The Outer Worlds 2 is an action role-playing game developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Xbox Game Studios, serving as a standalone sequel to the critically acclaimed 2019 title The Outer Worlds. Set in the futuristic Arcadia star system, the game places players in the role of an Earth Directorate Agent tasked with investigating mysterious space-time rifts that threaten humanity’s survival. These rifts coincide with a brutal factional war between the authoritarian religious order known as the Protectorate and the ruthless megacorporation Auntie’s Choice, both vying for control over the colony’s advanced skip drive technology. As players navigate this corporate dystopia, they forge alliances, recruit companions, and make morally ambiguous choices that profoundly shape the narrative, world state, and relationships with a diverse cast of characters.
Building on its predecessor, The Outer Worlds 2 offers a blend of first- or third-person perspectives, with enhanced gameplay mechanics including deeper branching dialogue trees, expanded combat systems blending melee and ranged firearms, improved stealth options, and reactive non-playable characters. Powered by Unreal Engine 5, the game delivers stunning visuals across alien landscapes, supporting features like ray tracing, DLSS/FSR/XeSS upscaling, HDR, and ultra-wide displays for an immersive sci-fi experience. Development kicked off in September 2019, shortly after the original’s launch, with full production in 2021 following Obsidian’s acquisition by Microsoft. Announced at the 2021 Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase and with gameplay unveiled at The Game Awards 2024, it launches on October 29, 2025, for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S—available day one on Xbox Game Pass for Ultimate and PC subscribers.
Post Launch Features
Since its release in late 2025, the game has received generally positive reviews, praised for its engaging choices, humorous writing, improved combat, and expansive worlds, though some critics noted occasional performance issues on certain hardware and a story that doesn’t always reach the heights of Obsidian’s past classics. It features a new star system separate from the original’s Halcyon colony, with fresh factions, companions, and a self-contained narrative that doesn’t require playing the first game. Early access was available for premium editions starting October 24, 2025, and the title supports cross-buy on some platforms while offering unlocked framerates and high-resolution options on PC.
System Requirements For PC
The following are the official PC system requirements for The Outer Worlds 2, as listed on Steam. Note that the game requires a 64-bit processor and operating system, an SSD for storage, and DirectX Version 12. Performance scales with higher-end hardware.
Minimum Requirements
OS: Windows 10/11 (64-bit)
Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 2600 / Intel i5-8400
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: AMD RX 5700 / Nvidia GTX 1070 / Intel Arc A580
DirectX: Version 12
Storage: 110 GB available space
Additional Notes: SSD required. Performance scales with higher-end systems.
Recommended Requirements
OS: Windows 10/11 (64-bit)
Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X / Intel Core i7-10700K
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT / Nvidia RTX 3080
DirectX: Version 12
Storage: 110 GB available space
Additional Notes: SSD required. Performance scales with higher-end systems.
The minimum system requirements for the game are Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit), an AMD Ryzen 5 2600 or Intel i5-8400 processor, 16 GB of RAM, an AMD RX 5700, Nvidia GTX 1070, or Intel Arc A580 graphics card, DirectX Version 12, and 110 GB of available storage space on an SSD. Note that an SSD is required, and performance will scale with higher-end systems. The recommended system requirements are Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit), an AMD Ryzen 5 5600X or Intel Core i7-10700K processor, 16 GB of RAM, an AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT or Nvidia RTX 3080 graphics card, DirectX Version 12, and 110 GB of available storage space on an SSD. An SSD is also required for the recommended configuration, with performance scaling on higher-end systems.
Early reception has been generally positive, with critics praising its narrative depth, player agency, and satirical take on capitalism, though some note areas where reactivity and exploration could be more ambitious. Priced at $69.99, it’s positioned as a must-play for fans of single-player RPGs like Fallout and Mass Effect.
丨The Outer Worlds 2 - Benchmarks
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