I have some awesome news for you, fellow horror fan. Outlast and its expansion Whistleblower are completely free on the Epic Games Store at the moment! This limited-time promotion offers a chance to pick up the acclaimed asylum horror game at no cost until September 29th, 2022.
Normally $19.99, Outlast provides around 5+ hours of terrifying first-person stealth action as you uncover sinister secrets. If you‘ve been curious about the game or want to stock up your library, now is the time to head to the Epic Store and download Outlast for free!
But maybe you‘re wondering – is Outlast permanently free anywhere? Or available without paying across different platforms? This article will cover everything you need to know about getting Outlast free or paid. I‘ll provide stats and perspective as a horror gaming expert to help you decide if entering Mount Massive Asylum is right for you.
An Ultra Low-Budget Horror Hit
It‘s hard to believe when you play the chilling atmosphere, but Outlast cost just over $1 million USD to develop. The team at Red Barrels created the original game on a shoestring budget compared to most big titles. According to GameIndustry.biz, exact figures break down to:
- Development Budget: CAD $1.36 million
- Staff: 11 core team members
- Length of Development: Under 3 years
Talk about maximizing limited resources! Outlast launched in 2013 as an indie passion project from a small team. But the unique found footage style and tense stealth gameplay struck a chord with horror gamers. Let‘s look at how this low-budget title became a huge commercial success.
Outlast Sales Numbers and Revenue
While specific sales figures are not shared publicly, we know Outlast has sold over 15 million copies worldwide as of 2022. The game has brought in more than $64 million USD total for Red Barrels.
For perspective on how impressive these numbers are:
- Outlast sold 1 million copies in under 6 months after launch
- The game had its most profitable year in 2022, 9 years later
- Sales spiked over 2000% in China when government restrictions lifted
- Outlast DLC Whistleblower sold 3 million copies as of 2017
Very few indie horror games reach these heights. Outlast continues to sell steadily across platforms, proving its scary premise and unique gameplay still appeal to audiences. Next let‘s examine exactly where you can get the game.
Where to Get Outlast: All Platforms and Stores
Since first launching on PC, Outlast has spread to numerous digital and physical outlets. Here‘s a full breakdown of everywhere you can purchase the asylum horror experience:
PC Storefronts
- Steam – $19.99 USD
- Epic Games Store – Free until 9/29/22 or $19.99 USD
- GOG – $19.99 USD
- Humble Store – $19.99 USD
Consoles
- PlayStation 4 – $19.99 USD (PlayStation Store)
- PlayStation 5 – $19.99 USD (PlayStation Store)
- Xbox One – $19.99 USD (Microsoft Store)
- Xbox Series X|S – $19.99 USD (Microsoft Store)
Nintendo Switch
- Physical Edition – Out of print, rare used copies only
- Digital not available
Mobile (No Longer Sold)
- iOS
- Android
As you can see, PC and modern consoles offer easy digital access to Outlast. Mobile versions existed but were removed from app stores. And Switch only saw limited physical copies in select regions.
Speaking of physical media, let‘s find out how a boxed edition of Outlast ended up banned in one country!
Outlast Gets Banned in Australia
When Outlast 2 launched in 2017, Australia initially refused classification and banned sales entirely. The Australian Classification Board claimed it depicted sexual violence exceeding allowed restrictions.
Developer Red Barrels disagreed strongly, insisting no actual assault was shown. After appeals and edits, a censored version of Outlast 2 finally released in Australia with an R18+ rating.
The whole controversy shines a light on Outlast‘s extremely mature content. So next up, let‘s discuss whether the game is appropriate for younger players.
Mature Audiences Only
While Outlast offers blood-curdling scares, it‘s absolutely not suitable for kids or teens under 18. The game rightfully earned an M for Mature ESRB rating for:
- Blood and Gore
- Intense Violence
- Nudity
- Sexual Themes
- Strong Language
The asylum contains horrifying scenes of mutilation, torture, disturbing imagery, and deranged inmates. There are also strong sexual references throughout Outlast 2 especially.
Common Sense Media advises Outlast is only appropriate for ages 18 and up. If you are considering letting a mature teenager play, use extreme caution and monitor their experience closely. Outlast is tailored exclusively to an adult audience.
Minimum PC Requirements
Ready to survive the horror? Make sure your PC can handle the system requirements first:
- OS: Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, or 10 (64-bit)
- Processor: 2.2 GHz Dual Core CPU
- Memory: 4GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 9800GT or better
- Storage: 5GB free space
You‘ll need a PC with a 64-bit operating system and strong dual core processor. A dedicated GPU like the 9800 GT or newer handles the graphics well. And just 5GB of hard drive space is needed.
Outlast should run fine even on older hardware, especially at lower resolutions. Just don‘t expect peak performance on outdated integrated graphics or ancient single core CPUs.
