The Outer Worlds debuted in 2019 and has since seen the release of two DLCs titled Peril on Gorgon and Murder on Eridanos. Now, the unofficially called Outer Worlds 2 is said to be in pre-production, though it is far from confirmed. Not much is known about the would-be sequel other than it obviously has some connection to the original game. Given the way The Outer Worlds ends, it’s unlikely (though not entirely impossible) that players will resume the role of the Stranger in The Outer Worlds 2.
Players encounter a lot of different people and personalities during their time in the Halcyon colony, and it’s not uncommon for sequels to feature characters from the previous game. In most cases, it’s practically assumed that sequels will follow this route. While most of The Outer Worlds 2 remains pure speculation, there are a few guesses as to who may return as a recurring character in the sequel. There are also a few characters who almost definitely will not return in the upcoming sequel. While there isn’t a canon ending to The Outer Worlds, all character predictions are based on the three different (complete) endings players can achieve in-game, meaning no companions died during Supernova mode and the Hope wasn’t skipped into the sun.
Characters Who Will (Probably) Return
The Outer Worlds allowed players to recruit up to six companions during the course of the game. Players have the option to complete their companion quests, and if players successfully complete them the outcome directly affects each companion’s ending. Players’ choice in siding with Phineas Welles or the Board will also affect companion endings, along with other key moments in-game. Depending on the ending companions get, it’s possible they could reappear in The Outer Worlds 2, but some are more likely than others.
Ellie Fenhill
Dr. Ellie Fenhill can be found on the Groundbreaker for players to recruit as a companion. Ellie was once a doctor but abandoned her high-society life in Byzantium to become a pirate. Her companion quest revolves around the Stranger helping her get back at her parents, though players can always take things into their own hands—namely, they can kill Ellie’s parents when visiting their Byzantine home. Players can convince Ellie to stay after the murder, but she’ll get the same end title whether she leaves or stays, stating that she left the Unreliable and returned to the Groundbreaker but things were never the same after her parents’ murder.
Unlike some of the other companion’s endings, Ellie’s endings always imply that she survives. She’s also one of the few characters whose ending isn’t affected by the player’s decision to side with the Board or Phineas. If players complete Ellie’s companion quest, her outlook on life is changed to be slightly less pessimistic and she’ll get her own ship to adventure on. If she’s kicked off the Unreliable after her quest is completed, she’ll go back to piracy and drinking at the Lost Hope bar. Even if her companion quest isn’t completed, Ellie simply returns to piracy and loses contact with the Stranger.
No matter what ending players get for Ellie, she’s always alive at the end (or at the very least, accounted for.) Not all companions have this type of ending, and many are dependent upon who players decide to side with at the end of the game. Ellie’s survival at the end of The Outer Worlds makes her a perfect candidate to return in The Outer Worlds 2, especially because she’s always been an adventurer.
Nyoka Ramnarim-Wentworth III
Unlike Ellie or Felix Millstone, players are required to take Nyoka onto the Unreliable to progress the game. She’s a hunter, one of the best, and is found on Monarch in Stellar Bay. Her companion quest is about confronting and dealing with loss and leads to a very touching story about the people she used to know. Like Ellie, Nyoka’s endings are not dependent on who the player sides with.
If Nyoka’s companion quest is completed, she’ll form a group on Monarch that helps those who need to get through the wilderness. If her companion quest is not completed, Nyoka returns to Monarch but her past consumes her. She continues to drink herself senseless and lives as a recluse, but people still hear her machine gun in the dark of night.
Though Nyoka’s endings can mean two very different things for her mental state, she’s alive either way. This means she could potentially return in The Outer Worlds 2, especially if the player character needs a guide through the Monarch wilderness.
Characters Who (Probably) Won’t Return
Conversely, there are characters who most likely won’t return in The Outer Worlds 2, largely because their life (or death) is crucial in The Outer Worlds. Predictions are based on the narrative story-telling in-game and not based on the fact that players could potentially kill everyone they come in contact with if they wanted to.
Phineas Welles
Dr. Welles is the man who brings the Stranger out of stasis and plays a crucial role in The Outer Worlds, making it difficult to consider him for The Outer Worlds 2. Players can also choose to kill him and side with the Board, meaning some playthroughs wouldn’t result in Dr. Welles surviving the final events of the game. Unless a Mass Effect-like system is introduced where players can import their previous decisions from The Outer Worlds, it’s safe to assume that Dr. Welles may not appear in The Outer Worlds 2.
Sophia Akande
Adjutant Sophia Akande is essentially the figurehead of the Board and the other option players have to side with. Much like Dr. Welles, Adjutant Akande can be killed by the Stranger in the final moments of the game. Because she’s essentially the biggest adversary or unsurprising partner players encounter in The Outer Worlds, it’s unlikely that Adjutant Akande would reappear in The Outer Worlds 2.
There’s still much to be revealed about The Outer Worlds sequel and what players have to look forward to. However, given the events of The Outer Worlds, it seems only natural to predict that these characters either will or will not be present in the events of The Outer Worlds 2.
The Outer Worlds is available now for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
