The Outer Worlds 2 Gets Its First Story Expansion, Side Effects Guaranteed, on December 2

Side Effects Guaranteed, the first story expansion for The Outer Worlds 2, releases on December 2, according to the Video Games Chronicle, which reported the announcement on 10 November 2026. It is the game's first major paid add-on since the base game came out in October 2025.

The expansion is the first part of a two-part story. The second expansion is scheduled for Spring 2027. Choices players make in Side Effects Guaranteed will carry over into that next instalment, so the two parts are designed to connect.

The new content takes players to Elysium Valley, a new region on Eden, the planet where the game is set. Players can explore the area and follow its story from there.

The expansion also raises the level cap to 36, which gives characters room to grow. New flaws and perks, which are optional traits that shape how a character plays, are included. So are new armour, new weapons and a new radio station.

Players who want to jump straight in will have an option for that. When starting a new game, they can pick an alternative start that drops them directly into the expansion, rather than playing through the base game first.

The expansion costs $14.99, the price listed in the publisher's announcement. Players who want to see the new region can buy it from the same storefront they use for the base game, on the dates and platforms shown in the store listing.

For people who have not played The Outer Worlds 2 yet, the add-on is a separate purchase that adds to the existing game. It is not a standalone release. The second part, due in spring 2027, will add the rest of the story, so players who want the full arc will need both expansions.