The Outer Worlds 2: ‘Who Else But Us’ Quest Guide – All Armorial ID Locations & Thunderstruck Weapon

Why ‘Who Else But Us’ Is Worth Your Time

Let me be upfront: ‘Who Else But Us’ is one of those quests that initially seems like tedious fetch-and-collect busywork. You’re searching a massive, multi-level facility for five ID cards scattered among corpses, debris, and hostile wildlife. It sounds exhausting.

But here’s the thing—the reward waiting at the end completely justifies the effort. The Thunderstruck melee weapon is legitimately one of the most unique and powerful tools in The Outer Worlds 2, especially for melee builds. It fires electric shockwaves with heavy attacks, essentially giving you infinite-ammo ranged capabilities on a melee weapon. That’s absurd. That’s amazing.

What makes this quest special: Unlike straightforward combat or dialogue missions, ‘Who Else But Us’ requires environmental awareness, vertical exploration, and careful navigation through a dangerous facility. It’s environmental storytelling at its finest—you’re literally retracing the final moments of Protectorate soldiers who died defending their station.

Let’s break down exactly where to find every ID card and how to claim your rewards efficiently.

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Quest Overview: The Skycutter A102 Situation

You’ll receive ‘Who Else But Us’ while exploring the Skycutter A102 facility, a towering Protectorate installation that’s seen better days. The station was overrun, guards were killed, and now Raptidons have made it their hunting ground.

Your objective: Collect five Protectorate Armorial ID cards from fallen soldiers to unlock a secured chest on the first floor.

The challenge: The facility is massive, spanning seven floors with complex vertical layouts. IDs are scattered across different levels, often guarded by aggressive wildlife and automated defenses. You’ll need to navigate suspended platforms, climb ladders, ride elevators, and survive multiple combat encounters.

No skill checks required: Unlike many Outer Worlds 2 quests, this one doesn’t gate progress behind Speech, Science, or Tech checks. If you can see it and reach it, you can grab it. Success depends entirely on exploration skills and combat capability.

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Before You Start: Preparation Tips

Recommended Level: 8-12 minimum The Skycutter facility throws Raptidon Hunters, sentry turrets, and automechs at you. Under-leveled characters will struggle.

Optimal Combat Setup:

• Shock damage weapons for automechs and turrets
• Corrosive damage as backup for armored enemies
• Long-range options for turret engagement
• Healing supplies (stock up on inhaler charges)

If you just completed our Paradise Island Substation repair quest, that Corrosive Shock Machine Gun is perfect for this facility.

Inventory Management: Clear inventory space before starting. You’ll be collecting IDs, keys, weapons, and loot throughout. Being over-encumbered mid-exploration is miserable.

Companion Selection: Bring companions with strong combat abilities. This isn’t a dialogue-heavy quest—you need firepower and damage soak. Check our complete companions guide for optimal pairings.

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Protectorate Armorial ID #1: The Starting Point

Location: First floor, next to the locked chest

This first ID serves as your introduction to the quest. When you initially discover the secured chest requiring five Armorial IDs to open, look immediately around it. You’ll find a corpse right next to the chest itself.

What you’ll find on this body:

• Protectorate Armorial ID #1
• Skycutter Entrance Key (crucial for progression)
• Ammunition and minor loot

The Entrance Key is critical. Don’t overlook it. This key unlocks a previously-sealed door near where you entered the facility, opening up access to the rest of the installation. Without it, you can’t proceed to find the remaining IDs.

Once you have the key:

1. Note the chest’s location for later (you’ll be back)
2. Grab any other loot from nearby containers
3. Head back toward the facility entrance
4. Look for the locked door that requires the Entrance Key
5. Unlock it and prepare for the vertical exploration ahead

Pro tip: This is a good checkpoint to save your game. The facility gets significantly more dangerous once you venture deeper.

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Protectorate Armorial ID #2: First Floor Combat Zone

Location: First floor, near the big elevator shaft

After opening the previously-sealed door with the Entrance Key, you’ll find yourself in a new section of the first floor. Here’s where things get spicy.

Navigation:

1. Exit through the door you just unlocked
2. Look for a window you can hop through (it’s obvious once you’re in the area)
3. Drop through the window into the combat zone
4. Orient yourself to find the large elevator shaft—it’s a massive vertical opening
5. The corpse is positioned to the right of this elevator shaft

Combat Warning: This area is heavily defended by sentry turrets and automechanicals. Don’t rush in blind.

Tactical approach:

• Identify turret positions before engaging. They have fixed firing arcs—use cover intelligently
• Shock damage melts turrets and automechs. This is exactly what those damage types are designed for
• Corrosive works too if you don’t have shock weapons
• Peek-and-shoot tactics minimize damage taken. Pop out, fire, retreat to cover, repeat
• Let companions draw fire while you flank or snipe from range

Why this ID is challenging: It’s the first real combat test of the quest. Players who rushed in expecting easy collecting suddenly face a coordinated defense system. Take it slow, prioritize turrets (they can’t move), then clean up the automechs.

On the body:

• Protectorate Armorial ID #2
• Ammunition appropriate to your level
• Possible consumables or crafting materials

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Protectorate Armorial ID #3: Upper Floors Wildlife Zone

Location: A couple of floors above the first, accessible via ladders

Now we’re climbing. The Skycutter facility’s vertical layout becomes apparent as you navigate suspended platforms, staircases, and ladders connecting different levels.

Finding the right level:

1. From the second ID location, look for upward paths
2. Navigate stairways and platforms heading up
3. You’ll know you’re in the right area when you encounter two Raptidon Hunters
4. These are aggressive, fast-moving creatures—not automechs anymore

Combat shift: Raptidons require different tactics than turrets and mechs. They’re mobile, close-range threats that punish static positioning.

Raptidon Hunter strategy:

• Keep distance if you’re using ranged weapons
• Backpedal while shooting to maintain spacing
• Use environmental obstacles to slow their approach
• Fire damage works well against organic creatures (unlike shock/corrosive against flesh)
• Don’t let them surround you—Raptidons coordinate attacks

After clearing the Raptidons:

1. Look for a ladder in the combat area (reference the visual cues mentioned in quest markers)
2. Climb the ladder to reach a small platform
3. You should see bloodstains on the floor—this is environmental storytelling showing the soldier’s last stand
4. Just past the bloodstain, find the corpse leaning against the railings next to a pillar

Visual landmark: The pillar and railing combination is distinctive. The body is positioned as if the soldier took cover here before being overwhelmed.

On the body:

• Protectorate Armorial ID #3
• Potentially skill magazines or equipment upgrades
• Ammo and consumables

Environmental storytelling note: The positioning of these corpses tells a story. This soldier climbed high, maybe trying to escape or find a defensible position, and made their final stand here. The Outer Worlds 2 excels at this kind of environmental narrative.

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Protectorate Armorial ID #4: Sixth Floor Elevator Access

Location: Sixth floor, near the elevator

This is where the vertical climb really tests your platforming skills and spatial awareness.

Navigation from ID #3:

1. Continue climbing using stairs and suspended platforms
2. The facility’s interior becomes increasingly complex—look for upward paths
3. Watch for a comically long ladder leading to the sixth floor. Seriously, it’s absurdly long. You’ll know it when you see it.
4. Climb this marathon ladder to reach the sixth floor proper

Finding the elevator: Once on the sixth floor, you should spot an elevator fairly quickly. The facility’s layout funnels you toward it.

At the elevator:

1. Look for a corpse positioned right next to the elevator
2. This body contains both the fourth Armorial ID and the Elevator Key
3. Both items are essential for progression

Critical Warning: Raptidon Ambush Incoming

The moment you grab these items and interact with the elevator, you’ll trigger a Raptidon ambush. This is a scripted event—there’s no avoiding it.

