The Outer Worlds 2

The Outer Worlds 2 is an action role-playing game that is played in either first-person or third-person perspective. Players can use melee weapons and firearms to defeat enemies. The game features an expanded selection of weapons, better visuals, and an increased focus on action compared to the first game, according to Obsidian Entertainment. It is set in a new star system with a new cast of characters.

S. President William McKinley never occurred. As a result, he was never succeeded by Theodore Roosevelt, a vocal anti-monopolist who pushed to break up the growing business trusts of the time. Without his intervention, society eventually became dominated by autonomous megacorporations that maintained a rigid class system based on capitalism, wealth disparity, and brand loyalty.

After a devastating global war in the mid-21st century, faster-than-light travel was invented, allowing humanity to colonize the universe with different intentions and fates for the various expeditions. The art, architecture, and technology of the various colonies scattered throughout the universe display a unique blend of Art Nouveau, Old West, steampunk, and dieselpunk aesthetics.

During development of the first game, Obsidian Entertainment was acquired by Microsoft and integrated as a first-party developer for Xbox Game Studios in November 2018. While the arrangement did not affect the game's original distribution plans, Microsoft acquired all publishing duties for "future iterations" of The Outer Worlds from Private Division by May 2021. A sequel to the game had entered development in September 2019, two months before The Outer Worlds launched.

In January 2024, The Outer Worlds director Tim Cain, who left Obsidian in 2020 and considered himself retired from the games industry, revealed that he remained attached to The Outer Worlds 2 as a creative consultant during its production. Cain praised the game's team as they had "figured out" a solution to a specific problem the developer had continued to struggle with across all his previous titles, referencing production notes he recalled from creating the original Fallout in 1997, and he frequently assisted staff in identifying "pitfalls" in the game's overall quality. In August 2024, Obsidian CEO Feargus Urquhart provided an update on the game, saying it "is looking incredible" despite conflicts with the game's planned production timeline.

The Outer Worlds 2 received "generally favorable" reviews from critics, according to review aggregator website Metacritic. OpenCritic determined that 88% of critics recommended the game. In Japan, four critics from Famitsu gave the game a total score of 33 out of 40.

The game was nominated for Best Role Playing Game at The Game Awards 2025, and for Role-Playing Game of the Year at the 29th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards.