exploring different planets, and riding Speeder Bikes.

While the films don’t cover this period in detail, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back ended with Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa reuniting after that bombshell and Lando Calrissian and Chewbacca departing to rescue a frozen Han Solo from Jabba’s clutches. Outlaws takes advantage of this time to show how characters like Kay Vess can thrive amidst the chaos of the larger galactic conflict.

Han is one of the characters featured in Star Wars Outlaws. Lando is also featured and even meets Kay Vess for a game of Sabacc. This means that Key most likely runs into Lando when he is doing his best to rescue Han from the carbonite he’s frozen in at Jabba the Hutt’s palace.

Kay Vess playing Sabacc with Lando Calrissian.
We’ll have to watch out for Lando since he’s known to cheat. Image via Massive Entertainment

The game clearly focuses on the underworld and the scoundrel’s lifestyle, but Kay Vess’ journey still features many iconic characters and locations most Star Wars fans are very familiar with. Her story takes place at a perfect time when no other content does, so the possibilities are pretty open.

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Kacee Fay
Staff Writer at Dot Esports covering new releases and a wide array of topics including Minecraft, Disney Dreamlight Valley, Phasmophobia, general gaming, streaming, and more. She has been avidly writing and gaming her whole life and now spends her time combining the two. Kacee graduated from San Diego State University in 2021 with a Bachelor’s Degree in English and a Certificate in Creative Editing and Publishing. She then joined Dot Esports as a Freelance Writer in 2022 before transitioning to a Staff Writer in 2023. In her spare time, she enjoys buying more books than she can read, gaming alone or with friends, drinking too much tea, attending concerts, fangirling over movies and television, listening to music, and spending time with her family, friends, and pets, who are the most important parts of her world.
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Isaac McIntyre
Isaac McIntyre is the Aussie Editor at Dot Esports. He previously worked in sports journalism at Fairfax Media in Mudgee and Newcastle for six years before falling in love with esports—an ever-evolving world he's been covering since 2018. Since joining Dot, he's twice been nominated for Best Gaming Journalist at the Australian IT Journalism Awards and continues to sink unholy hours into losing games as a barely-Platinum AD carry. When the League servers go down he'll sneak in a few quick hands of the One Piece card game. Got a tip for us? Email: isaac@dotesports.com.
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Davi Braid
Davi Braid is a writer for Dot Esports with a passion for storytelling. He has been a full-time writer for the past 5 years. His work spans RPGs, fighting games, and many other genres, showcasing his versatility and broad interests. With a degree in International Relations, his writing has been published across various outlets and niches. Leaving a traditional office job, he built a career as a writer, embracing new genres and discovering hidden gems in gaming.