Whereas Outriders could have did not recoup its personal improvement price range, there was nonetheless hope amongst followers, myself included, {that a} sequel may construct upon the primary recreation’s strong foundations and fulfil its potential. Sadly, a brand new report has laid that hope to relaxation, claiming that Outriders 2 has been cancelled.
Thumb Wars broke the story, stating a supply knowledgeable them that Outriders 2 was one of many not too long ago publically cancelled initiatives. The knowledge was apparently verified by a secondary supply as nicely. In accordance with the sources, the sport was “practically completed” and that the “improvement crew solely turned conscious of the gravity of the studio’s state of affairs similtaneously everybody else.”
This info needs to be taken with a dose of salt. Established in 2024, Thumb Wars doesn’t have a monitor report for breaking unique tales and their writing crew doesn’t have a lot expertise. This isn’t to say that they don’t have sources or can’t have entry to unique info, simply that their claims needs to be handled with cheap scepticism.
The state of affairs Thumb Wars refers to is Individuals Can Fly’s ongoing monetary issues. Whereas the corporate has seen rising income over the previous few years, earnings haven’t risen. In truth, they’ve reported over -$60 million in loses.
Proper now, the corporate is being saved afloat by its ongoing work on Gears of Struggle: E-Day, together with engaged on a thriller mission with Sony on a PlayStation IP. They’re additionally going to launch Misplaced Rift – an FPS that blends base-building, cooperative PvE, and intense PvPvE gameplay – into Early Entry “quickly”.
Outriders was an fascinating sci-fi title that managed to attract in 3.5 million gamers in its first month, largely on account of launching onto Recreation Move, and whereas the opinions have been nothing superb, lots of people appeared to fairly like the sport. Nevertheless, it didn’t handle to interrupt even, as was confirmed a number of occasions by Individuals Can Fly in monetary paperwork. The publishing take care of Sq. Enix allowed Individuals Can Fly to earn royalties solely after Outriders recouped its improvement prices, together with distribution and advertising and marketing. Outriders did not earn any royalties, and subsequently didn’t make again its prices, sadly.
A sequel was subsequently already a riskier proposition. I personally thought a sequel had plenty of potential, so I’m unhappy that we gained’t get to play the completed mission.
