Outriders, the co-op shooter from Bulletstorm studio People Can Fly, delayed to early 2021

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Outriders, the co-op shooter being developed by Painkiller and Bulletstorm studio People Can Fly, will not make its expected "holiday 2020" release. Publisher Square Enix said that the game will have full cross-play support on all platforms—PC, Stadia, next-gen consoles, whatever—when it launches, but unfortunately that also means that the game won't be out until February 2, 2021.

The new trailer for Outriders (and pretty much everything else we've seen from it up to now) gives off a strong Destiny vibe, and that's not just visual: It's a drop-in, drop-out co-op shooter for 1-3 players set in a "dark and desperate sci-fi universe" where gunslinging fighters have been granted special powers by a strange anomaly that nobody understands. That's almost a note-for-note synopsis of the Destiny games, although there are some key differences, including that it's third-person rather than first, and is designed specifically for PvE action.

It's also not quite as live servicey: It will have a main campaign estimated at 25-30 hours, and more available in "side quests, post-campaign and additional content" for those who want it. 

"We’ve made sure that there’s no right or wrong way to play the game and that you’ll always have a great experience. If you just want to complete the main campaign, you’ll experience the full story and have a great time with this game," claims the Outriders FAQ . "But if you want to spend more time in the world of Outriders, getting the best items and taking on the hardest challenges in the game, it can keep you busy for exponentially longer."

For a closer look at Outriders, check out our preview from earlier this year (which also makes the Destiny connection) or hit up outriders.net.

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Andy Chalk

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.