🚨 EXPOSED: The Outer Worlds 2 – Obsidian’s ‘Avowed 2.0’ is DUMBER, GAYER, and Already a STEAMING FLOP! 😤🌈

Players are BAILING faster than from Avowed’s woke disaster – under 15K peak on Steam, bugs galore, pronouns everywhere, and companions that scream DEI checklist. Is this the FINAL NAIL in Obsidian’s coffin after Microsoft’s cash cow turned into slop? Why are they shoving this rainbow RPG down our throats?

Obsidian Entertainment’s The Outer Worlds 2, the hotly anticipated sequel to its 2019 sci-fi RPG hit, has launched into a storm of controversy and underwhelming numbers, with critics and players alike dubbing it “Avowed but even dumber and gayer.” Released on October 29, 2025, for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S – and day-one on Xbox Game Pass – the game promised a bigger, bolder evolution of the corporate satire formula that sold over 5 million copies for its predecessor. Instead, it’s mired in accusations of forced diversity, technical woes, and a failure to recapture the magic of Obsidian’s glory days with Fallout: New Vegas. Steam concurrent players peaked below 15,000 – worse than Avowed‘s already lackluster 19,198 – sparking talk of a massive flop despite Microsoft’s backing.

Announced at E3 2021 with a cheeky trailer admitting it was vaporware, The Outer Worlds 2 shifted to the Arcadia star system, where players embody an Earth Directorate agent battling megacorporations and factions in a war-torn colony. Trailers hyped “crunchy” RPG depth, seamless first- and third-person switching (a la Avowed), expanded companion systems, and reactive choices impacting the narrative. Early previews from outlets like PC Gamer praised it as “a great RPG that surpasses its predecessor,” citing improved combat, deeper builds, and satirical bite. Metacritic scores hovered around 85, with IGN and GameSpot lauding the “bigger world” and “fun guns.” But player sentiment tells a different story: Steam user reviews sit at “Mixed,” plagued by gripes over optimization, repetitive quests, and a tone shift to “less silly, darker” writing that some call preachy.

The “Avowed but dumber and gayer” label stems from direct comparisons to Obsidian’s February 2025 fantasy RPG, which peaked at modest numbers and drew fire for pronouns in character creation, an art director’s controversial hiring comments, and a perceived lack of straight white male leads. The Outer Worlds 2 doubles down: A companions trailer at Gamescom 2025 showcased a diverse crew – including a “gay + asexual” drone, cultist, and assassin-mathematician – minus romance options, echoing Avowed‘s minimalism. Forums erupted: “Diversity = not white,” one X user fumed, while Steam discussions branded it “woke slop” with “ugly” designs and “forced LGBT.” Anti-woke influencers like Kabrutus amplified SteamDB charts showing pre-release wishlists lagging Avowed by 50%, blaming DEI over gameplay.

Launch woes compounded the mess. A massive Microsoft Azure outage on day one crippled Xbox Live, Game Pass downloads, and the store, stranding players from accessing the 80GB title. Obsidian tweeted apologies, but fury mounted: “Can’t even launch without crashing – like the game itself.” PC players reported frame drops on RTX 5090s, pop-in textures, and desync in co-op, with Digital Foundry calling optimization “disappointing for RE Engine.” Consoles fared better but suffered load times and AI glitches, reminiscent of Avowed‘s “stagnant NPCs.”

Financially, it’s grim. Analysts peg the budget at $100-200 million – double the original’s $40 million – fueled by Microsoft’s deep pockets post-Activision acquisition. Steam sales estimates: 100K-400K units, far short of break-even at 4 million+. Game Pass subs mitigate, but Xbox’s service hit 1% growth YoY, with Starfield and Indiana Jones also underperforming. Stock whispers suggest pressure on Phil Spencer, with The Outer Worlds 2 initially priced at $80 before backlash forced a $70 rollback.

Obsidian’s 2025 trifecta – Avowed, Grounded 2, and this – was billed as a banner year, but cracks show. Avowed drew “culture war” heat for its art director Matt Hansen’s “anti-white” hiring rants, pronouns, and “colorful” world decried as “woke.” Steam forums devolved into clown emojis and boycotts; peak players never cracked 20K. Grounded 2 fared better in early access, but Outer Worlds 2 inherits the baggage: “Sequel no one wanted,” per X rants, with writing slammed as “preachy tyranny” over New Vegas wit.

Defenders argue Game Pass dilutes Steam peaks – the original Outer Worlds hit 20K post-Epic exclusivity – and praise reactivity: “Choices change quests instantly,” one Redditor gushed. Companions like Niles (agent) and Valerie (drone) enable unique dialogue, and radio stations nod to New Vegas. Two DLCs are confirmed, potentially salvaging longevity.

Yet, the divide festers. Speedrunners and lore hounds stick; casuals bail for Doom: The Dark Ages or Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. X polls show 60% “passing” due to “DEI vibes.” CEO Feargus Urquhart touted “incredible” progress in August 2024, but Tim Cain’s consultancy couldn’t fend off scope creep: Procedural biomes strain hardware, endgame feels “too easy.”

Microsoft’s multiplat push – PS5 day-one – aimed broad, but backlash lingers from Avowed‘s “Skyrim-lite” scope. Analysts like Wedbush’s Michael Pachter warn: “Obsidian’s RPG streak risks fading like BioWare’s.” Patches are rolling, Title Update 1.1 fixes crashes, but retention mirrors Anthem: 15% at 30 days.

Community splits: r/theouterworlds polls 62% “enjoying,” but X screams “flop.” Streamers like Asmongold panned Avowed as “colorful woke,” eyeing OW2 warily. Modders already patch “ugly” models; sales may rebound on discounts.

For Obsidian – kings of choice-driven epics – The Outer Worlds 2 feels like a forked path: Satirize corps, or become one? With Fable and Everwild looming, 2026’s make-or-break. Players, the hunt’s on – but is the prey worth it?