My Perfect Console with Simon Parkin Brandon Adler, game director, The Outer Worlds 2.
Nov 25, 2025
Brandon Adler, a seasoned game director at Obsidian Entertainment, shares insights into crafting The Outer Worlds 2. He discusses the evolution of the game’s universe and unique aspects of character-driven design. Brandon reflects on his journey from soldier to game designer, emphasizing lessons in leadership and creativity learned from both the military and classic RPGs. He delves into the balance of satire and storytelling, where humor meets critique, and advocates for player agency in narrative choice, setting the stage for an exciting new chapter in the beloved franchise.
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Satire Of Corporate Power
- The Outer Worlds frames corporate power as an absurd, authoritarian everyday world rather than a single villain.
- Obsidian uses satire to show how people adapt and normalize exploitative systems.
Prototype Dossier System
- Early prototypes included a dossier conversation system that let players gather facts and use them in dialogue, but it proved costly to scale.
- The team salvaged parts of the idea instead of building the full system to keep scope manageable.
Prototype To Win Buy-In
- Prototype vertical slices to make unfamiliar features comprehensible and persuasive to the team.
- Use prototypes to win buy-in and refine scope before committing major resources.
