The Outer Worlds 2 Director Says Xbox is to Blame for the Game's $80 Price Tag

The Outer Worlds 2's $80 price tag was recently revealed to the public, sparking outrage in the gaming community – not only because Xbox is actually going ahead with its plan to raise game prices, but also because out of all games, they chose The Outer Worlds 2 – a sequel to a game that criticized late-stage capitalism and came from a studio whose latest release was mediocre at best – as the first title to get affected by the price hike.

In response to the backlash, Game Director Brandon Adler attempted to deflect criticism from Obsidian Entertainment, stating in a recent interview that the pricing decision came from the game's publisher and Obsidian's parent company, Xbox, and not from the developer itself.

Speaking to GamesRadar+, Adler explained that the $80 price for The Outer Worlds 2 wasn't Obsidian's decision, saying, "We're a game developer. We love to make games. We don't set the prices for our games."

He added that if anyone wants to know why the sequel was priced the way that it was, "you'd have to honestly talk to the Xbox folks," further emphasizing that "as a game developer, I wish everybody could play my game." Notably, Adler avoided expressing his personal feelings on the matter, which – combined with his statements – implies he also may not agree with Xbox's new pricing policies but is likely restricted from speaking openly about the matter.

Just recently, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford made a similar remark, stating that the $80 price tag for Borderlands 4 is "not his call," and suggesting that the publisher – 2K and its parent Take-Two, in Randy's case – is the culprit. With not just one, but two prominent game studios now making similar statements, it remains to be seen how the optics of iconic AAA developers having no control over such a crucial factor as game pricing will affect the community's trust in them.

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