Outward 2 Open Beta Is Live: Co-op Setup, Known Issues, and Fixes

Nine Dots Studio surprised fans during the PC Gaming Show 2026 by transitioning the closed playtest for Outward 2 into a public open beta. Available on Steam from now until June 22, the Outward 2 beta gives players their first hands-on look at the survival action RPG sequel. If you are jumping into the playtest, here are some critical Outward 2 tips to help you survive the early hours, set up co-op, and bypass active bugs.

Co-op Setup and Performance Tips

For players jumping in with friends, setting up a multiplayer session in the Outward 2 beta is straightforward. The peer-to-peer connection allows players to easily host or join games to explore the world together.

Early feedback suggests that combat feels significantly smoother than the original game, and the crafting system remains a highlight. However, performance issues like stuttering and frame drops have been reported. A popular community-reported workaround for these performance hiccups is launching the game in DirectX 11 mode. To do this, Steam users can add -dx11 to the game's launch options.

Co-op Navigation Challenges

While playing together is enjoyable, co-op partners have reported some UI and navigation issues. In the Simeon’s Bastion map, the compass and minimap markers can be confusing. According to player reports, the top compass bar occasionally fails to align correctly for both players. Additionally, the UI only displays a simple dot at the edge of the screen to indicate a partner's direction, making it easy to lose track of each other during exploration.

Watch Out for the Tutorial Bug

Several players have encountered a frustrating, potentially game-breaking bug during the early stages of the tutorial. After getting a sprained leg, the game instructs you to use a splint. Currently, a community-reported bug causes the splint to have no effect.

If you try to move past the tutorial area with the sprain active, the game suddenly inflicts extreme hunger and thirst debuffs, causing rapid health loss and instant death. Until Nine Dots Studio patches this tutorial bug, players recommend waiting out the 15-minute sprain duration in the starting area before advancing, or restarting the tutorial if the splint fails.

Combat Limitations: Guns and Shields

In the original Outward, applying varnishes and elemental buffs was key to defeating spectral enemies. In the Outward 2 beta, players running gun-and-shield builds have reported being unable to apply varnishes or elemental buffs to either their firearm or their shield. This leaves physical-focused builds dealing negligible damage to ghost enemies. It remains unconfirmed whether this is an intended balancing decision or a bug, and players are currently testing whether thrown explosives or secondary weapons are necessary workarounds for these encounters.