Skip to main content
PC Gamer THE GLOBAL AUTHORITY ON PC GAMES
Search PC Gamer
View Profile
Movies & TV
Gaming Industry
PC Gaming Show
Newsletter Signup
Community Guidelines
Affiliate Links
Meet the team
About PC Gamer
PC Gamer Magazine Subscription
Why subscribe?
Subscribe to the world’s #1 PC gaming mag
Try a single issue or save on a subscription
Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From£35.99View
Essential Hardware
PC Gaming Show
Dune: Awakening
Recommended reading
The Outer Worlds 2 game director says its writing has a ‘less silly, darker tone’ than the first game
The Outer Worlds 2 has a ‘bad knees’ perk that makes your old-man legs pop and alert enemies when you stand, and another that Obsidian fully admits makes the game ‘pretty unplayable’
The Outer Worlds 2 has revealed its two most important factions: Angry authoritarian jocks and holier than thou science-bros who just want to solve a maths problem
‘It’s the year of Obsidian’: The Outer Worlds 2 game director says the studio isn’t worried about releasing another RPG in the same year as Avowed
The Outer Worlds 2 will have a Fallout: New Vegas-style radio system with tons of music and reactivity: ‘They’re gonna be cheering you on as a hero’
I’ve finally seen gameplay from ZA/UM’s follow-up to Disco Elyisum, and it looks a lot like Disco Elysium. It will have to be spectacular to win back a hostile fanbase
Survival & Crafting
3 things I liked and 2 I didn’t after 30 minutes with Grounded 2
The Outer Worlds 2
Outer Worlds 2 writes an enormous cheque it will soon have to cash: It’s not just New Vegas-inspired, it’s Deus Ex-flavoured too
Joshua Wolens
26 June 2025
He might as well have signed an affidavit saying ‘Josh I promise you will fall in love with this videogame.’
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Obsidian Entertainment)
My opinion on The Outer Worlds 1 is that, you know, it was pretty much fine. It was a perfectly serviceable RPG and it was even pretty funny in spots. But it was sunk by the fact it came from Obsidian, which made some of the best RPGs of all time, and didn’t necessarily have much to say with its hyper-corporate setting at a time when everyone was catching some very strong feelings about capitalism.
But I certainly didn’t hate it and I like Obsidian a great deal, so I’m very open to (and hopeful for) the possibility that The Outer Worlds 2 will hit where the first game missed. Still, its creative director is certainly out there writing some very big cheques for the game. In a chat with GamesRadar, Brandon Adler not only namechecked Fallout: New Vegas as “a big inspiration for us,” he also called out the Eidos Montreal Deus Ex games as an influence.
Adler says “the newer Deus Ex games” are something he “really loves,” and that we can expect a big dollop o’ Jensen when Outer Worlds the Second hits on October 29.
Related Articles
The Outer Worlds 2 game director says its writing has a ‘less silly, darker tone’ than the first game
The Outer Worlds 2 has a ‘bad knees’ perk that makes your old-man legs pop and alert enemies when you stand, and another that Obsidian fully admits makes the game ‘pretty unplayable’
The Outer Worlds 2 has revealed its two most important factions: Angry authoritarian jocks and holier than thou science-bros who just want to solve a maths problem
On the one hand, I have to admire Adler here. He absolutely knows that namechecking Deus Ex and New Vegas in front of the kind of crowd (me) paying attention to Outer Worlds 2 news is like dangling a big chain of juicy sausages in front of a dog. It’s the kind of thing that gets my attention immediately, and a hell of a comparison to set up for yourself. He must be feeling confident.
(Image credit: Obsidian Entertainment)
But with Outer Worlds registering at a solid ‘fine’ in the annals of videogame history, it’s also a statement that has me sucking air through my teeth, like I’m watching someone limber up to leap the Grand Canyon who’d previously struggled at Bossaball.
I hope Obsidian pulls it off. In fairness, I had a jolly time with Avowed and the whole world seems very into that whole Grounded thing. The studio is on a bit of a hot streak at the minute. Maybe it’ll really succeed at summoning all the ghosts of imsim past to make The Outer Worlds 2 truly special. Maybe.
