Not to be confused with The Outer Wilds, the indie title that launched in the same year as The Outer Worlds, The Outer Worlds 2 is an upcoming video game sequel to the dystopian sci-fi RPG from Obsidian Entertainment that Xbox announced during E3 2021. The first game was well-received, with some considering it one of the best Xbox Series X games, leading many to wonder whether this new universe would ever come back. In a world where Perfect Dark and Gears of War: E-Day are upcoming Xbox Series X games, it seems like anything is possible. Many (including us) were surprised to see news about this game, and while there isn’t much to go on just yet, we can make a few informed guesses on details we will get later on. For now, here’s everything we know, and suspect, about The Outer Worlds 2.
Spoiler alert: The Outer Worlds 2 will also show up on the list of upcoming PS5 games and upcoming PC games, but won’t make it to the upcoming Switch games list. It might appear on our upcoming Switch 2 games list, though.
The Outer Worlds 2 release window
The Outer Worlds 2 is scheduled to arrive sometime in 2025, but no specific date or season has been given. However, given that Avowed is coming early in the year, it would make sense for The Outer Worlds 2 to be set for a fall or winter release.
Xbox announced its Games Showcase for June 8 of this year with a special The Outer Worlds 2 direct set to air right after. This would be a perfect opportunity for a release date to be revealed.
The Outer Worlds 2 platforms
Xbox has already been moving away from exclusives, and with The Outer Worlds 2, PS5 players won’t even have to wait before it gets a port. The Outer Worlds 2 will launch on Xbox, PC, and PS5 at the same time in 2025.
Trailers
The reveal trailer, which is more of a teaser than anything else, is peak self-aware comedy. The trailer’s narrator breaks the fourth wall basically instantly, mocking how traditional teasers and reveals are shot. They show off a cool monster and immediately remark that it won’t be in the final game, then mock how slow-motion action shots are used to make things seem cooler than they are to bump pre-orders and how they all have to end with musical cues placed over sweeping shots of the environment until we get to a silhouette of the protagonist.
Obsidian, via the humorous narrator, is upfront about the fact that they have no character models, gameplay, or anything else about the game complete except for the title. Alone, that teaser really gives us very little to work with except for the fact that The Outer Worlds 2 is being made, and will also be set in space. Thankfully, a little more information has creeped out about the game.
Thanks to an official tweet of the teaser from The Outer Worlds account, the team added a few brief lines: “New star system. New crew. Same Outer Worlds.” From that, we can assume a few things. First, we’re going to be leaving the Halcyon system, or at least be able to go to a new star system in addition to it. Second, there will be an entirely new crew of companions, and quite possibly a new protagonist as well. Finally, this game will not be a major departure from what we all loved about the original game.
Moon Man remains the logo for The Outer Worlds 2, but is the mascot for the corporation Spacer’s Choice in the game, inferring that there will be at least some tie-ins with the first game. Considering one of the possible endings for The Outer Worlds involving the fate of the Halcyon Holdings which owns Spacer’s Choice, it will be interesting to see how the sequel moves forward in regards to the player’s action in the first game. Or it could completely ignore them, too.
The phrase “New crew” implies that none of the old cast will return in the sequel, at least as party members, but perhaps some will show up as NPCs. Many people grew pretty attached to the crew in the first game and would love to see them come back in some form for this game.
If you enjoyed the writing and tone of the first game, The Outer Worlds 2 looks like a very safe bet for more of the same in that regard.
The Outer Worlds 2 was quiet until The Game Awards 2024 where it revealed a gameplay trailer. The trailer has the same tone as the first, but focuses more on gameplay and keeps the story under wraps for now.
Gameplay
The gameplay trailer for The Outer Worlds 2 gives us just a taste of what the gameplay will be like, but it appears to stick to what the first game was best at. It is still a FPS with tons of ranged and melee options, from lasers, pistols, and explosives to knives and grenades. One instance of the trailer shows what appears to be the Tactical Time Dilation (TTD) mechanic returning when a character throws a grenade, slows time, and shoots it out of the air near enemies.
Elemental weapons or mods also appear to be in the game. We see the player use an icy shotgun to freeze an enemy and bash them while they’re stuck in place.
Besides human enemies, a few new aliens are shown off that we will fight on some new planets.
IGN secured 11 minutes of exclusive gameplay before the June direct of an alpha build of the game. The footage shows a mission through a facility with a companion named Aza. While initially going for a stealthy approach and getting one silent kill with a backstab using a dagger, the enemies spotted the body and went on alert.
During dialogue, you still have multiple detailed options, with certain ones locked behind skills. Your main character remains voiceless, allowing for a greater range of responses.
A new piece of gear found is called the N-Ray Scanner, which, when worn, allows the player to see enemies through walls while draining energy. It can also be used in puzzle solving to follow power cables.
Like the first game, The Outer Worlds 2 is not a seamless open world. We see in the gameplay loading between various locations, though they only last a few brief seconds.
Preorder
Again, we’re likely at least a year off from The Outer Worlds 2 launching, so there are no preorder details available beyond the promise of it coming to Game Pass. Like all Microsoft first-party studios, which include Obsidian, The Outer Worlds 2 will launch day and date on Game Pass, meaning if you are a subscriber, you can download the game the moment it comes out at no extra charge.
Whenever preorder options are revealed, we’ll be sure to update this section to let you know all the details.
