In The Outer Worlds 2, the loyalty of your companions isn’t guaranteed. According to Obsidian Entertainment, if your companions strongly disapprove of your choices, they might turn against you—or even attempt to kill you. During a conversation with Xbox Expansion Pass, Obsidian’s Matt Singh and Brandon Adler shed light on how companions in the game are crafted to be independent, multifaceted characters rather than mere followers.
“One of our key goals was to make these characters feel like their own individuals,” Singh explained. “Each has unique goals and motivations, and while they’ll support you if your decisions align with theirs, conflict can arise if you go against what they believe. This could lead to them leaving or, in some cases, a fight to the finish. However, if you cultivate a good relationship with them, they will stand by you when it counts.”
Potential Fallout from Your Decisions
Managing companions is a classic aspect of traditional RPGs, often forcing players to choose between pleasing one companion over another, which can result in fatalities or departures based on those choices. While this isn’t the first game to raise the stakes for player-companion relationships, it is a new approach for the series. In contrast to Obsidian’s upcoming RPG Avowed, where companions remain loyal regardless of the player’s actions, The Outer Worlds 2 introduces more conflictual dynamics.
Adler elaborated on how your companions will respond when they feel betrayed. “There are critical moments in the narrative where your companions might warn you before taking drastic actions. They could say something like, ‘You’re taking me with you on this mission,’ and based on how you’ve treated them, that could lead to significant consequences,” he remarked.
“Certain actions can upset your companions, and they will alert you, saying, ‘If you do this, it’s a deal-breaker for me.’” Adler noted that enhancing realism in these relationships was a priority for the sequel. “Our goal was to ensure that companions respond more organically to both the player’s actions and the story’s developments, which wasn’t always fully realized in the first game. In the sequel, we want players to experience this depth.”
The Outer Worlds 2 is scheduled for release on October 29 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC.