What The Outlast Trials' Six-Year Struggle Means for Players

The bumpy development of The Outlast Trials shows that even successful games can face major setbacks, and that listening to playtest feedback is crucial. For players, it means the final product is mor…

The bumpy development of The Outlast Trials shows that even successful games can face major setbacks, and that listening to playtest feedback is crucial. For players, it means the final product is mor…

Key points - The Outlast Trials took six years to develop, according to Red Barrels co-founder Philippe Morin. - Morin described the development as taking 'a fucking long time' and involving 'a shit-ton of prototypes.' - A seemingly shippable build was produced within four years, but poor playtests forced the team back to the drawing board. - The team initially aimed for systemic, random, and infinitely replayable gameplay but scaled back to feel more like Outlast. - The game now has around 20,000 players and has evolved into a live service title.

Timeline - During development: Red Barrels produces a seemingly shippable build within four years. - After playtests: Poor playtest results force the team to return to the drawing board. - After six years: The Outlast Trials launches into early access. - Currently: The game has around 20,000 players and is a live service title.

FAQ

Q: Why did The Outlast Trials take six years to develop? A: The team went through many prototypes and initially aimed for infinite replayability, but poor playtests forced them to rethink and refocus on what makes Outlast feel like Outlast.

Q: What were the playtests like for The Outlast Trials? A: According to Philippe Morin, the playtests went poorly enough that the team had to go back to the drawing board, despite having a seemingly shippable build after four years.

Q: Is The Outlast Trials successful now? A: Yes, it has around 20,000 players and has evolved into a sizable live service game, though players are mixed on its use of AI-generated imagery.