In 2021, players learned that The Outer Worlds 2 had officially begun development. This announcement came in the form of a hilariously sarcastic reveal trailer from Obsidian Entertainment. Though the reveal was exciting, it would go on to explain that the only thing that was finished about the game is its title.
The claim that nothing about The Outer Worlds 2 being developed outside the name is likely an exaggeration. Very soon after the release of the first game or perhaps even during it, The Outer Worlds 2 was in pre-production. The reveal trailer came two years after this fact, making it likely that there is some sort of early build that had already been made. With this and other things in mind, the trailer may have given players a rough estimate for its release.
A Rough Estimate of The Outer Worlds 2 Release Date
Obsidian Entertainment likely emphasized that only the title had been complete because not everything is set in stone and many things are probably subject to change. This includes gameplay elements such as The Outer Worlds' character specializations and certain aspects of the story. But just because the game is further along than many believe, doesn't mean it'll come any sooner than games such as The Elder Scrolls 6. The game could also be much larger in scope than its predecessor, meaning it could take many more years of development before the developer event hints at an official release date.
At the time of the reveal trailer, Obsidian Entertainment was also very much focused on other games such as Grounded and Avowed. These games likely took up a large part of their manpower, meaning The Outer Worlds 2 wasn't and may not be in full development. Avowed itself is most likely going to release much sooner than The Outer Worlds 2, meaning players may see it as far down the line as The Elder Scrolls 6. This is probably a good thing, considering that it would completely avoid Starfield's release date. Starfield and The Outer Worlds share a few traits, such as being narrative-driven games that take place in space. Having release dates that are too close to each other could have negative effects on their sales. However, its narrative nature may see it overlapping with the widely-anticipated The Elder Scrolls 6, which certainly wouldn't be good news for The Outer Worlds 2.
Thankfully, overlapping release dates may be more unlikely than many think. Obsidian Entertainment and Bethesda Games Studios are both owned by Microsoft, meaning they likely are working together to have a release schedule that results in the most profit. Even if that isn't the case, the developers would likely avoid each other's release dates in fear that one could negatively affect the other.
This later release date can be seen as a great thing for the franchise. With the first The Outer Worlds, criticism from that game is likely being used to further refine the next game. The same thing will likely be able to be said for Avowed, as developers will be able to see what works with audiences and what doesn't. Also, having previously used Unreal Engine 4 for its first installment, The Outer Worlds 2 could use Unreal Engine 5 to accomplish bigger and better things. The game has the opportunity to put Obsidian Entertainment's experience with open-world RPGs from recent years to use while also inheriting next-gen technology.
With all of that in mind, The Outer Worlds 2 could really become a game that is really out of this world. With humor that makes The Outer Worlds stand out as a franchise, to the ability to traverse various worlds while putting particular skill sets to use, the game already has a head start in terms of quality. It is only a matter of time before players get to experience it.
The Outer Worlds 2 is currently in development.