Outbound Wants You to Try Adding a Large Home on Top of a Van
Outbound's strong demo performance and rapid Kickstarter backing suggest a market appetite for cozy co-op exploration games that combine vehicle customization with resource management, a niche currently underserved on PC and consoles.
Reporting from 1 sources: VTuber NewsDrop.
Square Glade Games' Outbound, a 4-player co-op 3D exploration game, had one of the most-played demos during February's Steam Next Fest and was fully funded on Kickstarter within two hours of launch. The game casts players as road-trippers driving a van through a forest park, gathering resources to build a home on top of the vehicle. Key features include a Bio Burner that converts resources into electric charge, a Workbench for crafting items from downloadable blueprints, and extensive van customization with decorations like fairy lights and gingham curtains. The demo includes a single forest biome with branching paths, a day/night cycle, a tech tree, and accessibility options. The writer noted some issues: lighting decorations do not generate light, cooking is underdeveloped in the demo, and inventory management for items like download vouchers is cumbersome. Outbound is scheduled for release on PlayStation, Epic Games, and Xbox on April 23, with demos available for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2.
Square Glade Games' Outbound is a 4-player co-op 3D exploration game where players drive a van through a forest park, gathering resources to build a home on top of the vehicle. The game's demo was one of the most-played during February's Steam Next Fest, and the project was fully funded on Kickstarter within two hours of launch. The van features a Bio Burner that converts resources into electric charge to power the motor, and a Workbench that accepts downloadable blueprints for crafting items like a Sawmill or Recycler. Players can customize the van with a wide variety of decorations, including fairy lights and gingham curtains. The demo includes a single forest biome with branching paths, a day/night cycle, a tech tree, and accessibility options such as disabling timing-based minigames and adjusting the day cycle. The writer noted that lighting decorations do not generate light, cooking is not highlighted in the demo, and inventory management for items like download vouchers is cumbersome. Outbound is scheduled for release on PlayStation, Epic Games, and Xbox on April 23, with demos available for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.