The Outer Worlds 2 guide: all the best traits, weapons, and choices you can make in Arcadia

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The Outer Worlds 2 - the back of a character looking at a huge planet in the night sky
(Image credit: Obsidian Entertainment)
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From the studio that enjoys joking about how many sequels it's made, The Outer Worlds 2 is a sequel to Obsidian Entertainment's corporate space sort-of satire. The RPG sequel ditches the setting and crew of the original and puts you in the role of an Earth Directorate agent leading an investigation into dangerous space rifts on the Arcadia colony. You'll juggle factions that have shuffled up a bit from the first game plus meet and recruit a whole new cast of Outer Worlds 2 companions.

In our Outer Worlds 2 review, Ted Litchfield calls it a slow burn of an RPG that really won him over towards the middle of his play time. Compared with the original, Ted says that TOW2 is "a more ambitious, complex, and surprising game, while still being easy to grasp as far as big RPGs go."

Quick details on The Outer Worlds 2

  • Release date: October 29, 2025
  • Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
  • Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
  • Players: Singleplayer

Getting started guides for The Outer Worlds 2

Outer Worlds 2 best armor

(Image credit: Obsidian)
Gear and traits

Get started in The Outer Worlds 2 with the best traits, equipment, and quick tips.

Outer Worlds 2 best traits: Which traits and flaws to take
Outer Worlds 2 best weapons: Which weapons to grab first
Outer Worlds 2 best armor: Which sets of gear to grab early
How to go third-person: How to get a new view
Outer Worlds 2 pet locations: Where to find all the cute critters

Quests and Collectibles guides for The Outer Worlds 2

Outer Worlds 2 Security or Central Dispatch choice - Niles and Helen

(Image credit: Obsidian)
Unlocks

Leave nothing un-looted in The Outer Worlds 2 with our guides to key and lockbox locations.

Commander's Safe Key: Where'd you hide that thing?
How to get mag picks: Where to get lockpicks
Advanced Decryption Key locations: How to find these rare lockbox keys
High Security Lockbox locations: Where to find the unique gear chests

Quest Clues

Use our quick tip guides instead of getting stuck on collectible quests and tricky puzzles in Arcadia.

In Pursuit of Purloined Propaganda: All 10 magazine locations
Otto's lock puzzle: How to flip the right switches on Free Market Station
Order Initiate Scavenger Hunt: Astrological answers for the observatory
Collection of Rogues card locations: Beat Fionna's card collection

Quest spoilers

If you can't stand not knowing the path not taken, here's what you need to know at critical quest choice moments.

Security or Central Dispatch: Where to send your companions
Fairfield or Westport: Which should you wipe out?
Milverstreet or Kaur: Should you side with the officer or the minister?
Order or Displaced choice: Decide the refugees' fate in Present and Future Company Excluded
Should you spare De Vries: How to keep the peace
Be a Hero or Betray your values: Should you save the hostages?

Outer Worlds 2 companionsOuter Worlds 2 best weaponsOuter Worlds 2 best armorOuter Worlds 2 lockbox locationsOuter Worlds 2 Advanced Decryption Keys

Outer Worlds 2 companions: Every crew member
Outer Worlds 2 best weapons: Grab these guns
Outer Worlds 2 best armor: Turtle up
Outer Worlds 2 lockbox locations: Unique gear
Outer Worlds 2 Advanced Decryption Keys: Open up

Lauren Morton
Lauren Morton
Lead SEO Editor

Lauren has been writing for PC Gamer since she went hunting for the cryptid Dark Souls fashion police in 2017. She joined the PCG staff in 2021, now serving as self-appointed chief cozy games and farmlife sim enjoyer. Her career originally began in game development and she remains fascinated by how games tick in the modding and speedrunning scenes. She likes long fantasy books, longer RPGs, can't stop playing co-op survival crafting games, and has spent a number of hours she refuses to count building houses in The Sims games for over 20 years.

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