Ambush preparation:

• Before grabbing the items, ensure you’re at full health
• Position yourself strategically. Don’t be right next to the elevator door when Raptidons spawn
• Have your best crowd-control weapon equipped
• Consider placing mines or traps if your build supports it
• Alert your companions so they’re ready to engage

Ambush tactics:

• Multiple Raptidons will spawn simultaneously
• Don’t panic—focus fire on one at a time
• Use the elevator structure as a bottleneck or cover
• AOE damage (grenades, explosives, shockwave attacks) is highly effective
• Kite backward if they’re overwhelming you

Why this ambush matters: It’s designed to punish greedy players who rushed through without maintaining combat readiness. The game is saying: “You thought this was just collecting? Wrong. Stay alert.”

On the body:

• Protectorate Armorial ID #4
• Elevator Key (mandatory for reaching the seventh floor)
• Equipment appropriate to sixth-floor difficulty tier

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Protectorate Armorial ID #5: Seventh Floor & Thunderstruck Location

Location: Seventh floor balcony (top of the facility)

You’ve made it to the top. This is where everything comes together.

Using the elevator:

1. After surviving the Raptidon ambush, use the Elevator Key
2. Ride the elevator to the seventh floor
3. Exit the elevator and look for a door leading outside

The balcony: Once through the door, you’ll find yourself on an exterior balcony area—open air with a view of the surrounding environment.

Finding the final corpse: The body is positioned on this balcony, clearly visible once you’re outside. This soldier made it higher than anyone else before falling.

On the body:

• Protectorate Armorial ID #5 (the final one!)
• Instructions for shutting off the Skycutter’s power (datapad or note)
• Standard loot appropriate to this level

Reading the instructions is mandatory. They provide the specific steps for deactivating the power grid—without this information, you won’t know how to proceed.

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Claiming Thunderstruck: The Real Treasure

Here’s where the quest transcends simple ID collection and delivers something special.

The terminal: Near the corpse on the balcony, you’ll see a control terminal. This is your power shutoff mechanism.

Shutting down the power:

1. Interact with the terminal
2. Select the option to deactivate the Skycutter’s power grid
3. Confirm the shutdown sequence
4. Audio and visual cues will indicate success (lights flickering, power-down sounds)

Finding Thunderstruck: With the power off, look around the balcony area for an electrified grid or containment field. Previously, this was crackling with lethal electricity, making the weapon inside inaccessible.

Now that it’s powered down:

1. Approach the grid—it’s no longer dangerous
2. Interact with the weapon inside
3. Claim Thunderstruck, the legendary two-handed melee weapon

Why the power grid matters: This is environmental puzzle design. The weapon was always visible, tantalizingly close, but physically dangerous to approach. You had to complete the entire quest—climbing the facility, finding all IDs, reaching the top—to gain the knowledge and access required to safely claim it.

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Thunderstruck Weapon: Complete Analysis

Let’s talk about why you just spent 30 minutes climbing a facility and fighting wildlife.

Base Weapon Stats

Weapon Type: Two-handed melee weapon Damage Type: Physical + Shock Special Ability: Launches electric shockwaves on heavy melee attacks Best Stat Synergy: Melee skill, Heavy Weapons perks, Shock damage bonuses

What Makes Thunderstruck Special

Infinite-Ammo Ranged Attacks: This is the game-changer. Heavy attacks launch electric shockwaves that travel forward, damaging enemies at range. You’re wielding a melee weapon that can attack from distance without consuming ammunition.

Why this is absurd:

• Zero ammo management for ranged attacks
• Crowd control via shockwave spread
• Hybrid combat style unavailable to most melee weapons
• Stuns and disrupts enemies with shock damage

Combat applications:

• Open with shockwave attacks to soften groups
• Close distance while enemies are stunned
• Switch to normal melee attacks for close-range damage
• Disengage and fire more shockwaves if overwhelmed

Optimal Usage & Build Synergy

For Pure Melee Builds: Thunderstruck is a game-changer. Most melee builds struggle against ranged enemies who kite backward. The shockwave attacks solve this completely.

Recommended perks:

• Heavy attack damage bonuses
• Attack speed increases (compensates for slow firing rate)
• Shock damage amplification
• Melee range extensions
• Stamina efficiency perks

For Hybrid Builds: Even if you’re not primarily melee-focused, Thunderstruck offers utility as a backup weapon with unlimited ranged potential.

