The Outer Worlds 2 arrives this fall on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, with the standard release on October 29, 2025 (the Premium Edition ships earlier on October 24). In advance of that launch, Game Informer’s cover story included an interview with Obsidian Entertainment about the lessons it carried forward from the original game and how those lessons shaped the sequel.

Obsidian’s main ambition was to scale up the experience across the board. Players loved the universe, which naturally led to a desire for more—larger environments, longer play sessions, and expanded systems. Director Brandon Adler explains that feedback from players and user research made one thing clear: the sequel needed to be bigger and richer in content.

That expansion wasn’t just about map size. Obsidian pushed to deepen role-playing systems so choices and character builds matter in more places than just combat or dialogue. Adler emphasizes that character creation and progression were prioritized early in development, with perks, flaws, skills, equipment, and discovered knowledge all influencing how the world responds to the player.

Creative director Leonard Boyarsky points out that the team removed many of the constraints that limited what they could do in the first title. Where the original had to avoid making decisions that would cut players off from significant portions of the game, the sequel embraces branching and consequence in bigger, more meaningful ways. That freedom allowed the team to return to a more traditional RPG mindset: deeper reactivity, more consequential choices, and larger, more varied content.

Because the first game established the universe and tone, building the follow-up was more straightforward. Adler notes that with a foundation in place, the team could focus less on prototyping basics and more on narrowing the gap between where the franchise started and where Obsidian wanted it to go. Boyarsky adds that once the series’ voice and vision exist, a sequel can point back to the original rather than leaning on outside references to define itself.

Both developers also reflected on reception to the original game. While some players wished for greater length or complexity compared to Obsidian’s larger RPGs, the studio was heartened by strong reactions to the writing, characters, and world—elements that gave the team confidence to expand boldly for the sequel.

For more from Game Informer’s coverage, see their in-depth The Outer Worlds 2 feature and related exclusive stories on Paradise Island, gameplay, and other behind-the-scenes details.

Tell us: what lesson from the original do you most want Obsidian to keep or change in the sequel? Share your thoughts in the comments below.