In Outer Worlds 2, everything is supposed to play out a bit more seriously than in the first part, the boss says. But players can only laugh at the price on Steam.
What kind of game is this? Outer Worlds 2 is a first-person RPG shooter set in an exaggerated and satirical sci-fi world where capitalism has taken over and society is firmly in its grip. As in the first part, satirical elements collide with criticism of capitalism, as corporations and profit greed control the game world.
The second part takes place again on Arcadia, but the war there has been raging for over 1,000 days. As a player, you become part of a complex faction war that runs through the story. The ultimate goal is the liberation of the planet and the acquisition of new resources for your own corporation, while also saving humanity on the side.
However, the successor is not supposed to be as colorful and overloaded as the first part of Outer Worlds, according to the boss.
Here you can watch the trailer for Outer Worlds 2:
A different tone for part 2
How will the new part be different? In an interview with PCGamer, Brandon Adler, the game director of Outer Worlds 2, spoke about the second part. He also explains how the two parts differ:
You will notice that a less silly, darker tone emerges. This is mainly due to Leonard […] That’s his kind of mood, and so he has pushed more on this stuff. And so I think the whole story feels a bit like a darker version of what’s going on there.
Brandon Adler, Game Director of Outer Worlds 2 at PCGamer
Leonard refers to the new creative director Leonard Boyarsky, who is responsible for the mood in the game. He was previously involved with Fallout and thus brings experience from dystopian games, which in the case of Fallout are also darker than Outer Worlds.
Why are the developers going this route? Game director Brandon Adler also has an answer to this: “I want to offer players something new so that they don’t feel, ‘Oh, we’re just replaying the same jokes, the same content, the same ideas and themes over and over again.’ […]”
The fans think differently
What do fans think of the boss’s statements? Fans of Outer Worlds are surprised by the change in direction for Outer Worlds 2. Especially the trailer, which was released at the Summer Games Fest 2025, showcases the usual sarcastic mood known from the first part and does not reflect the darker tone.
Reddit users share this view:
- FatalCassoulet writes on Reddit: “The trailer shows the opposite lol”
- MattyXarope also criticizes this on Reddit: “Right? Are we talking about the same game? Lol”
- soldatodianima says on Reddit: “I tried my best to like Outer Worlds, but it just felt so PG-13; and the worlds were so dead. Just boring, lifeless emptiness.”
- Lost-Comfort-7904 sees it similarly on Reddit: “I bought the first part because of the game team behind it, but honestly, I didn’t enjoy it. It felt hollow, and the side characters were really boring. I don’t think I got very far before I gave up.”
The price of €79.99 on Steam is also upsetting to players. Some even consider it the biggest joke:
- HomeStallone is annoyed about the price on Reddit: “$80 for this game is as funny as I can imagine.”
- Abspara writes on Reddit: “Improved story worth $79.99.”
- Tyler1349 also does not appreciate the price on Reddit: “Cool, I still won’t pay $80 for it. I regretted paying full price for the first game.”
Players are generally dissatisfied with part 1 and the new statements from the game director about part 2. The price also seems too high for many. Some believe it is an attempt to get players to play the game on Xbox Game Pass. It will be available to all subscribers from day one. A trailer for a popular MMORPG was also shown by Xbox: Microsoft shows trailer of a popular MMORPG at their big show, but players rant: “it doesn’t match“ with the game”
