The Outer Worlds 2 debuts at the Xbox E3 2021 show

New solar system and everything!

What you need to know

• The Outer Worlds 2 dropped in a surprise announcement at the Xbox and Bethesda showcase at E3 2021.
• The game will take place in a new solar system with a new crew.
• No release date is known yet.

At Microsoft's E3 2021 showcase, Obsidian debuted the next installment in the Outer Worlds, the cult-hit shooter RPG, which is set in an alternative future.

In the original Outer Worlds, you dismantled (or supported) a corporate infrastructure that has taken complete control of an off-world system, known as Halcyon. Taking place across multiple planets, The Outer Worlds revived some RPG traditions that have fallen out of favor to some degree in recent years, with Fallout-like skill checks, and Mass Effect-like companions, complete with a branching narrative. The Outer Worlds was by no means perfect, but the writing, atmosphere, and satisfying RPG loop clearly showcased a franchise with massive potential, and clearly Microsoft agrees.

Now owned by Microsoft's Xbox division, The Outer Worlds 2 dropped in a surprise reveal, offering us a glimpse at how Obsidian plans to evolve the formula. The game will be an Xbox console exclusive while also coming to Windows 10 PCs. And of course, like all Xbox titles moving forward, it will be a day one inclusion into Xbox Game Pass.

Not much is known yet about the new entry in the series, but we know it takes place in a new solar system and with a new crew. The trailer even makes note of this, with the narrator saying it hasn't finished the design, the story, or any gameplay that it's ready to show.

Microsoft's plan to introduce one game every quarter for Xbox is gathering pace, and when all of its studios start firing on all cylinders, the amount of fresh content hitting Xbox Game Pass every month will be truly unprecedented.

Be sure to check out more of our Xbox E3 2021 coverage, and stay tuned for more details on The Outer Worlds 2 as we get them.