
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser will likely go down in history as one of the franchise’s biggest-ever failures. But now, nearly one year after its closure, it has finally been replaced.
While there are currently many fans who will try to convince you that the latest Disney+ live-action television series The Acolyte (2024) is the biggest disaster to have ever come from a galaxy far, far away — the fact that Disney recently canceled Season 2 will certainly help them make their case — nothing says “crash and burn” like the Star Wars-themed hotel.
But Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser wasn’t designed to look like a hotel of any kind. Known as the Halcyon, the giant spaceship was a place where species from all across the faraway galaxy — and our own — were able to experience “views of space” and enjoy some of the finest cuisine in the known cosmos.
Described by former The Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Chapek as “the most experiential concept ever,” the Galactic Starcruiser immersed guests willing to part ways with an absurd amount of money into the world of Star Wars through familiar aesthetics, staff members dressed as different species, and an interactive/role-playing-style of storytelling.
Located near Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the Halcyon welcomed guests for a maximum of two days and two nights, with a minimum room rate set at $4,800 for two people, which also included entertainment, food, drinks (which excludes alcohol), admission, and transportation to Disney’s Hollywood Studios to allow guests ease of access to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge attractions such as Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
Guests wanting to be ferried between the Halcyon and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge would board a “shuttle-pod transportation system,” which was basically a cargo box placed on a flatbed box truck. But the inside was designed to resemble an actual space shuttle so as to create the illusion of traveling from space to the surface of the planet Batuu — the fictitious setting for the themed land — and back.
The level of immersion at Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser was the choice of the guests entirely. They could choose to partake in “choose-your-own-adventure storylines” using the Play Disney Parks mobile app, or they could leave the hotel at any time during their stay.
Related: Galactic Starcruiser Finally Replaced as New ‘Star Wars’ Experience Gets Exciting Update
The Fall of Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser
In September 2023, Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser permanently ceased operation. But the truth is that no one was really that surprised. Not only did the experience fail to look as familiar as one might expect from a super-expensive Star Wars-themed hotel experience, but ultimately, it was the incredibly steep price tags that brought the ship crashing down.
Of course, there was plenty of appeal with the Halcyon. The idea of boarding a spaceship from the faraway galaxy and immersing yourself into the world made famous in the Star Wars movies is an attractive one, to say the least. And then there was the idea of being able to seamlessly travel from “space” to “surface” and back. Conceptually, it was genius.
Unfortunately, it all came down to two things: execution and expense. And these would be the Galactic Starcruiser’s undoing. Even long before its eventual closure, the ship came under heavy fire from fans and critics for “not looking like Star Wars“, but mostly for its staggering prices. Some fans even went as far as comparing its “cheap” look to the reviled film The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978).
After receiving backlash from fans, a promo teaser for the experience featuring Sean Gambrione (The Goldbergs, Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous, Jurassic World: Chaos Theory) was swiftly removed from YouTube by Disney. The rest is history: Galactic Starcruiser crashed and burned like the Death Star in A New Hope.
Related: Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser’s Replacement Already Available at Disney Park
Galactic Starcruiser Is Finally Being Replaced
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is being replaced. Not everyone will view the new Star Wars experience as an actual substitute for the theme park-based adventure, but for many fans, it will tick several boxes in terms of what they’re looking for from a choose-your-own-adventure, and, as such, offer many improvements over the Halcyon’s immersive qualities.
Fans looking to live aboard a spaceship while traveling among the stars in the faraway galaxy, experience seamless travel from orbit to planet’s surface and back again, and the opportunity to explore various sprawling Star Wars-themed lands, each firmly rooted in the franchise’s instantly recognizable aesthetics, have finally had their wishes granted.
And this experience will cost just a tiny fraction of the jaw-dropping Galactic Starcruiser price tag.
Related: George Lucas’ ‘Star Wars’ Restored Following ‘Acolyte’ Backlash
What Is the New Star Wars Project?
You’ve obviously already heard of the brand-new open-world video game “Star Wars Outlaws” (2024) developed by Massive Entertainment and published by Ubisoft. Set for official release in just two days (August 30), the game is set to become a chart-topping title. But for many, it will serve as a “spiritual replacement” for Galactic Starcruiser.
