Xbox is having a pretty good year so far. Xbox Game Pass is on a frankly absurd hot streak,Avowed,South of Midnight, andOblivionRemasteredare all already out,Xbox’s Showcasewas one of its most successful ever, and there are plenty of exciting first-party projects still on the horizon.The Outer Worlds 2is one such game.
Obsidian Entertainment’sThe Outer Worlds 2took center stage in its own Direct following the June Xbox Showcase. Over the course of 30 minutes, fans were given an in-depth look at many ofThe Outer Worlds 2’s gameplay systems, and were given a good idea of how the sequel is improving upon its predecessor’s already-strong formula. One of the biggest improvements spotted by fans during this Direct wasThe Outer Worlds 2’s combat, and it turns out Halo Studios may have had something to do with that.
Why Halo Fans Might Want to Watch The Outer Worlds 2 Even More Closely
Halo Studios Has Assisted With The Outer Worlds 2’s Development
Much like other first-person RPGs that follow in Bethesda’s footsteps, the firstOuter Worldsdidn’t have the most satisfying combat. Though it was certainly serviceable,The Outer Worlds' gunplaylacked depth and responsiveness, and its limited arsenal of weapons left a lot to be desired. When a sequel was first announced, this was an area fans immediately pointed to, hoping it would see some refinements.
Thankfully, it seems like Obsidian has taken that feedback to heart and acted upon it. In a recent Guardian interview withOuter Worlds 2game director Brandon Adler, the subject of the sequel’s gunplay was addressed directly. Along with doing “a full breakdown on Destiny,” Obsidian “also talked to the Halo folks” before setting off to makeThe Outer Worlds 2.
Halo Studios reportedly gave Obsidian a list of configurations and tweaks to help it refine the sequel’s gunplay. And according to that sameGuardian article(written by Alyssa Mercante), those gunplay refinements were on full display during the outlet’s recent hands-on session in LA. Mercante specifically mentionedThe Outer Worlds 2’s greater assortment of weapons, the better feel of those guns, and the increased variety of combat options compared to the game’s 2019 predecessor.
Halo Studios was originally known as 343 Industries before the big rebrand back in October 2024.
Obsidian Could Repay The Favor For The Next Halo
It’s great to hear thatThe Outer Worlds 2has better gunplay, and it’s fun to know that those improvements are, at least in part, due to Halo Studios' expertise. But Halo Studios and Obsidian’s collaboration shouldn’t end there. It could be fun to see Obsidian repay the favor in thenext mainlineHalogame.
Halo Infinitemade a few bold decisions regarding its gameplay, the most prevalent of which was the campaign’s move to an open-world structure. While a portion of fans didn’t like this shift from the norm, others thought it put a refreshing spin on the now 24-year-oldHaloformula.
If Halo Studios decides to keep experimenting with the nextHalogame, it should turn to Obsidian for some advice. This could lead to intriguing new features fortheHalofranchise, like player-choices during the story or sprawling skill trees that let players customize their own unique version of the Master Chief.
