A detailed breakdown of Star Wars Outlaws' syndicates

Star Wars Outlaws arrives today for Xbox Series X|S, inviting players everywhere to a galaxy of opportunity. You'll play as Kay Vess, an emerging scoundrel with a bounty on her head alongside her companion Nix. Kay must clear her name by earning credits, taking on jobs, and pulling off one of the biggest heists the galaxy has ever seen. To do that, she'll need to make a name for herself among the galaxy's crime syndicates.

Syndicates run the criminal underworld in Star Wars Outlaws, and Kay has a blank slate – her reputation with them is yours to earn or lose. Your reputation with them will affect what kind of jobs you can take, what kind of goods your friendly neighborhood syndicate-affiliated merchant will sell you, and even whether guards will allow you access to syndicate territory (therefore saving you the trouble of sneaking in). A good reputation can net you bigger rewards and some of the best gear in the game, while a bad one means syndicate assassins will hunt Kay down and attack on sight.

Kay can improve her reputation with the syndicates in a number of ways, like completing syndicate contracts, trading datapands and intel, and double-crossing one syndicate in favor of another (of course, doing so runs the risk of harming your reputation with the other syndicate). But beware – if a syndicate finds out you betrayed them, or if you open fire inside one of their territories, it will bring your reputation down. Every action Kay takes will directly impact her reputation, and you'll often have to choose which syndicate to support during a caper.

In Star Wars Outlaws, you live and die by your reputation. To help you get the lay of the land, here's a quick guide to the different syndicates you'll work with – and against – in Star Wars Outlaws.

The Pyke Syndicate

It doesn't take long after landing on Toshara to learn who's in charge: the Pyke Syndicate, led by the rough and cunning Gorak. Thanks to Gorak's bribes with the local governor, the Pykes are a political authority on the savanna moon.

Things aren't always as they seem, however. Some lower-level Pykes have grown tired of Gorak's rule, and conspire with Imperial officials to overthrow him.

As Kay, you'll have the option to increase your reputation with the Pykes and tell Gorak of the plot, or give that intel to a new syndicate trying to gain a foothold on Toshara.

Crimson Dawn

You may recognize this syndicate from the movie Solo: A Star Wars Story. Preferring to work in the shadows, Crimson Dawn members are sneaky, crafty, and hungry to expand their empire. Led by Lady Qi'ra, they specialize in stealing goods and intel from other syndicates behind their backs, and won't hesitate to double-cross Kay if it suits their needs.

In Star Wars Outlaws, Eleera is a senior syndicate member and a key contact for Crimson Dawn. Though she starts off as a mysterious contact from Danka, earning Eleera's favor will clue you in on her true goals: securing Crimson Dawn's stronghold on Toshara and ousting the Pykes from their place of power on the savannah planet.

The Hutt Cartel

When it comes to the Hutts, Kay's fixer Danka puts it best: what you see is what you get. Jabba the Hutt runs the cartel from his palace on Tatooine, keeping the planet's economy under his control despite increased Imperial presence.

Dealing with the Hutt Cartel is straightforward. On Toshara, the Pyke Syndicate is moving in on Jabba's creature-smuggling business, so a Hutt representative wants Kay to find out who they're selling to and take out their factory farm. Payment on delivery, no muss, no fuss. This also means they're not too suspicious of being double-crossed and won't question you too much if you betray them, but don't expect a full payout unless you give them exactly what they ask for.

The Ashiga Clan

Created by the Star Wars Outlaws development team led by Massive Entertainment in collaboration with Lucasfilm Games, the Ashiga Clan is a new player in the criminal underworld. Members are part of a Melitto hive, an insectoid species that share a hive mind and have a strict hierarchy, answering to the Queen. The Ashiga Clan has a strict code of honour, and keep an ironclad grip on Kijimi.

The Ashiga Clan has extensive records, and can tell when Kay's lying. They value loyalty, and work towards the collective wellbeing of the hive above anything else. As long as they see Kay as valuable to their efforts, she'll be safe working with them. However, if she tries to double-cross them… Well, we'll let you find out what happens then.

Imperial Forces

While the Imperial Forces isn't a criminal syndicate per se, it is an adversarial presence for Kay throughout her travels. Stormtroopers patrol the streets of cities, TIE fighters escort ships through space, and more. You'll also meet a few corrupt Imperial officers, who might ask you to deliver a message to an underboss or accept a bribe in exchange for removing your Wanted status.

Zerek Besh

Led by Sliro, Zerek Besh is one of the most powerful syndicates in Star Wars Outlaws, with access to the best gear and weapons. Early in the game, Zerek Besh puts a death mark on Kay Vess, prompting powerful bounty hunters to come after her. Because of the death mark, Kay can't take jobs with Zerek Besh or improve her reputation with them, but they have a strong presence throughout the game regardless.