The dreams of a vibrant space-faring sequel are fading, and fans are pointing fingers – not just at the developers, but at a colossal pricing blunder that may have sunk the hype train before it even left the station!
It's a somber day for fans of the quirky RPG series, The Outer Worlds. News has surfaced that developer Obsidian Entertainment isn't currently working on a follow-up to The Outer Worlds 2. This disappointment has led many players to reflect on what went wrong, with a significant portion of the blame landing squarely on Microsoft's shoulders for an ill-fated pricing strategy.
But here's where it gets controversial... many believe that a bold, albeit unpopular, pricing decision by Microsoft initially stifled the enthusiasm for The Outer Worlds 2, even before the company eventually reversed course.
Recent reports have shed light on the demanding year Obsidian Entertainment has had. The studio juggled the early access launch of Grounded 2 with the full releases of both The Outer Worlds 2 and Avowed, all after lengthy development cycles. Out of these three ambitious projects, only Grounded 2 is being hailed as a success. While plans are in motion for more games within the Avowed universe, a third installment in The Outer Worlds saga is not on the horizon.
This news has understandably disheartened the dedicated fanbase of the space-themed RPG. They've taken to online forums to share their thoughts on why the series might not be reaching its full potential.
One fan, Godlike013, shared on the main The Outer Worlds subreddit, "I feel like TOW2 paid for the sins of TOW 1 and Avowed." They argued that The Outer Worlds 2 deserved a better reception, suggesting that "After two mid games in a row negative sentiment unfairly fell on TOW2 when it is a genuinely good game." This sentiment suggests that the sequel was unfairly judged due to past perceptions.
Lafitte1812 offered a more pragmatic view, stating, "I'll be honest, it's not surprising in the least." While acknowledging that TOW2 is a significant improvement, with "a night and day difference" and most issues resolved, they admitted, "I still don't really give a damn about the universe, and positive word of mouth alone is only so impactful." This highlights a potential disconnect between gameplay improvements and overall player engagement with the game's world.
CardTrickOTK echoed this feeling of being underwhelmed, noting, "I think it was better than the first in a lot of ways, but when BG3 drops and lets you do some frankly insane things with the companions, I think a lot of people had their standards raised for RPGs, and this game is just okay." This comparison to Baldur's Gate 3 points to a rapidly evolving and increasingly high bar for RPGs in the market.
Several other fans pointed to the recent release of other highly anticipated RPGs, including the critically acclaimed Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, as providing stiff competition. These comparisons, particularly in areas like storytelling and character development, have been tough. The extended wait for The Outer Worlds 2 also seemed to inflate expectations, which, for some, the sequel ultimately failed to meet.
RUKnight31 lamented, "The first game was incredible but lacked content. We excused that due to limited budget and dev time for a new franchise. Given the increased resources and development time that went into OW2 we expected to have a lot more content than OW. It didn't and the obvious 'business decisions' that led to chopped content sucked to see." This is a common frustration when sequels, despite more development time, don't feel like a significant step up in content.
And this is the part most people miss... a significant number of fans are expressing intense frustration with Microsoft's initial pricing strategy. The Outer Worlds 2 was initially slated to be Microsoft's first $80 game. While the company later paused and backtracked on this initiative, ultimately reverting to a $70 price point and offering refunds for pre-orders, the damage to the game's hype was already done. Many fans believe this pricing fiasco dominated headlines and severely hampered the game's ability to regain momentum.
Some fans even found a poetic irony in this situation, given that The Outer Worlds 2 itself tells a story about individuals caught in the machinations of powerful megacorporations.
QQBearsHijacker perfectly encapsulated this sentiment with a witty observation: "So capitalism was the true villain all along."
RUKnight31 further elaborated on the pricing issue: "They overshot asking $80 and that turned a lot of gamers off. The backtrack to $70 was too little too late. In this economy $60-$70 is already a lot. Trying to push $80 as the new norm was outlandish for leisure."
ElGodPug agreed, stating, "Did not help at all that the biggest splash this game made on the overall gaming lake was the stupid 80 bucks fiasco that Microsoft tried to push. Like, even after they reduced to 70 (still too much IMO), first impressions are pretty important, and to many it was 'oh hey, it's the sequel to that 7/10 game asking us to pay 20 bucks more'." This highlights how a negative first impression, driven by pricing, can overshadow subsequent positive developments.
Philosophers-Bone offered a blunt assessment: "There were a lot of great RPGs this year and unfortunately this one was forgettable. Not horrible or anything, just didn't stand out. I'm glad I played it on Game Pass and didn't shell out $80 or whatever insane price they listed it for."
For context, IGN's review of The Outer Worlds 2 awarded it an 8/10, noting that "once you get past a weak first act, The Outer Worlds 2 sharpens Obsidian’s RPG formula with smarter writing and better combat." The review concluded that the game "doesn’t try to rewrite Obsidian’s RPG playbook, but it’s yet another strong refinement."
Now, let's talk about it! Do you agree that Microsoft's initial $80 price point was the primary reason for the lack of hype surrounding The Outer Worlds 2? Or do you think other factors, like comparisons to other RPGs or the perceived lack of content, played a bigger role? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
