Published on: 28/02/2023

Obsidian announces Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice edition

In a recent announcement, Obsidian Entertainment revealed the definitive version of their Outer Worlds game, the Spacer’s Choice edition. It will be released for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S on March 7.

Obsidian released a trailer for the upcoming Spacer’s Choice edition on Monday, showcasing the edition’s graphical fidelity and new systems. It will feature the base game and the Peril on Gorgon and Murder on Eridanos DLCs. There will also be major changes to the lighting, weather system and environments in the game, along with adjusted loading performance.

The new edition comes as a great addition to Obsidian’s most popular intellectual property to date. Famously known as the development team behind Fallout: New Vegas, Obsidian found galactic success in their retro-styled sci-fi game Outer Worlds, released in 2019 to sky-high critical acclaim and warm audience reception.

Numerous critics have praised the game as a “spiritual successor” to Fallout: New Vegas. Many elements from New Vegas returned in Outer Worlds, including its interactive narrative, thrilling combat, story factions, companions and, especially, player choice.

“Obsidian has found its own path in the space between Bethesda and BioWare, and it’s a great one. And considering that new RPGs from either of those influential developers are still years away, this game couldn’t have been timed any better,” IGN reviewer Dan Stapleton said.

By February 2020, the game had sold over 2 million copies. It also received numerous critical awards, including Best Original Game in the 2019 Game Critics Awards and Most Promising New Intellectual Property in the 2020 SXSW Gaming Awards.

Older Outer Worlds players will have the privilege to upgrade their current version of the game to the Spacer’s Choice edition for $9.99. However, new players interested in purchasing the Spacer’s Choice edition must pay $59.99 for the full experience.

The new edition comes a few years after Obsidian’s announcement for the game’s sequel, Outer Worlds 2. Obsidian unveiled the game’s development in E3 2021. However, initial trailers showed little of the game’s content outside its iconic style and characteristic humor.

Edition enhancements

The original Outer Worlds game is set in the Halcyon galaxy, which is controlled by corporations and brimming with conflicted factions vying for power. Players get to explore unique galactic locales like the strange Gorgon Asteroid or the colorful Eridanos distillery.

As mentioned above, the Spacer’s Choice edition will feature the game’s two DLCs. Peril on Gorgon comprises an action-packed mission that begins with players receiving a severed hand in their mail, which will lead to players exploring the newly-added Gorgon research facility.

Murder on Eridanos leans heavily on Obsidian’s strengths, portraying a colorful whodunit-style mystery with the team’s characteristic twists and turns. The DLC explores one of Outer Worlds’ most lively and colorful environments, using the scattered Eridanos’ distillery meteors as a stage for the murder of a beloved Halcyon actress.

Alongside the DLCs, Spacer’s Choice offers several graphical enhancements and visual updates. The game’s trailer showcased a change in visual filters, with greater detail on environmental textures, better lighting effects and adjusted animations.

Unfortunately for older players looking forward to new Outer Worlds content, the Spacer’s Edition announcement did not elaborate on the Outer Worlds 2. Some game journalists speculate that the sequel may release in 2024, though Obsidian has yet to announce a specific date.

According to analysts, Outer Worlds 2 will likely release on Xbox consoles and PC. Whether or not it will release on Playstation is yet to be seen.