It’s now been officially confirmed: Xbox’s Halo Studios (formerly 343 Industries) have provided their first-person-shooter expertise to Obsidian Entertainment during the development of The Outer Worlds 2. The result? A long-overdue overhaul of one of the original game’s most criticized mechanics — its gunplay.
Set for release on October 29, The Outer Worlds 2 follows Obsidian’s 2025 triple-threat release lineup, coming after the high-fantasy RPG Avowed and the Grounded 2 early access debut. While the first Outer Worlds was praised for its sharp writing, immersive world-building, and memorable companions, it was held back by its uninspired first-person combat, which many players found stiff and unsatisfying.
Fixing The Outer Worlds’ FPS Problem
Prior to The Outer Worlds, Obsidian hadn’t done much in the way of modern first-person shooters. Their most notable attempt, Fallout: New Vegas, relied heavily on Fallout 3’s existing combat framework. So when The Outer Worlds tried to bring gunplay into a vibrant sci-fi world, the result felt more functional than fun.
This time around, Obsidian turned to Halo’s legendary FPS veterans for help. In a recent interview with The Guardian, game director Brandon Adler explained that making weapons “feel satisfying and unique” was a core goal for the sequel. With a huge variety of guns and modular upgrades available in The Outer Worlds 2, Obsidian wanted every weapon to have personality and weight — something Halo Studios knows how to deliver.
Why Halo’s Involvement Matters
Halo Studios is best known for their work on Halo 4, Halo 5: Guardians, and most recently Halo Infinite — all games with critically acclaimed shooting mechanics. Their ability to make each weapon feel distinct, punchy, and responsive has made Halo a gold standard in console FPS gameplay.
Their input on The Outer Worlds 2 reportedly focused on weapon feel, gun animations, and overall combat pacing, helping the game transition from “RPG with guns” to a truly hybrid action-RPG.
A Major Upgrade for a Big Xbox Release
The Outer Worlds 2 is not just another sequel — it’s shaping up to be Obsidian’s biggest and most expensive project to date, powered by Unreal Engine 5 and supported across multiple first-party Xbox studios. With Halo’s combat pedigree behind it, The Outer Worlds 2 might finally merge deep RPG systems with satisfying FPS gameplay, giving fans the best of both worlds.
With October 29 just around the corner, this collaboration has fans more excited than ever.