Single Player Offline Experience
Outlast is strictly a single player game with no online features or multiplayer modes. You can play completely 100% offline after installing it on your platform of choice.
No internet connection is required at all. This allows anyone to easily access the terrifying campaign as long as they own a copy.
Now let‘s examine how long it takes to finish the tense story.
Playtime Length and Completion
According to HowLongToBeat.com, here is how long it takes to finish Outlast:
- Main Story: 5 Hours
- Main + Extras: 101⁄2 Hours
- Completionist: 12 Hours
You can reach the credits in around 5 hours if you focus only on the core story. Or expect 10-12 hours for full completion finding all collectibles and completing Nightmare Mode.
Finishing Outlast in under 10 hours is reasonable for most players. Just brace yourself for difficult achievements if you‘re pursuing 100% completion!
Challenging Achievements and Trophies
Outlast has tough achievement lists across all platforms. You‘ll really need to master sneaking past enemies and evading death. A few examples of hard achievements include:
- PC: Complete the game without dying once
- Xbox: Finish story in Insane difficulty
- PlayStation: Collect all documents and recordings
Using a guide helps track collectibles and learn strategies if you‘re aiming for 100%. But expect some frustrating trial and error and lots of patience!
The Outlast Story Explained
Now that we‘ve covered all the key game details, let‘s briefly dive into the chilling story and setting that horror fans have come to love about Outlast:
You play as investigative journalist Miles Upshur, who breaks into an abandoned insane asylum called Mount Massive after receiving a disturbing tip. Once inside, Miles discovers the asylum‘s deranged inmates roam free after a mass breakout.
Trapped with only a camcorder for navigation, Miles must sneak and evade his way through the labyrinth of padded cells, filthy hallways, and blood-soaked rooms searching for an exit. All while uncovering the facility‘s many horrific secrets.
These include grotesque experiments performed on patients by Murkoff Corporation, torture and mutilation carried out by a cannibal inmate known as The Doctor, and much more that I won‘t spoil here!
Outlast provides a terrifying experience unlike any other game. Next I‘ll break down specific elements that provide bone-chilling scares.
Top 5 Scariest Parts of Outlast
While no asylum tour would be complete without visiting everywhere, here are 5 of the most frightening areas and moments in Outlast:
- Male Ward: Dark basement full of mutilated bodies and the ghostly twins.
- Sewer: Being chased by a massive inmate through claustrophobic, dank tunnels.
- Vocational Block: Deranged groom Eddie Gluskin stalks you relentlessly.
- Courtyard: Running and hiding from the incredibly strong Chris Walker.
- Exit: Desperately sprinting to freedom as the Walrider pursues.
Outlast constantly keeps you anxious and on edge, never knowing where the next threat will emerge. Next I‘ll introduce the most terrifying villains you hope to avoid!
Top 5 Outlast Enemies and Villains
Chris Walker: Huge, powerful inmate who violently pursues Miles as an "apostle" of containment.
Eddie Gluskin: Delusional groom who brutally murders men in his search for a "bride."
Dr. Trager: Sociopathic ex-executive who experiments on patients using terrifying methods.
The Twins: Ghost-like brothers who haunt the Male Ward halls and appear without warning.
The Walrider: Dark demonic entity capable of gory destruction. Final pursuer as you escape.
Each enemy induces primal panic and fear. Your only options are to desperately sneak by or run for safety. Now let‘s examine if more horror awaits in future installments.
Outlast 3 and DLC Coming Soon?
Developer Red Barrels has confirmed an Outlast 3 is in early production stages. However, no potential release date or story details have been shared yet as of early 2023.
The third numbered entry in the horror series could still be years away. Fans eagerly await any news on the setting and nightmaish enemies we‘ll encounter next!
Until then, playing the first Outlast and its Whistleblower DLC provides plenty of terrifying asylum action. Speaking of DLC, a story expansion is actually available right now for free too!
Grab Outlast Whistleblower Too!
Remember, not only is the main Outlast game free on Epic Games Store at the moment. The excellent Whistleblower DLC prequel story is free as well until 9/29/22!
Whistleblower puts you in the role of Waylon Park, an employee at Mount Massive who must also escape its dangerous inmates and experiments. Playing it after finishing Outlast enhances the overall plot and lore.
So don‘t miss this chance to get both the base game and its DLC completely free while you can!
Enjoy a Scary Masterpiece
When gamers think of survival horror done right, Outlast leaps to mind immediately. Its found footage style, tense stealth gameplay, disturbing environments, and terrifying villains provide an utterly unique and thrilling scarefest.
While not free permanently, Outlast frequently goes on sale across digital platforms. And you can play the acclaimed asylum frightener totally free right now on Epic Games Store before the promotion ends September 29, 2022!
Experience a horror masterpiece that still holds up years later. Just make sure you leave the lights on and brace for plenty of heart-pounding scares lurking within Mount Massive‘s dark halls!
