Outbound: Everything We Know

Buckle up, campers — Square Glade Games is rustling up a new survival-crafting game for PC—a utopian adventure in which players will have the power to build their own camper vans and explore a rich and vibrant world. Think Camper Van: Make it Home, yet another van-centric game that’s also due out in 2024, but with a bit more crafting and farming, and you’ll have an idea of what its team are getting at. That’s Outbound, in a nutshell, and it’s currently on the verge of settling into its Kickstarter campaign.

Outbound isn’t due to arrive on its chosen platforms for a fair while yet, but if you are keen to hear a bit more about it, then be sure to read on. Here’s everything we can tell you about Square Glade Games’ upcoming exploration-crafting project.

What Is Outbound?

Outbound is a first-person exploration-crafting game that’s set within the colorful biomes of a utopian fantasy world. The game, which will task its players with building and upgrading their own camper van, will pave the way for several core gameplay elements, including open-world exploration, energy management, and of course, crafting.

In Square Glade Games’ own words, “Outbound is an open-world exploration game set in a utopian near future. You start with an empty camper van and turn it into the home of your dreams. Build and explore at your own pace. Scavenge materials, craft, automate production, and build in and on top of your vehicle with modular parts. Advance in technology and efficiently use energy to power your home. Adjust your strategy to adapt to new landscapes and changing environmental conditions.”

Story

Outbound will tell the story of one person’s journey through a utopian society—a world in which those who choose to live off the grid are mentally, financially, and physically better off than the average city-dwelling person. Or at least, that's what we're being led to believe, anyway.

As the lone traveler, you will have the chance to explore a vast open world in your trusty camper van and develop a life off the fat of the land, all whilst unraveling secrets and unlocking new ways to expand your horizons. Along the way, you'll discover a treasure trove of fluorescent and seemingly tropical locations to weigh anchor in—spots in which resources can be collected, and then used to craft better equipment for your camper van and future endeavours.

Gameplay

It’s certainly one thing to have a swanky reclining chair and a paint job that’s color-coded, but if you’re planning on staying afloat as you traverse the open roads, then you’re also going to need to figure out how to channel the sun, water, and wind into pockets of energy to keep your vehicle in tip-top condition. What’s more, you’re also going to have to learn how to brave the beaten paths as and when needed, if only to forage for valuable resources to help boost your camper van’s overall performance, too.

“Build your moving base with a modular building system,” the game’s description adds. “Customize your vehicle with paint, decorations, and furniture to create your own perfect cozy place. Create gardens to nurture delicate and delicious plants and mushrooms. Eat them raw or cook them first to refill your needs. Craft workstations and tools from resources around you. Upgrade, connect, and automate to produce more complex parts.”

Development

As a reminder, Outbound is a product of Square Glade Games, an independent studio that’s currently working out of the Netherlands. The team, which is only made up of the two creators, has previously worked on another crafting-type game—a Western-inspired base-building game called Above Snakes. You can go ahead and check that out via its Steam handle here.

At the time of writing, Outbound doesn't have a formal release date, nor a functioning page of Kickstarter, for that matter. However, according to the devs, the fundraising campaign will be going live soon, so we'd best keep our eyes peeled for the next announcement. If we're lucky, then we should be seeing a lot more of Outbound over the coming months.

On a side note, you can register your interest on Square Glade Games' soon-to-be Kickstarter handle here.

Trailer

Although the Kickstarter campaign has yet to formally kick off, so to speak, Square Glade Games has at least made the effort to showcase some of the core gameplay elements that'll feature in Outbound. Need we say more? You can check out the initial announcement trailer for the upcoming exploration-crafting game in the video embedded above.

Release Date, Platforms & Editions

Outbound doesn’t have a concrete release date just yet. However, Square Glade Games has made it clear that the game will be available to purchase via Steam on launch. As for whether or not it’ll find its way over to the likes of Xbox, PlayStation, or Switch, on the other hand, is still a bit of a mystery.

Right now, we can't say whether there'll be any special or digital deluxe editions of Outbound. It seems unlikely at this point, but if Square Glade Games does have anything of the sort in its deck of cards, then the news is likely to hit the shores of its Kickstarter campaign just as soon as it launches.

Interested in staying up to date with Square Glade Games’ Outbound? If so, then be sure to check in with the team over on their official social handle here. If anything does change ahead of its global debut, then we’ll be sure to fill you in on all the key details right here on gaming.net.

So, what’s your take? Will you be picking up a copy of Outbound when it arrives on Steam? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.