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July 26, 2026Sources cited
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The Outer Worlds

The Outer Worlds is a 2019 single-player first-person action role-playing game developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Private Division.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

The Outer Worlds is a 2019 single-player first-person action role-playing game developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Private Division. Set in the Halcyon colony of an alternate-future solar system dominated by megacorporations, it follows a revived colonist who becomes entangled in a conflict over the colony’s future.

Gameplay

The Outer Worlds combines first-person combat with role-playing systems such as character skills, dialogue choices, and quest branching. Player decisions affect relationships, mission outcomes, and the story’s ending.

Setting and story

The game takes place in the Halcyon colony, where large corporations control much of daily life and the colony’s economy. The player character awakens decades after the Hope colony ship was lost in transit and becomes involved in a struggle over Halcyon’s future.

Development and release

The Outer Worlds was developed by Obsidian Entertainment and released in 2019 by Private Division. It was presented as a single-player sci-fi RPG with a strong emphasis on choice and narrative.

Reception

The game was generally described by reviewers as a polished, humorous, story-driven role-playing game. Coverage often compared its tone and structure to Fallout-style design and corporate satire.

Key facts

  • The Outer Worlds is a single-player first-person action role-playing game with dialogue choices and branching quests.
  • It is set in the Halcyon system, a corporate-controlled colony in an alternate future.
  • The player controls a passenger from the lost colony ship Hope who is revived by a scientist.
  • The game is known for dark humour and satirical social commentary.
  • It was developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Private Division.
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Canadian context

The Outer Worlds was published by Private Division, a publisher based in the Canadian gaming industry ecosystem through Take-Two Interactive, and the game has been widely covered and sold in Canada as part of mainstream console and PC release markets.

Frequently asked questions

What type of game is The Outer Worlds?
It is a single-player first-person action role-playing game with dialogue choices, combat, and branching quests.
Who developed The Outer Worlds?
It was developed by Obsidian Entertainment.
Who published The Outer Worlds?
It was published by Private Division.
What is the setting of The Outer Worlds?
The game is set in the Halcyon system, a distant colony in an alternate future dominated by megacorporations.
What is the story about?
The player character is a revived colonist from the lost Hope ship who becomes involved in a conspiracy affecting the colony.
Is The Outer Worlds multiplayer?
No. It is a single-player game.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Outer_Worlds
    Supports: Developer, publisher, release year, genre, first-person perspective, setting, and basic premise.
  2. Steam — https://store.steampowered.com/app/578650/The_Outer_Worlds/
    Supports: Single-player first-person sci-fi RPG description and publisher/developer attribution.
  3. Metacritic — https://www.metacritic.com/game/the-outer-worlds/
    Supports: Single-player first-person sci-fi RPG summary and narrative premise.
  4. IGN — https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/10/22/the-outer-worlds-review
    Supports: Corporate dystopia setting, dark humour, and first-person RPG framing.