Obsidian Entertainment is back in the spotlight with The Outer Worlds 2, but it’s not just the gameplay that’s making noise — it’s the price tag. For the first time in Xbox history, a standard digital edition of a game is launching at $79.99, sending waves across the gaming community. So, what gives? Is this price hike a glimpse into gaming’s future—or a risky move from Microsoft?
Let’s break down the facts, the reactions, and why this satirical space opera is suddenly at the center of a very real pricing debate.
What’s New in The Outer Worlds 2?
Obsidian dropped the latest trailer at the Xbox Games Showcase 2025, and to their credit, the game looks absolutely stellar—literally.
Highlights:
- Built in Unreal Engine 5, with improved lighting, particle effects, and interplanetary vistas that give Starfield a run for its credits.
- Customizable companions with dynamic personalities and reactive storylines.
- Faction radios that play lore-rich broadcasts and propaganda while you travel—think GTA meets Mass Effect.
- A deeper RPG system: Expanded perks, traits, moral dilemmas, and yes, plenty of sarcastic corporate slogans.
In other words, The Outer Worlds 2 is still delightfully dystopian but with more polish, sass, and galaxy-sized gameplay.
Let’s Talk About the $80 Price Tag
Here’s the deal: Microsoft announced that The Outer Worlds 2 will retail at $79.99 (€79.99) for the standard digital version—the first time an Xbox Game Studios title has gone this high.
Pricing Breakdown:
- Standard Digital Edition – $79.99
- Spacers Choice Deluxe Edition – $99.99
Includes:- Early access
- Season pass
- Soundtrack + digital artbook
- Cosmetic DLC like an anti-corporate mustache pack (okay, not confirmed—but it should be).
Why the price bump? Microsoft pointed to increased development costs, global inflation, and bigger expectations for AAA titles. They also hinted that this price point may only apply to “select premium releases”—code for “get used to it.”
The Game Pass Factor
Let’s not ignore the obvious strategy here: The Outer Worlds 2 will launch Day One on Xbox Game Pass.
By pricing the game at $80, Microsoft is likely nudging more players into Game Pass subscriptions—where the title is “free” (with your monthly fee). That makes $17/month seem like a bargain when your alternative is coughing up $80 for one game. It’s smart. It’s bold. It’s capitalism.
The Internet Reacts (and Roasts)
Gamers didn’t take long to fire up Reddit and Steam with hot takes:
“Charging $80 for a satire about corporate greed is either brilliant irony or peak hypocrisy.”
— u/ObsidianFellFromHeaven
“If I wanted to pay $80 to feel disappointed in space, I’d go to SpaceX.”
— Steam comment
“This is the kind of pricing that makes me want to actually read a EULA.”
— Twitter/X user
Obsidian fans are torn. Many are excited by the game’s evolution, but others argue that the franchise isn’t quite blockbuster-tier. The Outer Worlds 1 was solid but not genre-defining. So is $80 a stretch?
The Bigger Picture: Are $80 Games the New Normal?
Obsidian isn’t the first to test premium pricing—Sony and Ubisoft have already nudged their AAA titles toward $70+, and now Microsoft joins the club. With development budgets ballooning into hundreds of millions, it’s not surprising. But the timing—amid rising subscription fatigue, inflation, and layoffs—feels like a gamble.
The $80 price point sets a precedent. If The Outer Worlds 2 sells well, expect more Xbox titles to follow suit. If it flops? Game Pass will look like even more of a no-brainer.
Should You Buy It?
That depends.
- Love satirical space RPGs? This is your jam.
- Already on Game Pass? You’re golden.
- Hesitant about spending $80? Wait for reviews—or better yet, watch a YouTuber get vaporized by a vending machine AI.
Final Thoughts
The Outer Worlds 2 is shaping up to be Obsidian’s most ambitious title yet. It’s snarky. It’s shiny. It’s absurdly corporate in all the right ways. But its $80 price may be its boldest gamble yet.
Whether it’s a satirical masterpiece or a premium-priced misfire, one thing’s for sure:
This galaxy just got a whole lot more expensive.
