What to Play While Outward 2 Is Delayed to 2027

The news that Outward 2 has slipped from July 2026 to sometime in 2027 stung a little. Nine Dots Studio made the right call — the open beta surfaced enough rough edges that extra development time is genuinely welcome — but it does leave a long gap for fans who'd cleared their summer for it. The Steam open beta is still live until June 22, 2026, so there's a final window to test the new combat and survival systems, but after that it's back into the wait.

So what do you play in the meantime? Here are a few picks that scratch a similar itch — plus one deliberate change of pace.

If you want more of the same punishment

The thing that makes Outward singular is that it never holds your hand: open-world survival, brutal early-game encounters, and a sense that the world doesn't revolve around you. If that's the hook for you, the closest fixes are the games that lean into systemic survival and unforgiving progression — think methodical inventory management, environmental threats, and co-op runs where a single bad fight wipes the party. Replaying the original Outward with friends is still the purest version of that loop while you wait for the sequel.

If you want a complete change of pace

Outward is exhausting by design, and after a few dozen deaths a lot of players want something that lowers the heart rate. Cozy sims have quietly become the perfect counter-programming to hardcore RPGs, and one of the most interesting on the horizon is a gothic life sim where you play a young vampire rebuilding her family's manor — trading Outward's survival panic for farming, decorating, small-town friendships and a slow-burn romance system. It's the kind of game you put on after a rough Outward session to remember that not every world is trying to kill you. A useful palate cleanser, and an easy one to dip into between beta tests.

If you want something in between

For players who want stakes without the full survival grind, the broader open-world RPG space has plenty to offer — games that keep exploration and meaningful choices front and centre but smooth out the punishing edges that newcomers bounce off in Outward. Any of these will keep the muscle memory warm for when the sequel finally lands.

The wait is long, but worth it

A 2027 launch is a tough pill, but Nine Dots' reasoning is sound: the studio wants a "stark jump" between the beta and Early Access. That's exactly the kind of restraint that produced the original's cult following. In the meantime, mix something punishing with something gentle — and check back here for Outward 2 updates as the road to Early Access takes shape.