Fans of Fallout and The Elder Scrolls have come to expect both first- and third-person perspectives in open-world RPGs. When Obsidian Entertainment released The Outer Worlds in 2019 without a third-person camera, many players were left wanting.

Obsidian listened. The Outer Worlds 2 will include two dedicated third-person camera modes at launch, giving players another way to experience their customizable Earth Directorate protagonist. That addition, however, was not part of the project’s original plan.

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“We didn’t intend to do third-person when we first started the game,” explains game director Brandon Adler. He says the feature didn’t begin to take shape until roughly two years into development.

Adler describes a long wishlist of potential additions the team discussed during production. Some items seemed too costly or time-consuming at first, destined for a hypothetical future entry. Midway through development, the team reassessed and realized a strong player demand for third-person play. After evaluating the scope and complexity, they chose to move forward.

To implement the new perspective, Obsidian partnered with a studio called Disruptive to build a robust third-person camera system that ties into animations, in-world interactions, field of view, and the game’s existing mechanics. You can see how it functions in the gameplay clip above.

Read Game Informer’s cover story on The Outer Worlds 2 for a deeper look. For more background and visuals, check out these features: 8 facts about Paradise Island, an exclusive Paradise Island gameplay segment, and a piece on how companions and pets appear in the sequel.

Will you be jumping into The Outer Worlds 2 on release? Share your plans in the comments below.