We asked Obsidian about romance in The Outer Worlds 2, and now I’m a little hopeful the RPG may follow Avowed’s example: “it truly does need to be something that’s organic”

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In a new trailer debuted during Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025, the characters from The Outer Worlds 2 were spotlighted. The trailer introduced each daring explorer who will accompany us on our journey through the Arcadia star system. Towards the end of the trailer, a humorous note was added by the narrator, confirming that contrary to some expectations, players will not have the option to romantically pursue these characters – implying that there won’t be any romantic relationships with party members, much like in the original Outer Worlds.

After speaking with Brandon Adler, the game director at Obsidian, about their approach to romance in the upcoming sequel during Gamescom 2025, I must admit that the studio’s vision for companion relationships is beginning to appeal to me. It seems as though they might draw inspiration from Avowed, and personally, I sincerely hope this turns out to be true.

Getting to know you

In my opinion, it shouldn’t follow a rigid, preset plan as if checking off items on a list. Instead, it needs to feel authentic and suitable for the characters we are creating.

Brandon Adler, game director

In June’s Xbox Games Showcase analysis, it was mentioned that each companion in the game will be associated with a particular faction and will have distinct viewpoints based on your actions and conversations. Similar to followers in Avowed, these companions will respond to your actions, but you can also sway them towards certain paths or encourage specific personality traits, such as Aza, a cultist companion who might lean more towards violence. This leads to an intriguing question: whether romantic relationships could organically develop between the protagonist and these companions. In simpler terms, this implies that there’s potential for romance to play a role in the dynamic between you and your companions.

In game development, a balance is crucial; it’s about adding features and taking them away in order to create a well-rounded game experience. Romantic elements aren’t inherently negative, but they do demand attention that could otherwise be allocated to other interactive aspects of the characters, such as their reactions to events or even their departures from the party.

Adler used Aza as an illustration of the effort invested in her storyline, emphasizing that there are limitations to the work that can be done on companions in a role-playing game like The Outer Worlds 2, especially given its ambition to expand and improve upon its predecessor. However, Adler hinted at the possibility that an alternative approach, rather than pursuing romantic relationships with companions, might offer a more substantial and meaningful experience in the game.

Adler clarified, “In truth, the romantic aspects didn’t align with my overall concept for the relationships I envisioned. Ideally, the group would be friends, but it wasn’t essential that we developed romantic feelings. If romance emerged organically within the narrative, I was open to exploring it, but it wasn’t a primary objective from the start. Instead, the relationships needed to feel genuine and not forced, such as ‘Every character will have romance. We’ll make it work by saying three sweet things.’ It should be more authentic and grow naturally when crafting these connections.

Instead of delving into the specific details of the relationships, Adler emphasizes that they should feel natural and not contrived or forced like items on a to-do list. For him, it’s crucial that these relationships are tailored to the characters being developed in the writing.

Blossoming bonds

I’ve had a soft spot for romantic gestures throughout my life, and while it’s delightful to witness such elements in games, it can be quite challenging to execute them convincingly. Over time, romance is frequently presented in one of two ways: either by choosing the correct dialogue options to gain approval or by selecting the right gifts to boost affection levels (with Adler pointing this out).

In my opinion, what really drew me to Avowed was its unique approach. As you progress through the Living Lands, you’re given the opportunity to deepen your understanding of your companions during camp interactions. The level of involvement is entirely at your discretion – you can choose to engage with them frequently or hardly at all. However, I made it a point to converse with Kai as much as possible and even assisted him with a personal task. By the end of the RPG, I had grown quite fond of him, considering him a friend. When the opportunity presented itself in our conversation to admit that my character harbored romantic feelings for him, it felt completely organic due to the bond I’d cultivated over time.

It’s clear I understand Adler’s perspective: adding romance merely as a default or to tick a box isn’t ideal, instead, it should naturally fit the character. This leads me to wonder: might there be companions for whom a romantic arc would align well? Could there still be room for romance in some cases? While it won’t apply to every new companion, if it fits certain characters just as Kai’s did, then perhaps we could explore romantic development again.

Even though we might not personally experience romantic relationships within the game, it’s feasible for characters like Parvati to find love outside of our character as well. The first Outer Worlds game provided an engaging example of this with Parvati and Junlei Tennyson. During a questline, you encounter Junlei, and by facilitating their relationship and offering support as Parvati navigated her fears, I felt like a loyal friend, making the successful outcome all the more satisfying.

When we broached the topic with Adler and inquired if we might encounter similar situations, he remained silent, replying “you’ll need to experience it for yourself”. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean it won’t happen. Despite uncertainty about romantic elements in The Outer Worlds 2, I’m confident that Obsidian will create characters I will grow attached to. With Adler’s non-romantic “circle of close friends” by my side, I eagerly anticipate how my story progresses.

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2025-08-30 17:10