Tim Cain co-created Fallout alongside Leonard Boyarsky during his time at Interplay Entertainment, before going on to co-direct The Outer Worlds with him much later at Obsidian Entertainment. In 2020, however, Cain left the studio- though it turns out he’s still serving as a consultant on the upcoming sequel’s development.

The same was spotted by Rock Paper Shotgun in videos that Cain has recently been posting on his personal YouTube channel, where he revealed that though he is “semi-retired”, he is still consulting on The Outer Worlds 2, with his role being focused on playing through levels and providing feedback, in particular for the game’s humour and lore.

“There’s stuff they’re trying to do in the sequel, that of course I can’t talk about, that I get pulled in on because it’s similar to stuff I’ve done in the past,” Cain said in a video. “Sometimes it’s just me saying, ‘I’m not gonna tell you what to do, but here are the pitfalls. Here are some of the huge, huge chasms that lie in your way, that you’re gonna have to wend around.'”

As previously mentioned, details on The Outer Worlds 2 have been scant since its announcement. It’s apparently been in the works since 2019, though at the time of its announcement, Obsidian made it abundantly clear that the game was in the early stages of development. Meanwhile, job ads have also suggested that the project is being made using Unreal Engine 5.

Set in the Halcyon system, you’re the Stranger, an inhabitant of Hope, a colony ship that went mysteriously missing. Due to various megacorporations exploiting the system’s resources, they’re struggling to get by. The Stranger must find a way to wake Hope’s inhabitants from cryosleep while assisting the citizenry of Halcyon.

Alternatively, you could side with The Board representing the megacorporations. It’s up to you, and The Outer Worlds offers a variety of skills, weapons and play styles to go with all of the different choices and consequences. For more details, check out our review here. A sequel, The Outer Worlds 2, is in development for Xbox Series X/S and PC but still undecided for PS5.

https://twitter.com/OuterWorlds/status/1717224607927730385

Regarding the visuals, volumetric lighting, particle systems, and depth of field have been improved. Asset density in environments is also higher, and the character models are reworked. It also supports haptic feedback and adaptive triggers on the PlayStation 5’s DualSense controller.

Those who own the base game and its DLC on Xbox One, PS4 and PC can upgrade to the Spacer’s Choice Edition for $10. Unfortunately, Steam users reported performance issues with the PC version, resulting in a “Mostly Negative” rating. Stay tuned for potential updates and fixes in the coming days.

For instance, there’s 4K and 60 FPS support, but volumetric lighting and particle systems are improved. Environments also have increased asset density with improved depth of field and updated “varying” weather conditions. Character models and animations are reworked, and the AI for combat and companions is improved.

The PS5 DualSense’s haptic feedback and adaptive triggers are supported. Different weapons have different feedback, like a pulse-like kickback with automatic weapons and a “linear pressure” with the flamethrower. It’s also worth noting that the level cap is increased to 99, offering more room for skill choices.

The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition is out on March 7th. Current Xbox, PlayStation and PC owners can upgrade to it at a reduced price, though the price hasn’t been confirmed.

The Outer Worlds is a first-person shooter/RPG where players navigate the Halcyon system and its planets after awakening from cryo-sleep. By making different choices, you can recruit companions, change the direction of the narrative, and gain fervor from different factions. The Spacer’s Choice Edition even has a higher level cap, providing more ways to customize your character.

If you own The Outer Worlds and its DLC on any platform, you can upgrade to the Spacer’s Choice Edition for the latest console in the same family or on the same PC storefront at a reduced price. It’s out on March 7th – stay tuned for more details and gameplay. You can also check out our review for the base game here.

As spotted by Gematsu, the RPG’s unannounced re-release has now also been rated for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC by the ESRB. On top of that The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition’s aforementioned Taiwanese rating has also been updated, and now shows the game’s official box art on all platforms. Check it out below.

The Outer Worlds is currently available on Xbox One, PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch. Obsidian Entertainment is also currently working on The Outer Worlds 2, though it doesn’t yet have a release date.

