As I gaze upon the vast expanse of the galaxy from my cockpit, the hum of my ship's engines a familiar lullaby, I dream of the adventures that await in the lawless reaches of space. In 2026, the frontier of gaming isn't just about the stories we play; it's about the tools we forge to immerse ourselves within them. My latest obsession, a beacon in the void, is Ubisoft's Star Wars Outlaws—the first true open-world odyssey set in that beloved universe—and the beautiful, personal ritual of crafting its essence into the very controller I hold. Through Xbox Design Labs, the boundary between player and protagonist dissolves, allowing me to weave my anticipation into a tangible artifact of my impending journey as the scoundrel Kay Vess.

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The Canvas of the Cosmos: Two Visions from the Design Labs

When the revelation came, it felt like receiving a transmission from a distant sector. Ubisoft, in collaboration with Xbox, unveiled not one, but two distinct controller presets inspired by the gritty, neon-drenched underworld of Outlaws. These are not mere limited-edition trinkets locked behind scarcity; they are blueprints, invitations to participate in the creation.

  • The Standard Sentinel: This design captures the very soul of the game's promotional visage. It is a controller shrouded in the deep, endless black of space, punctuated by the fiery, urgent orange of its thumbsticks and bumpers—a color that speaks of engine burns and blaster bolts. The crowning jewel is the metallic teal D-Pad, a hue that reminds me of the swirling gases of a nebula or the slick sheen of a cantina table. It's a straightforward, powerful statement.

  • The Elite Pathfinder: Crafted for the Xbox Elite controller, this scheme adopts a different temperament. The body is a lighter, more ethereal teal, like the haze of a distant planet's atmosphere. Against this stand pristine white face buttons and sticks, symbols of hope or perhaps a clean slate in a dirty world, all accented by a silver D-Pad that gleams like polished durasteel. It speaks of a refined taste amidst the chaos.

The Artisan's Touch: Personalizing the Preset

The true magic, the core of this experience, is that these are merely starting points. The Design Labs interface is my starship's navigation computer. While the presets are exclusive to their controller types, the galaxy of customization is open. I can take the Standard Sentinel's teal and apply it to an Elite body, or mix the Elite Pathfinder's white accents onto a standard frame. This flexibility is profound. It means my controller won't just represent Star Wars Outlaws; it will represent my version of it—my personal crest as I navigate the intrigues of the Hutts and other syndicates.

Consider the possibilities:

Component Standard Preset Colors Elite Preset Colors My Potential Custom Mix
Body Matte Black Light Teal Metallic Grey (My ship's hull color)
Bumpers/Triggers Vivid Orange Light Teal Vivid Orange (To keep the classic flair)
D-Pad Metallic Teal Silver Metallic Teal (A nod to the original art)
Thumbsticks Vivid Orange White Black with Orange rings (For grip and style)
View/Menu Buttons Black White Silver (For a unified metallic accent)

This process of selection, of hovering over color swatches named "Velocity Green" or "Blaze Orange," is a meditation. It connects me to the game's promise of seamless travel from planetary surface to orbit—a smooth, uninterrupted experience mirrored in the seamless journey from a digital preset to a physical object uniquely mine.

The Countdown to Launch: A Time for Preparation and Speculation

With the game's launch set for August 30, this period of creation is part of the grand anticipation. Crafting the controller now is like preparing my gear before a big heist. It builds excitement, making the wait feel active and purposeful. Furthermore, the timing aligns beautifully with Ubisoft's Ubisoft Forward showcase on June 10. As I finalize my controller design, I know I'll be watching, eager to learn more about Kay Vess's companion, Nix, and the dangers of the criminal underworld, my newly personalized controller sitting beside me—a promise of the hands-on adventures to come.

In the end, this is more than a peripheral. It is a talisman. When I finally grasp it on launch day, the texture of the plastic, the click of the buttons, and the colors we chose together will be the first step into that larger world. It transforms the act of playing from mere interaction into a personal legend. The Xbox Design Labs initiative for Star Wars Outlaws understands that for a game promising an open-world of personal choice, the journey should begin not on the screen, but in the palms of your hands, with a creation that is unmistakably, wonderfully your own. The galaxy awaits, and I will explore it with a key forged in my own image.