The Outer Worlds 2 is shaping to be a highly anticipated game, riding the coattails of its predecessor from Obsidian Entertainment. Teased at the Xbox and Bethesda joint E3 presentation in June 2021, The Outer Worlds 2 showcased a highly stylized trailer poking fun at the current trend of video game trailers focusing on beasts, humans running, slow-motion shots, and planetary lens flares. The trailer reveals only a silhouette of the protagonist and claims the developers have only finalized the title. This type of meta humor is synonymous with the style of the game world and presents on-brand tongue-in-cheek humor.
Further information on Obsidian's website reveals only that The Outer Worlds 2 will take place in a new star system, with a new crew, but will be the same Outer Worlds. Players of the 2019 game will remember that despite its multiple possible endings, the story of the Stranger, the Unreliable, the Board, Phineas Welles, and lovable Companions wrapped up thoroughly through End Slides with the Unreliable slipping into Halcyon legend. While the cap was placed on this particular story, having the sequel occur elsewhere opens the chance for more thorough world-building.
The Status of Earth and the Earth Directorate
In the game's lore, a Great War occurred on Earth in the twenty-first century. The Earth Directorate formed as a planet-wide government that appeared to help stabilize the economic disasters of the War and reel in the many surviving corporations. Acting as the sole regulatory body, the Earth Directorate was also responsible for cataloging and allotting off-world star systems and colonies to the highest bidders. Halcyon was bought when ten corporations pooled their resources, and the story of The Outer Worlds further details the colony's origins and current affairs.
The game also successfully sprinkles clues regarding the status of Earth throughout Outer Worlds' story, starting with a quest involving Relay GB-23, one of the Groundbreaker's backup auxiliary communications relay stations that receive transmissions from Earth. When the investigation is finished, the Groundbreaker's communications specialist, Edna Ingmire, notes that no messages have been sent in thirty-six months. The game culminates with the Board Adjutant, Sophia Akande, informing players that Earth has gone dark.
Furthermore, information throughout the world reveals that the last Earth Directorate ship heading to Earth from Halcyon, the Cornelius Vanderbilt, disappeared after discovering something that led to Earth's silence. This mystery is never addressed, and a sequel in a new star system in the outer colonies can shed more light on the status of Earth and its Directorate. While the answer could be that fighting amongst Earth's government led to disaster, the mystery of the Cornelius Vanderbilt could widen the world of interstellar space and what may dwell there.
The State of the Other Colonies
No other outer colonies are featured throughout the first Outer Worlds game, though their existence is referenced in speeches, terminals, and messages primarily between long freight haulers. Halcyon has been described as the only star system entirely owned and operated by corporations, which gives The Outer Worlds 2 the ability to flesh out the other type of industries or entities capable of purchasing and running a colony star system from the Earth Directorate. Similarly, the game can explore if the state of these colonies is as dire as the state of Halcyon.
Another critical aspect that The Outer Worlds 2 can explore with additional outer world colonies is the effect of Earth's absence. The first game's conclusion makes it clear that Halcyon is not the only colony that depends on governance and supplies from Earth. With Earth going dark, the survival of these colonies may plunge some into chaos. Further exploration of these colonies could describe if one were responsible for causing Earth to go dark in the first place. Perhaps some newly discovered force didn't appreciate humanity's presence in interstellar space.
The Outer Worlds 2 has a rich tapestry to explore and world-build by setting its story in another star system within the outer colonies. While the first game tied up the account of Halcyon nicely (or not, depending on how players chose to play), several open plot points can allow a breath of fresh air to expand the history, lore, and worlds Obsidian Entertainment has created with its franchise.
The Outer Worlds 2 is currently in development.