"Outlast" proved to be one of the most successful horror games of 2013, and a sequel was originally planned to be released this year. Red Barrels, the studio developing the games, had announced that the game is being pushed back to early 2017, and the previously available demo is no longer available for download.
The company made the announcement back in August, and in October, they unveiled a limited-time demo to showcase some of the mechanics of the game. However, this demo is no longer available on any platform and has been pulled out from the online stores.
No official release date has been announced, and according to a report from Counsel and Heal, the developers had to delay the game in order to ensure the game rolls out with the highest quality possible. Many games are known for rushing their release to meet a deadline only for gamers to discover numerous bugs, glitches, and missing features. This is the exact kind of problem Red Barrels is avoiding with "Outlast 2."
"We're taking just a little bit more time to make sure our vision for Outlast 2 is in no way compromised and is the experience you deserve," read their statement at the time of the delay's announcement.
It is also possible that the developers are attempting to prevent the game from requiring a large day one patch. "Final Fantasy XV" was pushed back from September to November to also avoid requiring a day one patch, and "Outlast 2" may be doing the same thing. This will ensure gamers can enjoy the game without having to download a large file.
Unlike the first game, which focused on government conspiracies, "Outlast 2" focuses on a rural area of the country and a heavy emphasis on religious horrors such as isolated cults with superstitious rituals and beliefs.
"Outlast 2" launches for PC, Xbox One, and PS4 in early 2017.
