History Trivia / TheOuterWorlds

** While Obsidian has rejected this, many outlets have said this is very much like a shot across the bow for a war with Bethesda over their handling of the ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'' franchise, particularly their EpicFail accusations with ''VideoGame/Fallout76''. Became somewhat moot after both studios were bought by Creator/{{Microsoft}} (Obsidian shortly before ''Outer Worlds'' came out, Bethesda's parent company [=ZeniMax=] several months after).

* SimilarlyNamedWorks: With Videogame/OuterWilds, to the point that many people regularly mix them up and conflate one with the other, to both games' detriment.

** In the initial reveal trailer and concept art, the character of Phineas Welles resembled the conventional wacky scientist archetype with grey hair, such as from ''Franchise/BackToTheFuture'' and ''Franchise/RickAndMorty''. By the E3 2018 trailer his hair was darkened and his face was made to look somewhat younger.

** Romance subplots between the player and companion characters were considered, but ultimately abandoned due to time constraints. Probably just as well given Obsidian's past track record with {{Romance Sidequest}}s (albeit this was mostly Creator/ChrisAvellone's fault, and he left the company in 2015).

** While Obsidian has rejected this, Creator/JimSterling and many others have said this is very much like a shot across the bow for a war with Bethesda over their handling of the ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'' franchise, particularly their EpicFail accusations with ''VideoGame/Fallout76''. Became somewhat moot after both studios were bought by Creator/{{Microsoft}} (Obsidian shortly before ''Outer Worlds'' came out, Bethesda's parent company [=ZeniMax=] several months after).

** With ''VideoGame/Cyberpunk2077'' as they were both sci-fi FPS-RPG's with an emphasis on choice & were going to be released within months of each other. Cyberpunk was then delayed so much it launched ''more than a year'' after ''Outer Worlds'''s successful but low-key launch. 2077 also refocused to the action FPS genre due to it's DevelopmentHell, which resulted in the situation that the two games aren't considered to be in the same ''genre'', let alone have a rivalry.

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** Browsing the game files reveals that a number of quests in Byzantium didn't make it to the final product, which accounts for how sparse the city is compared to earlier hubs.
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** While Obsidian has rejected this, Creator/JimSterling and many others have said this is very much like a shot across the bow for a war with Bethesda over their handling of the ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'' franchise, particularly their EpicFail accusations with ''VideoGame/Fallout76''. [[HilariousInHindsight Became somewhat moot]] after both studios were bought by Creator/{{Microsoft}} (Obsidian shortly before ''Outer Worlds'' came out, Bethesda's parent company [=ZeniMax=] several months after).
** With ''VideoGame/{{Cyberpunk 2077}}'' as they were both sci-fi FPS-RPG's with an emphasis on choice & were going to be released within months of each other. Cyberpunk was then delayed so much it launched ''more than a year'' after ''Outer Worlds'''s successful but low-key launch. 2077 also refocused to the action FPS genre due to it's DevelopmentHell, which resulted in the situation that the two games aren't considered to be in the same ''genre'', let alone have a rivalry.

* AlternateCompanyEquivalent:
** A UsedFuture CrapsackWorld and CorruptCorporateExecutive-run {{Dystopia}} running on mile-a-minute BlackComedy where the planet is overrun with drug-addled AlwaysChaoticEvil bandits and psychopaths? Is it ''The Outer Worlds'' or ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}''? {{Justified}} as ''Borderlands'' has openly admitted to taking a lot of development cues from ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}''.
** Many people have commented on the fact this feels like ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' [[JustForFun/RecycledInSpace in SPACCCCEE]] (and it should, given that it's the same developers but a different IP).
** A story about an otherwise [[RidiculouslyAverageGuy unremarkable individual]] awoken from cryogenic sleep on a colony ship that arrived late, an is given the responsibility of somehow finding ways o fix a failed colonization effort. This game could also be Obsidian's take on ''VideoGame/MassEffectAndromeda''. Bonus points for both games having a synthetic named SAM.

** Many people have commented on the fact this feels like ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' [[RecycledInSpace in SPACCCCEE]] (and it should, given that it's the same developers but a different IP).

** In the initial reveal trailer and concept art, the character of Phineas Welles resembled the conventional wacky scientist archetype with grey hair, such as from ''Franchise/{{Back To The Future}}'' and ''Franchise/RickAndMorty''. By the E3 2018 trailer his hair was darkened and his face was made to look somewhat younger.

** A UsedFuture CrapsackWorld and CorruptCorporateExecutive-run {{Dystopia}} running on mile-a-minute BlackComedy where the planet is overrun with drug-addled AlwaysChaoticEvil bandits and psychopaths? Are we talking about ''The Outer Worlds'' or ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}''? {{Justified}} as ''Borderlands'' has openly admitted to taking a lot of development cues from ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}''.

** Ellie was the first companion shown in the trailers, meaning that she was going the first companion the player was going to recruit in the starting planet. However, she was replaced with Parvati as the first companion and Ellie was instead moved to the Groundbreaker and was changed to a more cynical and opportunistic DeadpanSnarker.

** Ellie was the first companion shown in the trailers, meaning that she was going the first companion the player was going to recruit in the starting planet. However, she was replaced with Parvati as the first companion and Ellie was instead moved to the Groundbreaker and was changed to a more cynical and opportunistic ChaoticNeutral DeadpanSnarker.

* FanNickname: Some fans have already taken to calling the unnamed protagonist "The Passenger" after the Music/IggyPop song that plays in the trailer (and in a nod to previous ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'' protagonists). The character's official moniker is "The Unplanned Variable".

** With ''VideoGame/{{Cyberpunk 2077}}'', given that they're both sci-fi FPS-RPG's with an emphasis on choice and originally were going to be released within months of each other. This has died down since their release dates have moved from each other to the point where they're no longer competing.

** A UsedFuture CrapsackWorld and CorruptCorporateExecutive-run {{Dystopia}} running on mile-a-minute BlackComedy where the planet is overrun with drug-addled AlwaysChaoticEvil bandits and psychopaths? Are we talking about ''The Outer Worlds'' or ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}''? {{Justified}} as ''Borderlands'' has openly admitted to taking a lot of development cues from ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}.''

** A story about an otherwise [[RidiculouslyAverageGuy unremarkable individual]] awoken from cryogenic sleep on a colony ship that arrived late, an is given the responsibility of somehow finding ways o fix a failed colonization effort. This game could also be Obsidian’s take on ''VideoGame/MassEffectAndromeda''. Bonus points for both games having a synthetic named SAM.

** While the developers have rejected this, Creator/JimSterling and many others have said this is very much like a shot across the bow for a war with Bethesda over their handling of the ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'' franchise, particularly their EpicFail accusations with ''VideoGame/Fallout76''.

** Romance subplots between the player and companion characters were considered, but ultimately abandoned due to time constraints.

** A story about an otherwise [[RidiculouslyAverageGuy unremarkable individual]] awoken from cryogenic sleep on a colony ship that arrived late, an is given the responsibility of somehow finding ways o fix a failed colonization effort. This game coulD also be Obsidian’s take on ''VideoGame/MassEffectAndromeda''. Bonus points for both games having a synthetic named SAM.

** With ''VideoGame/{{Cyberpunk 2077}}'', given that they're both sci-fi FPS-RPG's with an emphasis on choice and originally were going to be released within months of each other.