Taiwan ratings for The Outer Worlds: Spacer's Choice Edition have been updated with box arts.

Also rated by ESRB yesterday: https://t.co/3qu7iHTHLn https://t.co/Mz1yT6zHJa pic.twitter.com/YVsv3lrV5B

— Gematsu (@gematsu) October 17, 2022

The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition is likely a current-gen upgrade for the game, and will presumably include all of the DLC that it has gotten since release. Publisher Private Division is yet to make any official announcement for the release.

Originally released in 2019, The Outer Worlds is a sci-fi RPG in the vein of Bethesda’s Fallout series. The Outer Worlds was released on PC, PS4, and Xbox One, and since release, got two expansions: Murder on Eridanos, and Peril on Gorgon.

A sequel to The Outer Worlds, appropriately titled The Outer Worlds 2, was announced in June 2021. It is being developed by Obsidian and published by Microsoft, and will be coming to PC and Xbox Series X/S. Considering the fact that Obsidian is one of Microsoft’s studios, the game will also likely make its way on to PC and Xbox Game Pass on release.

In the latest Take-Two Interactive quarterly report, it was stated that the game has now surpassed 4 million solid-in units during its lifetime. For reference, the game was said to have reached the 3 million milestone back in May of this year, meaning that in less than a year’s time, the game has at least shipped 1 million more units. It’s an impressive number for a mid-budget new IP, especially considering the game has been on Xbox Game Pass since launch.

The Outer Worlds is available now on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch and PC. A sequel to the game has been announced for Xbox Series X/S and PC, and will be published by Microsoft following Obsidian’s acquisition by the company.

We’ve already heard reports that their fantasy RPG Avowed might have a presence at E3, but that might not be all where Obsidian is concerned. In a recently published report on Windows Central, known Xbox insider Jez Corden wrote that based on things he’s heard, even The Outer Worlds 2 might have a chance of being announced. Given the fact that the first game launched in 2019, an announcement at E3 doesn’t seem too unlikely, though this is still unverified info, so treat it as such for now.

Meanwhile, plenty of other first party Microsoft games might also be showing up at E3, according to reports, including the likes of Halo Infinite, Starfield, Forza Horizon 5, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, and Arkane’s Omen. Of course, not all of them are equally likely to be at E3, but it should be an interesting showcase nonetheless.

In a recent Q4 2021 financial earnings call (transcript via The Motley Fool), Take Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick provided an update on sales numbers for Obsidian Entertainment’s The Outer Worlds. It sold in more than three million units till date following the release of Murder on Eridanos. Where does the franchise go from here though?

Private Division revealed to Tweak Town’s PR/gaming editor Derek Strickland that, “Moving forward, Obsidian and Microsoft will be publishing future iterations in the franchise, and we’re absolutely thrilled to see where they take it.” Strickland noted on Twitter that this doesn’t mean The Outer Worlds 2 has been confirmed, though there are rumors of it being in pre-production. All it reveals is that if a new title is developed, it will be Microsoft/Obsidian that publishes it and not Private Division.

Obsidian Entertainment was acquired by Microsoft in November 2018 and is now part of Xbox Game Studios. It’s currently developing the first-person medieval fantasy RPG Avowed for PC and Xbox Series X/S. Insider reports indicate a target release date of late 2022/early 2023 though we’ll need to wait for more details in the meantime. Stay tuned, especially with Microsoft being part of E3 2021 on June 12th to 15th.

Hey all, I got an official clarification from Private Division on future games in the The Outer Worlds IP:

"Moving forward, Obsidian and Microsoft will be publishing future iterations in the franchise, and we're absolutely thrilled to see where they take it."

— Derek Strickland (@DeekeTweak) May 19, 2021

To be clear this isn't a confirmation of The Outer Worlds 2

If there is a sequel, Private Division is just saying Microsoft and Obisian will be publishing it.

Private Division won't be publishing another Outer Worlds game.

— Derek Strickland (@DeekeTweak) May 19, 2021