Is Outriders a Games as a Service

Squint hard enough, and it’s not hard to view Outriders as a “Games as a Service” (or GaaS) title. It’s a cooperative third-person looter-shooter, with an emphasis on player progression and a committed endgame loop built to keep players invested. By and large that description covers many of the current Games as a Service on the market, which is worrying for those burnt out on the FOMO-driven genre.

But, if you open your eyes a bit you’ll see Outriders is actually avoiding the “live service” moniker, instead opting for a more old-school approach. I know, in an era where everyone seems to be taking on Bungie’s Destiny 2 it’s hard to believe, but from what we’ve seen thus far it’s safe to say Outriders will be a complete package when it launches April 1st.

Outriders is not a “Games as a Service”, and will only receive expansions or DLC if there is demand.

In an interview last year with our own Kyle Hanson, Lead Writer  Joshua Rubin and Lead Narrative Designer Syzmon Barchan confirmed Outriders would not be a “Games as a Service” (and would not feature microtransactions, such as the now infamous lootboxes seen elsewhere). In other interviews and statements made across the web, the team has made it clear that Outriders was built with a singular ending in mind – there are no roadmaps or plans for future content, just one simple base game for all to enjoy.

Now with that out of the way, People Can Fly have not written off DLC or expansions, but those will be contingent on the game’s overall success and popularity. So, if Outriders does well we may receive a traditional expansion or two, but don’t expect battle passes, seasons, or even ladders to appear in Outriders in the near future. Sure, I’ll hedge my bets and admit there’s always the possibility for things to change, but as it currently stands Outriders will be a complete experience out of the box, with none of the usual live-service hooks and bullshit to fret over. Just buy the game, enjoy it, and put it down when you are done.

Isn’t that a novel concept?