When Star Wars Outlaws releases next month, the game will offer players an option that makes things a little less easy. As revealed by PC Gamer, Explorer Mode is a new option in Star Wars Outlaws that will remove highlighted hints from the game’s world. Sick of seeing the “yellow paint” that reveals every interactive element in a game’s world? Explorer Mode will remove the “guiding color on core navigational elements.” Basically, if you feel like games offer too much guidance in the modern era, you can turn off guiding colors and figure things out for yourself!
It remains to be seen how this will work in the actual game, but from the description, it sounds like this is the kind of option that will make a lot of people happy. For those that prefer to play with guidance on, nothing changes at all. However, for purists that want a little more challenge, the option is there. Over the last few years, developers have been making an effort to create games that are more welcoming. This inclusiveness is important, but making it so that there’s still a challenge for those that want it is equally important. It sounds like Ubisoft might have found a perfect middle ground, and that bodes well for the game.
The use of “yellow paint” in video games has been a topic of heated debate over the last few years. Developers have used the color yellow as a designation to players that something can be interacted with. On one hand, the design choice has been helpful for some players, but many have argued that things have gotten out of control. For players that cherish the sense of accomplishment they get from video games, “yellow paint” has been an irritation to say the least. At this time, we don’t know if Explorer Mode will be featured in Ubisoft games like Assassin’s Creed Shadows, but hopefully the option becomes standard in the publisher’s future games.
Players will get a chance to test out Explorer Mode for themselves on August 30th, when Star Wars Outlaws is released on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
Are you planning to try Explorer Mode in Star Wars Outlaws? Do you get frustrated by the “yellow paint” in video games? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!