Situational uses:

• Conserving firearm ammunition
• Engaging enemies across gaps or chasms
• Crowd control when surrounded
• Stunning dangerous targets before closing

The Speed Issue

Major drawback: Without investment in attack speed perks and skills, the shockwave firing rate is painfully slow. Heavy attacks have wind-up animations, and there’s recovery time between shots.

Solutions:

1. Invest in attack speed perks explicitly
2. Use light attacks for close range, heavy attacks for ranged
3. Time shockwaves carefully rather than spamming
4. Combine with mobility perks to reposition between shots

Skill point prioritization: If you’re building around Thunderstruck, prioritize:

• Melee skill (obvious damage boost)
• Two-handed weapon specialization (if available)
• Attack speed perks above raw damage
• Shock damage amplification for shockwaves

Check our best starting builds guide and complete perks list for optimal build planning.

Damage Type Effectiveness

Strong against:

• Automechanicals and robots (shock damage destroys them)
• Shielded enemies (shock disrupts shields)
• Groups (shockwave hits multiple targets)
• Human enemies in metal armor (conducts electricity)

Weak against:

• Heavily armored targets (physical melee portion gets reduced)
• Shock-resistant creatures (some wildlife has resistance)
• Fast-moving enemies (hard to hit with slow shockwaves)

Strategic weapon pairing: Keep a secondary weapon for situations where Thunderstruck struggles. The weapon is powerful but not universally optimal.

Upgrade Potential

Important questions:

• Can Thunderstruck accept weapon mods?
• Does it have upgrade tiers or enhancement options?
• Can you improve shockwave damage/speed through crafting?

If yes to any of these, the weapon’s long-term viability increases dramatically. Fixed-stat weapons eventually get outclassed; upgradeable weapons can scale into endgame.

Crafting consideration: Check whether the unique shockwave ability can be enhanced through crafting systems. If so, invest resources heavily—this weapon becomes a permanent loadout staple.

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Chest Rewards: Completing the Collection

With all five Armorial IDs in your possession, it’s time to claim your secondary rewards.

Returning to the chest:

1. Fast travel back to the first floor of Skycutter A102 (or carefully descend)
2. Navigate to where you found the first ID—the locked chest is right there
3. Interact with the chest to open it using your complete ID collection

Inside the chest:

Trauma Kit: High-tier healing consumable that restores significant health. Save it for emergencies or difficult boss fights.

Advanced Decryption Key: Used to open high-security lockboxes throughout The Outer Worlds 2. These lockboxes contain top-tier loot, making the key extremely valuable. Our Advanced Decryption Keys guide details where to use it for maximum value.

Vestige Data Pad – Cadre 618: Lore item providing background on Protectorate forces and the Skycutter station. Read it for worldbuilding context and potential quest hooks.

Several Hundred Bits: Exact amount varies, but it’s a decent cash injection for mid-game equipment purchases.

Value assessment: The chest contents are solid but not spectacular. The Advanced Decryption Key is the standout—use it wisely on high-value lockboxes. The real treasure was always Thunderstruck.

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Quest Timing & Progression Integration

Recommended completion window: Mid-game, levels 10-14

Why this timing:

• Too early (levels 5-9): The combat difficulty spikes might overwhelm you, and you can’t fully utilize Thunderstruck’s potential without skill investment
• Sweet spot (levels 10-14): You have the combat skills and perks to both survive the facility and maximize the weapon’s effectiveness
• Too late (levels 15+): Still worthwhile for completionism and the unique weapon, but you’ve probably found comparable or better gear

Story integration: This quest doesn’t directly impact main story choices, but it provides environmental storytelling about Protectorate operations and their vulnerabilities.

Thematic connections: The fallen soldiers, the overrun station, the desperate final stands—this all reinforces The Outer Worlds 2’s themes about corporate/authoritarian institutions leaving their people to die while maintaining control structures.

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Combat Strategy: Surviving Skycutter A102

Beyond just finding IDs, you need to survive the facility’s dangers.

