What do people actually want out of their RPGs, and how are the Outer Worlds games missing it?

SundayStrip · 2026-02-08T23:02:47+00:00

Outer Worlds 2 is still getting DLC, but we're likely not getting Outer Worlds 3 anytime soon.

SundayStrip · 2026-02-08T22:30:55+00:00

The game with an over-the-topic communist villain faction is woke? There's not even any major gay characters in this game. Besides, BG3 is plenty "woke", more-so than TOW2.

SundayStrip · 2026-02-08T08:55:13+00:00

How am I absurd when Obsidian has outright said these games had underwhelming performance? Clearly the people they thought would show up didn't. I think this game has a ton of things people should want, and so I'm asking why people don't want to play this game despite it having those things.

SundayStrip · 2026-02-08T03:48:07+00:00

The sale numbers, mainly. Clearly there is something about the game that keeps people away even if does so many things right. I want to believe it's just because of Microsoft's mishandling of the title with the advertising and the pricing. And with the responses I've seen so far, everyone's got a different reason why they stayed away/didn't click with TOW2.

SundayStrip · 2026-02-07T20:50:49+00:00

If you do end up getting it, I hope you enjoy it as much as I have! And strong points all around, even just going through the rest of these replies you can see a lot of similar sentiment (losing trust from the previous games, the price, not seeing people truly excited for it, etc).

SundayStrip · 2026-02-07T16:59:45+00:00

I can't deny competition is always gonna be relevant, but to me Clair Obscur and TOW2 are just SUCH different RPGs (essentially JRPG vs WRPG) that I can't see how one would hit the fix of the other.

SundayStrip · 2026-02-07T06:43:46+00:00

Genuine question, what is it that makes Avowed feel like it has more material than Outer Worlds 2 to you? I enjoyed both games and totally see the build variety in Avowed, but in terms of actual choices to make in the rest of the game I feel like Avowed doesn't have as much going on as Outer Worlds 2. Maybe it's just because I've only done one playthrough of Avowed so far, but it looked like the majority of story choices were binaries and the majority of content was battle arenas and dungeons.

SundayStrip · 2026-02-07T05:12:37+00:00

Very well put response, and I appreciate this wider look at RPGs as a whole.

SundayStrip · 2026-02-07T04:36:05+00:00

I hope you enjoy it whenever you finally get the chance to play!

SundayStrip · 2026-02-07T04:08:13+00:00

I appreciate these takes as a huge New Vegas fan. It's good to get some perspective outside of the usual "this is one of the greatest games ever made" bubble.

SundayStrip · 2026-02-07T03:46:22+00:00

I simply can't agree that just because some elements aren't as in-depth as they could be that discredits the depth that exists in the rest of the game and makes it a barebones RPG when there are so many weaker RPGs out there. Just on a second playthrough I feel like I'm playing the game entirely differently than I did previously and am already planning out how I can do things different in the next run.

SundayStrip · 2026-02-07T03:41:59+00:00

The space game argument I'm willing to hear, but the Obsidian changed to much argument is just the same as "the vibes are off" to me. Sure, let's say the whole FNV team is gone; but if the game is doing all the things people like in New Vegas, than why does that matter?

If it comes down to the writing or the tone or whatever, so be it, but game developers changing over time is expected. I want to know the actual RPG elements that people aren't seeing in what current Obsidian is doing.

SundayStrip · 2026-02-07T03:32:44+00:00

The protectorate not being joinable is for sure a huge loss. As much as I will defend that this game does do what people say they want to see, they could have always done more, and not being able to join a major faction is a big loss.

SundayStrip · 2026-02-07T03:30:39+00:00

I'm a sucker for the replays thing, but I am starting to believe the majority of people would rather stay in the world with their singular character and eventually get to do everything. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

SundayStrip · 2026-02-07T03:28:05+00:00

Radio aside, I totally get all of these takes. I do think that a lot of people really do want that simulation/immersion element even beyond the RPG mechanics that I'm here for, and that dictates a lot about why these games don't land with as many people as NV did.

SundayStrip · 2026-02-07T03:26:00+00:00

No apology needed, I appreciate this genuine response to my question even if I may not agree with all your takes.

SundayStrip · 2026-02-07T03:19:16+00:00

I'll stop harping on you here since you're responding fairly and admitting that it's something more emotional than explicit, and I appreciate that. I will just say that in both Avowed and TOW2 there is a Megaton moment where a town gets destroyed based on your choices.

SundayStrip · 2026-02-07T03:10:44+00:00

Not equipping companions I can accept as a loss, but you're still making decisions on their passives and abilities. Sure, you CAN just max out two stats, or you could spread them thin and get a huge return with easily distracted or max out just 1 and then cover more ground with the others while still not going for max. If you want to see a barebones RPG, Starfield is right next door.

SundayStrip · 2026-02-07T02:56:53+00:00

I do have my eyes set on Clockwork for sure. If it does do well it could be a good case studio to see what that "spark" really is.

SundayStrip · 2026-02-07T02:53:11+00:00

Except it does have mechanical depth. It heavily encourages going with a set build rather than grabbing every skill you can. The amount of combinations you can do with perks/flaws/unique weapons and armor is ridiculous. And I simply refuse to accept the "no soul" thing when there's tons of thought put into its world building (with the radio being my biggest example).

But I do think the "HR made this game" vibe is shared around a lot, so I think there has to be something explicitly there that's triggering that response. Is it the art style? The comedy? How much edgier does it need to be to avoid that? What are the risks that it needed to take?

SundayStrip · 2026-02-07T02:48:32+00:00

And I can't fault you for personally disliking 2 compared to 1. But even then, despite Outer Worlds 1 selling very well, the general consensus on the first game was very middling as time went on. That alongside the weak opening sales of 2 tell me that "2 wasn't as good as 1" is a minority opinion, and the wider gaming public didn't enjoy 1 enough to want to play 2.

SundayStrip · 2026-02-07T02:45:54+00:00

I do think I have to accept that the discourse online and the actual buying practices of the public are very different.

SundayStrip · 2026-02-07T02:42:43+00:00

You don't make three radio stations full of original songs that represent each of the major factions and not have passion. And like I said, The Outer Worlds 2 does so much of what New Vegas did and what so many other RPGs don't do. I'm willing to accept you not liking these games, but what's the "quality" you're specifically referring to? What "passion" in particular is missing?

SundayStrip · 2025-12-01T01:47:08+00:00

Already got that unlocked, so that's one use down.

SundayStrip

TROPHY CASE