2025 games: This year’s upcoming releases
Best PC games: Our all-time favorites
Free PC games: Freebie fest
Best FPS games: Finest gunplay
Best RPGs: Grand adventures
Best co-op games: Better together
The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals
Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.
Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
Obsidian Entertainment
Joshua Wolens
Social Links Navigation
News Writer
One of Josh’s first memories is of playing Quake 2 on the family computer when he was much too young to be doing that, and he’s been irreparably game-brained ever since. His writing has been featured in Vice, Fanbyte, and the Financial Times. He’ll play pretty much anything, and has written far too much on everything from visual novels to Assassin’s Creed. His most profound loves are for CRPGs, immersive sims, and any game whose ambition outstrips its budget. He thinks you’re all far too mean about Deus Ex: Invisible War.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
The Outer Worlds 2 game director says its writing has a ‘less silly, darker tone’ than the first game
The Outer Worlds 2 has a ‘bad knees’ perk that makes your old-man legs pop and alert enemies when you stand, and another that Obsidian fully admits makes the game ‘pretty unplayable’
The Outer Worlds 2 has revealed its two most important factions: Angry authoritarian jocks and holier than thou science-bros who just want to solve a maths problem
‘It’s the year of Obsidian’: The Outer Worlds 2 game director says the studio isn’t worried about releasing another RPG in the same year as Avowed
The Outer Worlds 2 will have a Fallout: New Vegas-style radio system with tons of music and reactivity: ‘They’re gonna be cheering you on as a hero’
I’ve finally seen gameplay from ZA/UM’s follow-up to Disco Elyisum, and it looks a lot like Disco Elysium. It will have to be spectacular to win back a hostile fanbase
Latest in RPG
Erenshor is a simulated MMO built for singleplayer by a single person
System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remastered is a light touch remaster, but it’s the best way to play the imsim classic
Diablo Immortal’s new druid class dragged me back in and convinced me that ignoring all the monetization leaves you with a solid action RPG
Karlach’s actor knows about the 3,138 ‘filthy’ Baldur’s Gate 3 stories you’ve written on fanfic sites and still sends all their love to fans for changing their life: ‘I don’t read it, but I am aware’
FromSoftware to make the most brutal boss in Elden Ring Nightreign even harder, as Fulghor gets picked to be the next Everdark Sovereign
Larian jumped to improve Karlach’s ending in Baldur’s Gate 3 right away, with voice actor Samantha Béart saying it was nigh-on immediate: ‘As soon as it was out, I got a call’
Latest in News
‘Artificial intelligence is going to displace millions and millions of workers’ says Bernie Sanders, so might as well take a four-day week
Jagex CEO breaks glass, hits PR emergency button by promising an end to a ‘tainted RuneScape 3’ via microtransaction overhaul
Former CEO Pat Gelsinger reveals he was ‘not given the opportunity’ to finish his job at Intel as he predicts the future of computing will be a ‘trinity’ of traditional, AI and quantum machines
Research team shares new method for sucking gold out of old PC hardware, making some progress towards shrinking our mountains of e-waste one day
Exclusive deal: Save up to 76% on a NordVPN two-year subscription and get four months extra free, plus an Amazon gift card on selected plans
Peak has now sold 2 million copies in just 9 days, as the devs reveal what’s next for this co-op climbing game: ‘Let’s talk about what we’re cooking’
HARDWARE BUYING GUIDES
LATEST GAME REVIEWS
Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads
Best graphics card for laptops in 2025: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop
Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most
Best 14-inch gaming laptop in 2025: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands
Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested
Peak review
System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remastered review
Acer Predator X32X QD-OLED review
Crucial P510 NVMe SSD review
Kioxia Exceria Plus G4 NVMe SSD review
PC Gamer is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.
Contact Future’s experts
Terms and conditions
Privacy policy
Cookies policy
Advertise with us
Accessibility Statement
Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury,
BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.
Please login or signup to comment
Please wait…