Abernathy or Esther? Who you should side with in The Outer Worlds

the outer worlds the long tomorrow
(Image credit: Obsidian)

In The Outer Worlds, The Long Tomorrow offers one of the game’s first crucial choices, making you choose between giving important medicine to Abernathy or Esther, both residents of Edgewater. This is the first major settlement you'll come across in the game, and it's owned by the mysterious Spacer's Choice corporation.

If you’re reading this guide you’re most likely interested in what happens if you choose either option, and the consequences attached to your decisions. Read on as I lead you through the quest, show you how to find the medicine, and reveal what you get for turning it in.

How to start The Long Tomorrow

Once you reach Edgewater, head to where the Cantina is and then look left to see a house underneath the Cannery sign. There’ll be a woman lingering in the side street, but you should head inside first and talk to Abernathy, a nervous soul with the plague. 

Agree to find the medicine to save his life and you’ll walk out the door with a new quest, only to be interrupted by the aforementioned lingerer. Esther Blaine will introduce herself and tell you that Abernathy is a hypochondriac and doesn’t really need the medicine. Instead, she thinks it’d be a better plan to give the Anthrocillin to the town of Edgewater. Now things get interesting.

How to find the Anthrocillin

Follow the signposting to the Emerald Vale Community Center. Head inside and loop around the place, killing every Marauder until they drop the First Aid Room Key. Keep going until you find the door in question, pop it open and the Experimental Anthrocillin is yours. Head back to Abernathy’s house and get ready to make your decision.

What do you get for siding with Abernathy or Esther?

Now you’ve got the medicine, you have to make your choice. Below we have listed what you receive for giving the Anthrocillin to Abernathy or Esther. You can use your Dialog skills to squeeze bits from Abernathy and Esther, or they’ll give you nothing but their gratitude (and you can't exactly spend that).

Abernathy: [Intimidate 5] Positive Spacer’s Choice reputation, 800 bits.

Esther: [Intimidate 5] Positive Spacer’s Choice reputation, 1000 bits.