The Outer Worlds2has revealed a release date and several details of its story and gameplay ahead of its launch later this year. A sequel to Obsidian’s first original action RPG in over a decade,The Outer Worlds 2takes players to an alternate history in which Theodore Roosevelt never became president and his policies of trust-busting never took place. As a result, a small group of megacorporations took over the Earth before expanding to the stars, prioritizing profits over people as they expanded across the galaxy.
The originalOuter Worldswas beloved for its clever story, fascinating world, and well-written characters, but criticized for its combat and lack of enemy variety. Obsidian aims to address that in the sequel, which features a new story set in the same world. Characterized by the same irreverent humor, but with all-new weapons, enemies, planets, and more. Here’s everything to know aboutThe Outer Worlds 2, based on itsXbox Games Showcase release date trailerand everything else that’s come before it.
Outer Worlds 2 Release Date & Platforms
When & Where The Outer Worlds 2 Comes Out
The Outer Worlds 2will be released on June 05, 2025, almost six years to the day since the release of the original game. It’ll be available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S at launch - no Switch 2 version has been confirmed as of yet.
Outer Worlds 2 Pre-Orders & Editions
How Much The Outer Worlds 2 Costs
The Outer Worlds 2is among the first wave of games to be affected byXbox’s recent price increases.The Standard Editionwill cost $79.99, and the Premium Edition will cost $99.99- though I will remind you it’s also available on day one via Game Pass, likely with a much cheaper Premium upgrade if you’re into that sort of thing.
As always, the Premium Edition comes with a few extra goodies, butall preorders ofThe Outer Worlds 2include a small set of rewards. Preorder any edition, and you’ll receive Commander Zane’s Battle Pack at launch. This consists of four items: a Pet ED Drone, Zane’s Pistol, Zane’s Dagger, and Commander Zane’s Uniform suit of armor. Zane is presumably a character in the sequel - they don’t seem to appear in the original game. It’s unknown whether these items are purely cosmetic or have any gameplay advantages, but that’ll likely only become clear after launch.
Besides the Commander Zane Battle Pack,preorders of the Premium Edition will include a bigger selection of in-game bonuses: the Corporate Appreciation Premium Pack, which gives you a golden Moon Man set of armor and helmet, a set of melee and ranged weapons, and a Golden Sprat pet. You’ll also get access to the planned DLC (of which there are two) as soon as they release with the included season pass. The Premium Edition comes with a downloadable artbook and soundtrack, and, last but not least, up to five days of early access toThe Outer Worlds 2.
Early access launch times are typically rolled out by region, so you may not receive a full five days of early access, depending on where you’re playing from.
It’s unclear at this pointwhetherThe Outer Worlds 2will be released in a physical editionas well as the digital. At the very least, it doesn’t look like there’ll be a physical Premium Edition.
Outer Worlds 2 Gameplay Details
New Features & Systems
During the Xbox Games Showcase and Outer Worlds Direct,The Outer Worlds 2showed off a variety of new features thatbuild on the original game.The Outer Worlds 2is expected to have more of a focus on action gameplay than its predecessor, which definitely prioritized story. To that end, it includes a wide variety of new weapons with all sorts of wacky effects: the player character wields a shrink ray, a big gun that jets out orbs of orange goop, and a sort of grenade launcher that appears to slow down time (although that may have been an editing choice for dramatic effect).
There’ll also bea few new movement techniquesboth in and out of combat. You’ll be able to dash out of the way of enemy attacks, or perform parkour tricks to climb up rocky ridges.
Much like the original,The Outer Worlds 2will feature a fully customizable protagonist in a variable, complex story. You can make your character a highly intelligent engineer, or a barely literate meathead who punches through their problems. The choices you make will shape both your character build and the world around you as the story develops. You earn Traits and Flaws by making role-playing decisions: Obsidian’s example is the Kleptomaniac perk, which allows you to sell stolen items at higher prices, but may also cause you to randomly steal an item as soon as you look at it.
You’ll also be able to recruit and travel with various companionsinThe Outer Worlds 2, adding new members to your spaceship crew. They’ll have various preferences and alignments, often forcing you to make difficult choices at critical moments.
Everything We Know About Outer Worlds 2’s Story
Story & Setting Details
The Outer Worlds 2is a sequel to the first game, set in the isolated colony of Arcadia. You play as an agent of the Earth Directorate, sent to investigate a series of dimensional rifts that have been causing havoc in the region, but when you arrive, you’re thrust into the middle of a conflict between three factions. The Protectorate is a military organization that values order and obedience, while the Order of the Ascendant is a cultlike group of scientists attempting to solve the Universal Equation and bring about a perfect future.
Meanwhile,a new faction has emerged from the merger between Auntie Cleo’s and Spacer’s Choice, two of the megacorporations from the first game. Now called Auntie’s Choice, they attempt to seize control of Arcadia with their vast financial resources. Each faction will have its own questline, and your choices with one may affect your reputation with the other. you may track how the big players in Arcadia feel about you by tuning into their immersive radio stations, which will regularly change their programming based on new developments around Arcadia.
For now, that’s just about everything we know regardingThe Outer Worlds 2. With tons of new features to build on the original game’s successes while correcting its missteps, it looks like it’s poised to become a pretty great sequel. Only time will tell, though, howThe Outer Worlds 2turns out.
