The news that The Outer Worlds 2 would be the first $80 game on the Xbox platform caused a huge stir in the gaming world and sparked a huge debate among players. However, the game's director Brandon Adler made it clear that the publisher Xbox, not developer Obsidian Entertainment, was behind this price hike. This statement has reignited ongoing debates regarding game pricing policies.
Price Decision Directly From Xbox
Microsoft announced last month that new-gen games would be offered for sale starting with the holiday season with a price tag of $80. This new pricing policy has been implemented in other major productions such as Borderlands 2 and Mario Kart World, as well as Outer Worlds 4. However, it has been confirmed once again that this decision is not made by the developers, but directly by the publishers and platform owners, as is often the case in such cases.
Speaking to GamesRadar, Outer Worlds 2 director Brandon Adler took a clear stance on the issue. Adler emphasized that the responsibility lies entirely with Xbox, saying, “We are game developers, our job is to make games. We don’t set the price.” He also indirectly expressed his discomfort with the price by saying, “My biggest wish, personally, is for everyone to be able to play the game.” This sentence reflects concerns that the high price tag could negatively impact the game’s accessibility.
Players' Reaction and Xbox's Silence
Adler avoided direct criticism in this statement he made during the Summer Game Fest 2025, which was held over the summer, but implied that he understood the reaction of players regarding pricing policies. High pricing is met with sensitivity by the player base, especially during periods of economic uncertainty, and can affect the sales performance of games.
There has been no additional statement from Xbox on the subject yet. The lack of transparency in pricing decisions by publishers and platform owners often leads to dissatisfaction among the player base.
The Outer Worlds 2 is a sequel developed by Obsidian and eagerly awaited by a wide range of players. Obsidian's success in role-playing games and its unique humorous narrative, the studio has created great expectations with this new game. However, the new generation pricing policy has already brought some discussions before the game's release. The effect of this pricing policy on sales is a matter of curiosity with the game's release.
