Nine Dots Studio has opened Outward 2 to all players on Steam through a free open beta, announced during the PC Gaming Show at Summer Game Fest 2026, giving anyone interested in the survival role-playing game a chance to try it ahead of its early access launch on July 7, 2026.
Several players were already participating in a running closed beta before the open beta announcement, but the open beta now allows anyone who did not make it into the closed beta, or anyone who simply wants to try the game, to jump in on Steam and help pressure-test the game’s servers from now until the game arrives next month. The open beta trailer also showcased co-op play, including split-screen co-op for players who want to bring a friend into the experience on the same machine. The inclusion of split-screen co-op is a notable feature for a game of this type, expanding the local multiplayer options for players who prefer couch co-op alongside the online multiplayer component.
Nine Dots Studio is also running a competition for players to win two early access keys for Outward 2, with the contest running from now until June 25, 2026. To enter, players need to follow one of the game’s social media accounts on Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, subscribe to its YouTube channel, or join the game’s Discord, then share a screenshot or video from their time in the open beta showing things going well or going hilariously wrong. Entries must include the hashtag ExploreAurai, tag Nine Dots Studio, and mention someone they would play the game with.
When Wccftech spoke to Nine Dots Studio chief executive officer Guillaume Boucher-Vidal in 2024, he promised that Outward 2 would be “as cruel and obscure as the first one,” adding that he was comfortable with the game turning some players off because there are others who are drawn to exactly that quality. That positioning sets Outward 2 apart from the broader open-world role-playing game market, deliberately targeting a niche audience that values difficulty, obscure systems, and survival mechanics over accessibility, a design philosophy that earned the original Outward a dedicated following in the seven years since its launch.
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