Star Wars Outlaws devs chose not to include free-flying above the game's planets

Star Wars Outlaws creative director Julian Gerighty reveals that the game will allow players to control their ship as it takes-off and pushes through the atmosphere.

In an interview with Edge magazine after last month's Star Wars Outlaws gameplay preview, Gerighty states "in our past games, we didn't have vehicles, so in wrapping our heads around the different gameplay possibilities [...], we’ve had to embrace the limitations and constraints of each [type of vehicle].” In Star Wars Outlaws the flight controls will be restricted, which you see in the recent gameplay preview as the Trailblazer goes through the clouds of the planet's upper atmosphere. While Gerighty never confirms it, it definitely looks like there's a hidden transition into space somewhere in those clouds.

We also learn from Gerighty that unlike in No Man's Sky, players cannot land anywhere on a planet - you have to choose from pre-set landing and take-off locations. Also mentioned in the interview is that “flying [freely] above the planet was something that we chose not to do, because it was going to take us a huge amount of effort for very little payoff.” What players are provided with instead is the ability to travel through space, within the near-orbit region of each planet or moon. Gerighty explains that this limited portion around each planet exists because “we’re trying to create not only reasons for you to trade and smuggle, and fight against pirates, and against the Empire, but also to explore.”

Within the space battle, we see that the Trailblazer is equipped with a limited supply of missiles for the ship's lasers, a speed boost and a hyperdrive; which protagonist Kay Vess uses to make her final escape. The Hyperdrive launched the ship into hyperspace which is how players will travel through each of the game’s planets. 

Star Wars Outlaws' open world is designed to offer "full freedom of approach"