Outer Wilds, a space-exploration open world sandbox title from developer Mobius Digital, has officially received a release date — Thursday, May 30, 2019, for Xbox One and the Epic Games Store. Outer Wilds has impressed as an ambitious effort that will showcase adept environmental design and the kind of build-your-own-adventure take on exploration that has impressed in bigger releases like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
Outer Wilds has been around since 2015 in its alpha version, but a full launch has been a long-time coming. The title’s central conceit is a simple one, tasking players with exploring a hand-crafted solar system with several mysteries to unravel. The major selling point behind the game’s approach is the “hand-crafted” description, a promise that basically goes against the procedurally-generated universes that were previously a hot commodity and instead proposes that a smaller, more intricately and deliberately designed solar system can offer a different sort of adventure for gamers. No Man’s Sky might be an obvious point of comparison at first glance, but the game’s diverge on a fundamental level pretty quickly.
Outer Wilds had its release date revealed earlier today with a trailer, showcasing more of what fans have been craving since the game’s alpha. In partnership with publisher Annapurna Interactive, Mobius Digital will be releasing Outer Wilds on May 30 for two platforms, Xbox One and PC via the Epic Games Store. For those interested in the trailer and what it promises those who embark on Outer Wilds’ journey through, the full video is available here.
Outer Wilds asks players to search for answers in a solar system that constantly changes, putting them in the role of a new member of a space program called Outer Wilds Ventures. The planets of Outer Wilds have been described in press releases as “packed with hidden locations” that will change as time passes within the game. Some highlights that will be present in Outer Wilds include an underground city that threatens to be swallowed by the sand surrounding it, and a planet with a surface that is crumbling as players move to explore it.
Outer Wilds looks like the kind of game that could be an indie darling and sleeper hit. Doubling down on showcasing the game’s variety is a wise move from Mobius Digital, and it’s one that could pay off, with a lull in game releases in anticipation of this year’s E3 2019 meaning the developer’s game could attract even more attention in the interim as gamers look for a title to tide them over until the next major release.
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