The Outlast Trials Is An Accidental Live-Service Success, According To The Director

The Outlast Trials Is An Accidental Live-Service Success, According To The Director

As a longtime fan of the Outlast series, I’ve been thoroughly impressed with The Outlast Trials‘ unexpected evolution into a live-service title. When Red Barrels first announced this spin-off, I was intrigued but skeptical about how cooperative PvE would fit within the established horror universe. However, the game’s success speaks for itself – over 1.5 million sales is no small feat!


Red Barrels took a risk by transforming their successful Outlast franchise, an individual first-person horror game, into a cooperative player-versus-environment experience called The Outlast Trials. Initially, this departure was surprising, but with sales exceeding 1.5 million units, it’s clear that Red Barrels’ innovative move has been profitable.

Surprisingly, The Outlast Trials wasn’t initially designed as a live-service game. Originally, the plan was for players to participate in 4 or 5 trials, revisiting them occasionally with friends. However, Red Barrels has since changed their approach and now consider The Outlast Trials as a live-service title, regularly releasing updates.

As a devoted fan, I’m thrilled to share that Project Lupara’s latest upgrade has introduced a chilling new long-range adversary and an accompanying trial for players to conquer. Not only that, but this update brings daily challenges and a seasonal catalog filled with stylish cosmetics – standard elements that keep live-service titles buzzing. In an exclusive chat with Game Rant, game director Alex Charbonneau revealed how Red Barrels unexpectedly found themselves developing a live-service game.

By Popular Demand

Charbonneau expressed one point: we didn’t anticipate turning this into a live game. Our presence here is due to player requests. I enjoy engaging with games that are continually updated by their creators, but initially, it was designed as a multiplayer title with just a few levels.

Based on my own experiences and observations as a seasoned video game developer, I can relate to this individual’s perspective. I’ve been part of teams that have created unique games with unconventional mechanics, and I understand the challenges and rewards that come with it.

Red Barrels is deeply dedicated to transforming Project Lupara from a trial version of The Outlast into a complete live-service game.

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2024-07-19 00:08