Although the genre existed in various formats before 2013, one of the most noteworthy takeaways from the last console generation was the rise of and reaction to games-as-a-service. Despite the rough launches these games often endure, the continued promise of new content and ways to upgrade your current character can prove to be more than enough to make dedicated fans stick around until the next big content drop. While this can lead to redemption stories for games like Destiny and The Division where the developers frequently communicate with their communities about the future of their games, live service games have a tougher road ahead of them when the core gameplay mechanics aren’t where they need to be, since no amount of additional missions or loot can entirely fix lackluster combat or objectives. As a result, games like Anthem and The Avengers, despite selling well at first, have yet to find any enticing ways to bring their audiences back since their respective launches and may continue to remain dead in the water without any drastic updates or overhauls.
At first glance, the newest IP from Bulletstorm developer People Can Fly may look like yet another live service title, with plenty of level-oriented guns and armor to acquire as players explore the hostile alien world of Enoch with up to two other super-powered co-op pals. The Polish developer has made it clear from the start, however, that Outriders will be a complete experience at launch, primarily to avoid disrupting the story by dividing it into multiple pieces. The full game will feature other live service elements in addition to the loot, including a world tier system much like The Division that will increase the difficulty of upcoming challenges as players continue to do well, and will reward them with better loot in the process. Additionally, People Can Fly has not forgotten about the endgame experience, with fifteen Expeditions being available after the completion of the campaign that do not recycle any previously-used content and feature their own unique progression system that aims to keep players invested in the weeks after launch.
After numerous instances in recent years of games launching without feeling content-complete or receiving the necessary level of polish, People Can Fly’s dedication to providing players with a finished and substantial game at launch (that will likely receive post-launch patches too) is an approach from developers that is always worth celebrating. Whether players plan to purchase Outriders on the first day or wait for a sale, they can have faith that Outriders will have a substantial amount of content no matter when they start playing, with the main campaign targeting a playtime of 25-30 hours in addition to plenty of side content and the aforementioned endgame. It’s hard to deny, however, that at a time where new games and new content for old games come out at a regular and occasionally overwhelming pace, it may be tough for Outriders to remain in the public conversation for long, particularly if the level of quality at launch doesn’t quite meet up with fans’ expectations. Fortunately, the studio has shown that they’re willing to take extra development time to best avoid this potential scenario, with the game having gotten itssecond delayjust last week to shift the release date from February to April.
As part of the recent delay announcement, People Can Fly also shared the more positive news of when excited fans can get their first hands-on time with the game. On February 25, Outriders will be receiving a free demo that provides access to the first few hours of the game across all four character classes, which can be played either alone or in co-op and will carry over the player’s progress to the full game. In a time where demos have often been replaced by the likes of betas and/or pre-release coverage, this decision is encouraging and should provide some much-needed certainty for players who are (rightfully) still on the fence. Time will tell if People Can Fly made the right choice to take advantage of live service elements without fully embracing the model, but their justifications of doing so to best benefit the story and players is a promising sign that the long wait for Outriders may be worth it. Outriders is set to launch on April 1 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, PS4 and Xbox One.
