Major PS5 and Xbox game sequel ‘cancelled' without warning as fans call axing ‘criminal' and blast ‘brutal cliffhanger'
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Reports claim the decision came from Square Enix and was beyond the developer's control
The game was being made by Polish developer People Can Fly and had the working title Project Gemini.
Reports claim the decision came from Square Enix and was beyond the developer's control.
It's not clear why the game was cancelled, but it's another blow to an already struggling games industry.
Outriders launched in 2021 and got off to a strong start thanks to its day-one release on Xbox Game Pass.
Read more on Technology
The looter-shooter picked up a loyal fanbase and Square Enix even said it could become their 'next big franchise'.
Despite that, the game failed to make a profit in its first year.
That may have raised doubts about the future of the series — and now it seems those fears were justified.
According to sources, Outriders 2 had already reached the motion capture stage, suggesting it was well underway.
Most read in Tech
Motion capture is used to bring characters and cutscenes to life, and often takes place in the later stages of production.
However, some insiders say the sequel wasn't quite as far along as others claim.
Either way, the cancellation came as a shock — and has sparked backlash from fans.
Gamers have taken to Reddit to vent their frustration.
One said: 'Still maintain that this game had the best crafting system for a looter shooter. Had some really fun builds when we played this.'
Another added: 'That's a bummer. I had fun with the first one but 3-person co-op is just such a weird number.'
A third said: 'I hope it gets resurrected somehow as I really, really loved the first one.'
Many fans are also angry that the first game ended on a massive cliffhanger — one that may now never be resolved.
Some even called the decision 'criminal' and accused the publisher of giving up on a story they were heavily invested in.
This is the second known game to be cancelled at People Can Fly, who are now focused on other projects.
The studio is currently working on several titles, including helping out on Gears of War: E-Day.
They previously developed Gears of War: Judgement for Xbox 360, so they're no strangers to the franchise.
As for Outriders, its future looks uncertain. With the sequel shelved and no official word from Square Enix, fans are bracing themselves for the worst.
It's not the first time a big-name game has been scrapped — and likely won't be the last.
SEGA shocked fans in 2023 when it cancelled Hyenas, a flashy team-based shooter from Total War devs Creative Assembly.
The game had already been through public testing, but was axed just before release, alongside a wave of job cuts.
Over at PlayStation, The Last of Us Online was quietly shelved by Naughty Dog.
The multiplayer spin-off was meant to expand the world of the hit franchise, but after years in development limbo, the studio admitted in late 2023 it had decided to pull the plug and focus on single-player titles instead.
Xbox gamers were left disappointed years earlier when Scalebound, a dragon-riding action adventure, was cancelled by Microsoft.
Despite early gameplay footage and a growing fanbase, the 2017 cancellation blamed development struggles and high ambitions that proved too difficult to deliver.
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According to sources, Outriders 2 had already reached the motion capture stage, suggesting it was well underway
Credit: Sony PlayStation
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