Last weekend’s Xbox Games Showcase was quite a big “Not-E3” showing from Microsoft, with the publisher sharing tons of news about Xbox games on the horizon, the upcoming Xbox Ally handheld hardware, and more. Perhaps the highlight of the show was a meaty The Outer Worlds 2 Direct that revealed a ton about what players can expect from Obsidian Entertainment’s RPG sequel; however, The Outer Worlds 2’s unveiled $80 price tag also generated quite a bit of controversy.
That MSRP isn’t terribly surprising, given that Nintendo set the tone with Mario Kart World and that Microsoft recently announced widespread Xbox price increases amid economic headwinds. Still, it’s an unwelcome one, as it signals the industry is heading towards an era of $80 releases being normal. And it’s one that The Outer Worlds 2’s director, Brandon Adler, doesn’t like either.
When asked about the game’s price in a Summer Game Fest interview (thanks, GamesRadar+), he said that Obsidian isn’t responsible for it, and that he wishes everyone could play the RPG he’s worked hard to build.
“We’re a game developer. We love to make games. We don’t set the prices for our games,” he said. “Like, personally, as a game developer, I wish everybody could play my game, because that’s what I want out of this whole thing.”
Ultimately, Microsoft made the decision to price The Outer Worlds 2 at $80, and Adler says only it knows why: “But for the reasons and so like, why the $79.99 price point, you’d have to honestly talk to the Xbox folks,” he added.
Adler commented he didn’t want to get into his “own personal feelings” on the matter, but it seems clear he wishes The Outer Worlds 2 was more affordable. With problems like rising development costs, inflation, and economic disruptions from geopolitical issues affecting the industry, though, its price may have been an unfortunate necessity.
Again, The Outer Worlds 2 isn’t the first game to be taking this step, though it is the first one from Microsoft’s corner to do so. Mario Kart World is $80, too, and there’s a chance Gearbox’s upcoming Borderlands 4 will be as well. Adler’s response here is decidedly much, much better than Randy Pitchford saying you’ll find a way to pay $80 if you’re a “real fan.”
It’s worth noting you can circumvent that $80 barrier-to-entry entirely with Obsidian’s sequel by subscribing to Microsoft’s $20/month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate service that gives you access to hundreds of games — including new first-party Xbox titles on day one. There’s a part of me that wonders if encouraging Game Pass subscriptions was the plan with The Outer Worlds 2’s price; if it was, I expect it’s going to work.
Some more good news is the fact that Obsidian’s third game this year, Grounded 2, will launch into Early Access at just $29.99 (it, too, will be on Xbox Game Pass). The follow-up to the incredibly creative 2020 survival game releases next month on July 29, and will feature plenty of new gear and mutations, ridable “buggy” mounts, and a colossal new park map that dwarfs the original game’s Backyard zone.
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