Star Wars Outlaws won't be available on Steam
PC players hoping to import Outlaws into their Steam library will be out of luck, as the new Star Wars game won't be available on Valve's platform.
Star Wars Outlaws marks a shifting tide in the Star Wars games industry, moving away from the exclusive partnership between EA and the Lucasfilm IP towards studios being able to develop experiences within a fully open and seamless universe. Ubisoft says PC players will have to purchase Outlaws via Ubisoft Connect.
PC players won't be able to get their hands on Outlaws via Steam or EGS. Instead, you'll have to go directly via Ubisoft Connect, the company's proprietary storefront. While you won't be able to pre-order Outlaws on EGS, you will be able to on Ubisoft Connect, but only via that storefront. Importing the game into your Steam library won't be an option.
Here's the direct game link (which I've taken the liberty of bookmarking, if you find this DOT Brexit era a little overwhelming):
Ubisoft's own website lists Outlaws as a Ubisoft Connect exclusive, and it doesn't mention that the game will be coming to other platforms. Even more tellingly, the page says "PC players will be able to purchase the game via Ubisoft Connect" and nothing else.
PC players don't need to panic about a lack of Mutliwin storefront access, as you'll still be able to purchase games like Jedi: Survivor from that storefront. Ubisoft has a longstanding habit of requiring all its games to run via Ubisoft Connect, even if they're available on other platforms.
Indeed, it's no accident that Jedi: Survivor launched on both Steam and EA's platforms simultaneously, as there's little reason for massive publishers to shut out Valve completely. Ubisoft has maintained that requirement for years, and it appears to be holding true for Outlaws as well.
If it's important to you to launch Outlaws with the Steam overlay installed to enjoy all the Steam chat, achievements, and other goodies, you do have a workaround. You can buy Outlaws via Ubisoft Connect and simply add the game's executable file as a non-Steam game, giving it all the same functionality you'd normally enjoy from Steam.
Interestingly, adding Outlaws as a non-Steam game won't tie in-game achievements to your Steam profile, but you will at least be able to access features like pinning notes, using the web browser, and messaging friends without constantly switching between platforms.
It's also worth mentioning that you'll still, at least in theory, be able to access guides through the game's web browser, so there shouldn't be a massive difference compared to a Steam release (if you manage to convince yourself to go down the non-Steam route).
If you're on the lookout for a workaround solution to access Steam functions on other platforms with non-Steam games, fear not. We at PC Game Spotlight have done the legwork to figure this out, and we can confirm that adding non-Steam games to the Steam library is a perfectly viable workaround for the likes of Battle.net.
In any case, Outlaws is shaping up to be a seminal Star Wars experience, and it's coming from Massive, the studio behind The Division whose pedigree is impossible to ignore. You can find out much more about what to expect from Outlaws with our extensive roundup of all the Release date and launch content news, including the thrilling gameplay trailer that shows a smuggler named Kay being pursued by Stormtroopers into space.
