The Outlast Trialswas always an experiment for developer Red Barrels. Spinning off the studio’s first-person horror series Outlast into a cooperative player-versus-environment was unexpected. However,with over 1.5 million sales, Red Barrel’s genre shift has certainly paid off.
Interestingly, The Outlast Trials wasn’t intended to be a live-service experience. The original plan was to have 4 or 5 trials that players would occasionally return to and play with friends. Instead, Red Barrels is now treating The Outlast Trials as a live-service title, regularly adding updates.
The Outlast Trials' New Major Update Adds A Horrifying Ranged Enemy
And he’s addicted to heroin…
Project Lupara, a recent major update, addsa horrifying new ranged enemyand accompanying trial. The update also features daily challenges and a seasonal catalogue of cosmetics: classic live-service staples. In an interview withGame Rant, game director Alex Charbonneau spoke about how Red Barrels stumbled into supporting a live-service title.
By Popular Demand
“One thing I want to say is we never could have predicted that this would become a live-service game,” Charbonneau said. “The only reason we’re here today is because people demanded that… I love investing my time in a game that is maintained by the developers and there’s this back and forth, but the original plan was that it was a multiplayer game with about four or five trials.”
“That was the plan initially,” he continued. “It became crystal clear at the closed beta two years ago that we needed to provide a better game loop because we reacted to the fact that people were so happy with the game, and they just wanted more and more. I guess it comes with the fact that it’s a bit unique on the market. A game where you have no weapon, survival co-op, all of those factors. It really works. So yes, we became this game because people wanted it to become like that.”
Project Lupara demonstrates the commitment of Red Barrels to fully adapting The Outlast Trials towards a fully-fleshed live-service title.
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