Set between Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Star Wars: Episode VI — Return of the Jedi (1983), “Star Wars Outlaws” promises a return to the pre-Disney George Lucas era of the franchise and also features several characters from the original trilogy films, such as Jabba the Hutt and Han Solo.
The game follows titular scoundrel Kay Vess (Humberly González) who’s trying to get out of the criminal life for good by planning one last heist.
While Kay Vess is, more or less, a female stand-in for Han Solo (Harrison Ford), who’s out of action during the time of the game (per canon, he’s frozen in carbonite), her companion — a Merquaal creature named Nix, who’s voiced by Dee Bradley Baker (The Clone Wars, Rebels, The Bad Batch) — feels like a substitute for Grogu from The Mandalorian.
But “Outlaws” doesn’t just replace Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser — it also replaces Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge to some degree, as it features five open-world planets.
Related: Disney Unveiling New ‘Star Wars’ Themed Land This Year, Bigger Than Galaxy’s Edge
Price Breakdown and Different Editions Explained
The best news is that it’s a lot more affordable than the themed hotel and the themed land. While the game’s price tags themselves have come under fire from many fans, if you’re looking for an immersive Star Wars experience that Galactic Starcruiser, and perhaps even Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, failed to deliver, you can’t complain about these prices (although we’ll admit that anything above the Standard Edition is still bonkers).
Here’s a breakdown of all the different price tags for “Star Wars Outlaws”:
- Standard Edition $69.99 (which includes the base game and a pre-order bonus)
- Gold Edition $109.99 (includes the base game, pre-order bonus, 3 days early access, and a Season Pass, which allows you to unlock narrative expansions and exclusive missions)
- Ultimate Edition $129.99 (all of the above as well as the Rogue Infiltrator Bundle, Sabacc Shark Bundle, and Digital Art Book)
- Ultimate Edition Day 1 With Ubisoft+ (the same as Ultimate Edition but with early access to play now and access to 100+ PC games if you sign up to Ubisoft+ Premium at $17.99 per month)
But is the game actually any good? Well, it hasn’t been officially released yet, but as countless fans have early access to the Ultimate Edition, you’ll find several reviews online. So far, reviews are mixed, with many criticizing the seemingly outdated graphics and gameplay. But there are also many fans and critics who are praising the game.
IGN has given “Outlaws” 7/10 and says in its summary, “‘Star Wars Outlaws’ is a fun intergalactic heist adventure with great exploration, but it’s hindered by simple stealth, repetitive combat, and a few too many bugs at launch.”
The Trailblazer Replaces the Galactic Starcruiser
Regardless of the game’s issues, “Star Wars Outlaws” provides you with your very own spaceship known as the Trailblazer, which allows you to travel between planets in “real time.” When in space, the point-of-view switches from Kay’s third person to the ship’s third person, however, you can explore the highly detailed interior when it’s stationary.
But with an open-world galaxy at your disposal, you’re probably not going to want to spend much time onboard. Instead, you can set down on any one of the five planets on offer: Akiva, Toshira, Tatooine, Cantonica, and Kijimi, each of which features key locations such as villages, towns, and cities, and several miles’ worth of sprawling wilderness teeming with life.
Check out the trailer for “Star Wars Outlaws” below, per Ubisoft:
Here’s the official synopsis from Ubisoft:
Experience the first-ever open-world Star Wars game, set between the events of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Explore distinct planets across the galaxy, both iconic and new. Risk it all as Kay Vess, a scoundrel seeking freedom and the means to start a new life, along with her companion Nix. Fight, steal, and outwit your way through the galaxy’s crime syndicates as you join the galaxy’s most wanted.
If you’re willing to take the risk, the galaxy is full of opportunity.
When Can I Play “Star Wars Outlaws”?
“Outlaws” will be officially released on August 30, 2024, for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S. For more information about the game, visit the official website.
Are you excited about “Star Wars Outlaws”? Let us know whether you’ll even be playing the game!