Outward 2 Delayed to 2027 After Beta Feedback
The delay shows that Nine Dots Studio is prioritizing quality over schedule after direct player feedback from an open beta, a rare move for a game that had already set a firm early access date.
Key Facts
- Nine Dots Studio delayed the early access release of Outward 2 from July 7, 2026 to 2027 on June 16, after an open beta that began on June 8.
- CEO Guillaume Boucher-Vidal called the delay 'a defeat scenario' but said the team would return better prepared, citing beta testers who requested more development time.
- The original Outward sold over 1.3 million copies since its 2019 release.
- Outward 2 offers three starting scenarios: a miner in the northern mountains, a resident of an underground city, or a wanderer in a fortress, each affecting gear, skills, and story options.
- The game supports solo play and online or local split-screen co-op for two players, and will launch on PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG.com.
Reporting from 3 sources: Automaton, GameBusiness.jp, Game Spark.
Nine Dots Studio has delayed the early access release of 'Outward 2' from July 7, 2026 to 2027, following feedback from an open beta that began on June 8. The studio announced the delay on June 16, citing a risk that sticking to the original schedule would deliver a product that does not meet user expectations. CEO and Creative Director Guillaume Boucher-Vidal called the delay 'a defeat scenario' but said the team would return better prepared. The open beta, which runs until June 22, gave players a chance to try the game early, and many participants requested more development time before release. 'Outward 2' is the sequel to the 2019 survival action RPG 'Outward', which sold over 1.3 million copies. The new game retains the series' focus on an ordinary person surviving a harsh open world, with systems for hunger, thirst, and fatigue, and adds improved NPCs that react to the environment. Players choose from three starting scenarios and customize their background and traits, affecting equipment, aptitudes, and dialogue. The game supports solo play and online or local split-screen co-op for two players. A specific release date has not been announced, but the Steam store page now lists 2027. The game will launch on PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG.com, with Japanese display support.
The open beta for 'Outward 2' launched on June 8 and runs through June 22, giving players a preview of the survival action RPG. Nine Dots Studio announced the delay on June 16, just weeks before the planned July 7 early access release. CEO Guillaume Boucher-Vidal stated that many beta testers explicitly asked for more development time, and that the studio decided to postpone rather than disappoint. The original 'Outward' sold over 1.3 million copies since its 2019 release, building a dedicated audience for the series' premise of an ordinary person surviving in a dangerous fantasy world. The sequel expands on that with three starting scenarios: a miner in the northern mountains, a resident of an underground city, or a wanderer in a fortress. Each choice affects starting gear, skills, and story options. The game also introduces more dynamic NPCs that react to weather and events. Nine Dots Studio has not set a new release date beyond the 2027 window on Steam, and plans to announce specifics later.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 3 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.