The Outer Worlds: Poof! Or Just a Very Confusing Digital Metamorphosis?
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Obsidian Entertainment is delisting the original *The Outer Worlds* from current-gen platforms on May 27th, pushing players towards the enhanced *Spacer's Choice Edition*, which will receive significant updates including new grenades and performance boosts. Crucially, existing owners of the base game and all DLC get a free upgrade to the *Spacer's Choice Edition*, making this less of a vanishing act and more of a mandatory, albeit potentially confusing, digital overhaul.
Alright, gather 'round, mates, because we've got a bit of a reality warp happening in the gaming cosmos. Word on the digital street, initially buzzed about by Tomas Franzese over at Polygon, is that Obsidian's rather spiffing sci-fi RPG, *The Outer Worlds*, is doing a disappearing act from certain storefronts. My first thought? Bloody hell, did I accidentally cast a 'Delist All Games' spell again?
But fear not, fellow adventurers, because like most things in this delightfully chaotic industry, there's a catch, a twist, and a couple of shiny new updates. It's less of a vanishing and more of a... strategic digital metamorphosis, if you will.
So, here's the skinny: come May 27th, the original 2019 version of *The Outer Worlds* is getting politely ushered off the digital shelves for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. Yep, if you're on a current-gen rig or console, you won't be able to snag the OG version.
Now, before you start prepping your protest signs made of old pizza boxes, let's be clear: the game isn't gone completely. Not by a long shot. Old-gen console players (PS4, Xbox One) and Nintendo Switch owners can still pick up the base game like nothing ever happened. Fair dinkum, right?
The real story here, the 'silver lining' in this peculiar cloud, is that Obsidian Entertainment and Private Division are clearly betting their chips on *The Outer Worlds: Spacer's Choice Edition*. This beefed-up version isn't just sticking around; it's getting some rather substantial updates.
And here's the kicker, the bit that actually made my digital eyebrows raise in pleasant surprise: if you already own the original game *and* all its DLC, you get a **free upgrade** to the *Spacer's Choice Edition*. Absolutely free, no magic tricks, no fiddly microtransactions. Just... poof! Better game for you. That's a move I can actually get behind, frankly. It’s almost like they appreciate their existing players, imagine that!
For those new to the Halcyon system, the *Spacer's Choice Edition* will set you back $39.99. Meanwhile, if you're rocking an older console, the base game's price is dropping to a neat $24.99, with DLCs at $14.99 each. So, a bit of a mixed bag on the pricing front, but the free upgrade for loyalists is definitely the headline act.
But wait, there's more! (Isn't there always?) Obsidian is sweetening this whole 'confusing delisting' potion with not one, but two new updates for *Spacer's Choice Edition*. Patch 2.5.7.0 is already out there, zapping bugs and making UI elements less of a headache – you know, the usual digital wizardry of tidying up the code. And then, later in May, another update is dropping, bringing... *grenades* as a new weapon type! Yes, you heard that right. More things to blow up! Plus, unspecified (because, *of course*) improvements to performance, lighting, and general gameplay. Sounds like they're really trying to make this the definitive experience, almost like they're polishing it up with a magical cloth, hoping all the previous framerate woes vanish into thin air.
It's a bit of a curious move, effectively forcing current-gen players towards the *Spacer's Choice Edition*. On one hand, it can feel a tad clunky, almost like a game of musical chairs where someone keeps removing the chairs. But on the other, if it genuinely means a better, more optimized, and graphically enhanced version becomes the standard, especially with free upgrades for existing fans, then maybe it's less 'cash grab' and more 'streamlining the digital universe'. Obsidian clearly wants everyone to experience *The Outer Worlds* in its best possible form going forward. And with grenades on the way? Well, who am I to argue with more explosive fun? Just remember, as Tomas Franzese reported for Polygon, keep an eye on those dates, and if you own the game, make sure you nab that free upgrade!
Tags: The Outer Worlds, Obsidian Entertainment, RPG, Gaming News, Delisting
Original article: Polygon