Outriders 2 was reportedly very close to completion before it was unceremoniously canceled, according to a recent report. The sequel to People Can Fly’s looter shooter hit a dead end early this June, accompanied by layoffs and the scrapping of the project known as Project Gemini.
The looter shooter genre hasn’t seen a ton of fresh faces lately, with many attempts failing to match the success of giants like Borderlands, The Division, Warframe, and Destiny. Outriders was one of the better efforts, praised for its solid foundation, distinct combat style where cover was for enemies and not the player, and well-designed eager systems. It was one of the few third-person shooters I enjoyed playing.
However, despite a promising start, Square Enix even called it their “next big franchise” after surpassing 3.5 million distinct players. Outriders faced technical issues at launch and had a campaign that concluded definitively, which limited its long-term appeal. The endgame was still a work in progress, and although a significant update and expansion brought some players back, it wasn’t enough to sustain the momentum.
Unlike Destiny, Outriders wasn’t a live service game with battle passes or microtransactions, meaning Square Enix couldn’t count on steady revenue streams. This likely contributed to the decision to cancel the sequel, despite it reportedly being almost complete. Yikes.
It’s a strange and sad turn of events. Outriders had some hiccups, sure, but it also did loot-shooting better than many of its competitors. The cancellation feels like a missed opportunity for both People Can Fly and fans who wanted more.
Could another studio or publisher pick up the IP and revive the project? That would be a smart move, in my opinion. There’s something worthwhile here that just didn’t get the chance to grow.
