Big Preview: The Outer Worlds 2 – Exclusive access and hands-on with the quirky sci-fi RPG

I've played The Outer Worlds 2, and forget what you know about the first game because this silly sequel already feels like a bigger and better RPG: Between incredibly slick combat that changes depending on how you want to role play, and razor sharp writing to back it up, this sequel is playing better than ever.

The Outer Worlds 2 video preview: Why not watch what we played as well? Across our preview, we got to go hands-on with a lot of the new systems powering this sci-fi RPG and got a look at what has changed since the first game, and how The Outer Worlds 2 is shaping up to be "much bigger and deeper".

"The shorthand is New Vegas in space": The Outer Worlds 2 directors double down on Fallout comparisons, and Obsidian isn't worried about setting expectations too high: "It's our pedigree": The comparisons are apt, game director Brandon Adler and creative director Leonard Boyarsky tell us when we discuss how their development on the fan favorite modern Fallout colors their work with The Other Worlds 2, and where this diverges from Avowed.

As The Outer Worlds 2 embraces "crunchy" role-playing, its directors say people are "more open" to deeper RPGs after Baldur's Gate 3: "It's good to bring that stuff to the forefront again": Obsidian Entertainment has found themselves not just in a position to make the game they wished the first The Outer Worlds could be, but to return to some of their hardcore RPG roots while doing so.

Obsidian is not screwing around with The Outer Worlds 2's Fallout New Vegas comparisons: "The critical path is maybe 10 or 15% of the total content": Obsidian was quick to stress "this isn't New Vegas in space" with the first game, but with this sequel things have taken a change thanks to an increase in scope.

We asked Obsidian about romance in The Outer Worlds 2, and now I'm a little hopeful the RPG may follow Avowed's example: "It truly does need to be something that's organic": Don't expect lots of smooching in this sci-fi RPG, but if Avowed is anything to go by this developer is still good at crafting party relationships.

Channeling big Fallout energy means The Outer Worlds 2 could be the Starfield I always wanted: Obsidian's Fallout pedigree might mean they're able to accomplish what Bethesda couldn't with Starfield and deliver a sci-fi RPG that's truly immersive and not, well, a bit over-scoped.

I'm playing The Outer Worlds for the first time because my friend told me it was better than Fallout, and now I'm hyped for the sequel to push it even further: What better time to revisit the original than just before its sequel releases? In many ways, this feels like a blueprint for what Obsidian has managed to pull off this time around.

How Obsidian became Xbox's most prolific studio: "There's not a lot of studios at Microsoft that have an entire external developer making the whole game for them": There's a reason 2025 is being called the "Year of Obsidian". With Grounded 2's early access, Avowed, and now The Outer Worlds 2, the studio is proving themselves one of Xbox's biggest hit makers.

The Outer Worlds 2 guide: The release of this epic RPG is almost here, and will dominate a lot of our playtime towards the end of the year. With it so close, there's still plenty more we know about the game, from how it will play to the sort of systems to expect, so jump in and devour all of the knowledge we've collected so far.