A recent social media post coming from Xbox UK, referencing The Outer Worlds 2, spectacularly backfired. While it seemed to be mocking critics and having a positive outlook towards the game, it ignited fury among the dedicated gamers. It even led to accusations about the company attacking its customer base, trending online, doing nothing but straining the relationship with its dwindling fan base.
Xbox made a post that sparked immediate backlash from the gaming community
The official Xbox UK account recently posted an image referencing The Outer Worlds 2, with a smiling face in-image, typing a short yet unexpected line. They captioned it “me replying to my haters.” This flippant remark got interpreted by many observers as a direct jab at the game’s critics. The response of the community to this post has been unforgiving. They view it as dismissive and unprofessional of genuine feedback.
A user bluntly questioned Xbox’s strategy, posting, “Game does terrible. > Attacks customers. What strategy is this?”
Another user went ahead to criticize the priorities of the studio, suggesting, “Maybe instead of wasting time ‘replying to the haters’, you can make a game that actually sells well.”
While the sentiment was echoed by many players and observers, a user bluntly went ahead to compare Xbox to the “injured animal” that “tend to lash out, even at the hands that feeds it.”
Xbox mocks its own players sparking outrage
While The Outer Worlds 2 hasn’t been a favorite of many, the controversy has deepened for players who made a purchase of the premium edition of The Outer Worlds 2. They discovered the in-game item that developers included as a joke. Such a Negative Perk provides a smaller vendor discount. However, it reduces the items’ selling value, quite explicitly mocking the players for consumerism.
The description of perk insults buyers directly, who are now starting to say that the organization is the reason why their marketing works and that they are much more interested in buying the next big thing than making proper financial planning. It has been seen as a bitter, hypocritical gesture from a studio that is highly reliant on these sales, especially after their last gaming title, Avowed, made poor sales.
Players are resenting The Outer Worlds 2 more
Players’ frustration is reportedly compounded by the commercial performance of The Outer Worlds 2. As per the data, the game is reportedly tracking behind some disappointing numbers that have been set by Avowed. With early access concurrency of the game peaking below 11,000 players, this sequel, as per many, is on the trajectory that analysts and fans consider a flop.
There are many players who are citing the high price of the game as a major deterrent. As per their argument, the studio is charging them a premium AAA price for a gaming product, which they perceive to be offering just an AA experience. They consider this pricing strategy, together with perceived lack within divisive and Polish narrative, led to widespread wait for the sale mentality.
The provocative social media post, intentional insulting of the in-game items and initial sales that are not up to mark have combinedly to create a perfect storm of bad press for both Obsidian Entertainment and Xbox Game Studios. The core issues, as highlighted by fans, are the glaring disconnect. As per them, the company appears to be mocking the customers it actually needs to survive.
Such a strategy of antagonizing Xbox’s shrinking fan base, instead of trying to address some valid criticisms related to the game’s value and quality, actually threatens to cause long-term and irreparable damage to the reputation of the brand. Also, the patience of the community seems to be wearing thin, and the franchise’s future now hangs right in the balance.
