Nine Dots Studio has announced that Outward 2 will launch into Early Access on July 7th, 2026. In celebration, the company has put together a trailer showcasing some new gameplay. Outward 2 will be available in early access on Windows PC via Steam, the Epic Games Store, and GOG on July 7th.
However, players will have a chance to play the game early during the Closed Beta starting on May 26th. The trailer gives a glimpse of the world of Aurai in max settings, for those who want to play the game on the most powerful PCs.
“Outward 2 is a natural successor to Outward, and we want to overdeliver on everything that worked right. To give huge payoffs to exploration, and ask players to prepare and think about how they would actually react in the face of danger. We identified four key areas in which we knew we could, should, and must make Outward 2 better: having better character creation and progression, being better at telling a story, creating a better world that feels more alive and full, and finally, better combat,” said Guillaume Boucher-Vidal, CEO and creative director at Nine Dots Studio, in a press release.
Outward 2 will introduce players to Aurai, an “unforgiving world that is gentle to no one.” Players control a “prophesized savior with some innate power to carry them to glory.” The definitive adventure simulator casts players as ordinary adventurers, where critical thinking and preparation are the only tickets to grand experiences.
Described as “an average Joe on a remarkable journey,” players will get to shape their modest and meager beginnings through three distinct starting scenarios and eleven backgrounds, which will determine where to start in this brutal world. If they get knocked out, the journey continues, and players must live with the consequences.
Aurai will be a living and evolving world where a full-year seasonal cycle transforms it and its four distinct areas. Regions will feature their own biomes, seasons, and specific gameplay.
Every factor in Outward 2 molds each playstyle. Tactical choices as a player, from the weight and material of armor to weapons they choose to use, are reinforced by the Exercise system, where passive skills will spark and grow based on how players approach the experience.
As Aurai is a grueling place, the game will offer two-player split-screen & online co-op. Players can plan and prepare alongside a friend, covering each other’s weaknesses and marrying each other’s strengths. Teamwork expands the opportunities and options for tackling the many challenges in Outward 2.