Developer Nine Dots announced that the early access launch of their action RPG Outward 2 has been delayed to 2027. Open beta is available only until June 22.
Here’s the message from the CEO of the studio on the delay:
Hi everyone,
I know that this might seem sudden as not that long ago we released a trailer inviting people to explore Aurai during summer, but the truth is that if we just stick to the plan stubbornly, we’re delivering a product that might not satisfy your expectations. The last thing we want to do is disappoint fans of Outward and there has been a lot of comments stating that they wish for the game to spend more time in development before the launch. The point of a Beta is to listen to feedback, and so we will.
Dropping this news is especially painful knowing that some of our most dedicated players actually planned their summer break around the release date. It sucks for you and I personally apologize to everyone affected this way. However, it would be even worse if you ended up playing something over your vacation that you were not even happy with.
It’s hard to gauge what is the appropriate degree of stability expected for Early Access. The best we can do is take a hard, honest look at the game, and at our team, and ask: in a few weeks, will this be good enough to charge money for? Our aim is to have such a stark jump between this Beta and the Early Access launch that we earn the trust of our players. You were there for the first Outward and that’s why we were successful. We want you to be happy to be there again for Outward 2.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the Beta and our earlier playtests, who provided feedback, who shared our news, talked with us directly during streams or on Discord. I apologize that we couldn’t give you the game you guys deserve on time. I guess that’s the game development’s equivalent of a defeat scenario: a setback and we come back better prepared.
Based on the closed beta and open beta, Outward 2‘s current state feels more like an alpha test. There’s a series of technical issues, from stutters when opening the inventory to FPS being all over the place, plus inconsistent environmental assets and objects that aren’t even solid. For example, I was able to walk straight through a throne when I was exploring one of its three starting cities. Small things, but the longer you play, the more you notice, and they just compound. Bugs are constant, so this delay is a sigh of relief. From what I’ve played across both the open beta and the closed beta before it, it’s clear the game isn’t ready for public consumption, especially for early access, which requires players to pay for the game in its current state.
Fans of the original will enjoy this one
Fans of the original game should feel excited despite the delay, as the sequel is clearly leaning toward delivering a challenging action RPG where exploration is rewarding and handholding is kept at the bare minimum. Going out on a run to explore a dungeon meant I had to prepare properly, bringing the right amount of consumables and healing items, even for the return trip, since there’s no fast travel available in this game. The implementation of co-op is also a great addition, though I’ll likely continue playing solo, since this feels like the type of game that calls for it.
The bones and vision are still there, but it just needs more time, and giving Nine Dots at least six more months to work on the game is the right call — probably the best use of a beta in a long time. Players expressed their concerns, and the studio listened. Hope to see more in early 2027.
Embed Block Add an embed URL or code.About the Author – Carlos Hernandez
Carlos Hernandez is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Too Much Gaming, where he writes about video games, reviews, and industry news. A lifelong gamer, he would do anything to experience Final Fantasy Tactics for the first time again and has a love/hate relationship with games that require hunting for new gear to improve your character.