Obsidian Entertainment’s RPG slips in a joke that doubles as a critique of the industry—or at least the people calling the shots.

Expectations for The Outer Worlds 2 were sky-high, and the sequel has exceeded them in several respects, with critics rating it better than the 2018 original. As before, it leans hard into anti-capitalist themes and independence from corporate influence, nudging players to rethink the world around them—and, pointedly, their own purchasing habits.

As clips circulating on social media show, if you bought the $99.99 Premium Edition of The Outer Worlds 2, the game pokes fun at you for consumerist behavior. A message pops up reading “You are the reason our marketing works,” ribbing the decision to pay extra and suggesting your mind is occupied by promos and sales. The gag goes further with an in-game perk: you get a 15% vendor discount, but your sell value drops by 10%—a tidy bit of ludonarrative commentary on paying more up front.

Wry humor with a sharper edge

Most fans took the jab in stride—some even praised Obsidian for spotlighting aggressive pricing. Ahead of launch, rumors pegged the base price at $80; after backlash, Microsoft settled on $70 for the standard edition. It’s very on-brand for the series to crack jokes at corporate decision-makers while also holding up a mirror to players’ spending choices.

Source: Tech4Gamers