Turret Encounters

Strengths: High damage, perfect accuracy, wide firing arcs Weaknesses: Fixed positions, vulnerable to shock damage, can’t chase you

Strategy:

1. Identify turret positions from cover
2. Use shock weapons for maximum effectiveness
3. Peek-shoot tactics: expose yourself minimally
4. Destroy turrets before engaging mobile enemies

Automech Encounters

Strengths: Armored, coordinated, decent damage output Weaknesses: Shock and corrosive damage, predictable movement patterns

Strategy:

1. Shock damage for quick kills
2. Corrosive as backup to melt armor
3. Keep moving—automechs are less accurate against mobile targets
4. Focus fire one at a time

Raptidon Encounters

Strengths: Fast, aggressive, close-range damage, pack tactics Weaknesses: Low health pools, vulnerable to fire, predictable charge patterns

Strategy:

1. Maintain distance with backpedaling
2. Fire damage works excellently
3. Use chokepoints to limit simultaneous engagements
4. Don’t let them surround you

Resource Management

Healing: Don’t be stingy with inhaler charges. Dying and reloading wastes more time than using a heal.

Ammunition: Bring varied damage types. Shock for automechs, conventional for wildlife, corrosive for armored.

Companions: Use their abilities liberally. Cooldowns refresh, health lost doesn’t.

For detailed healing optimization, check our Inhaler Charges guide.

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Common Mistakes & Troubleshooting

Mistake #1: Forgetting the Entrance Key

Players grab the first ID, rush off to explore, and hit a locked door they can’t pass. Always grab everything from that first corpse.

Solution: The key is right there with ID #1. Don’t skip looting that body completely.

Mistake #2: Inadequate Combat Preparation

Running in under-leveled or with wrong damage types turns the facility into a meat grinder.

Solution: Stock up on shock/corrosive weapons and ammunition before entering. This isn’t optional for efficient clearing.

Mistake #3: Missing the Second ID

The window exit and elevator shaft orientation confuse some players. They can’t find the corpse.

Solution: The elevator shaft is the landmark. Find the shaft, look right, the body is there.

Mistake #4: Dying to Raptidon Ambush

Grabbing the fourth ID and immediately getting shredded by the scripted ambush is common.

Solution: Prepare BEFORE looting the corpse. Heal up, position strategically, have your best weapon equipped.

Mistake #5: Not Reading the Power Shutoff Instructions

Some players rush, grab ID #5, and then don’t know how to access Thunderstruck.

Solution: Read the datapad on the corpse. It tells you exactly what to do.

Mistake #6: Selling Thunderstruck Immediately

I’ve genuinely seen players sell it for quick bits without testing it first.

Solution: Experiment with the weapon before deciding its fate. The shockwave mechanic is unique and powerful.

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Advanced Tips & Optimization

Speed Run Strategy: For repeat playthroughs, you can optimize ID collection:

1. Grab ID #1 and Entrance Key
2. Rush second ID (ignore some turrets if tanky enough)
3. Sprint climb to IDs #3-4 avoiding unnecessary combat
4. Elevator to #5
5. Claim Thunderstruck
6. Fast travel out

Stealth Alternative: High Sneak builds can potentially avoid some combat encounters by sneaking past enemies. Less efficient for looting but faster for quest completion.

Companion Ability Timing: Save companion combat abilities for difficult encounters:

• Turret clusters (use AOE abilities)
• Raptidon ambush (use CC abilities)
• Dense automech groups (use damage abilities)

Screenshot Opportunities: The seventh floor balcony provides excellent views. Photo mode enthusiasts should capture Thunderstruck’s shockwave attacks—they’re visually impressive.

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Lore & Environmental Storytelling

What I appreciate about ‘Who Else But Us’ is how it uses environmental design to tell a complete story without exposition dumps.

The Last Stand

Each corpse represents a soldier’s final position. They weren’t killed randomly—they retreated upward, establishing defensive positions, trying to survive:

• First floor: Overrun quickly, died near their post
• Second floor: Fought near defenses, killed alongside their turrets
• Upper floors: Climbed higher, seeking safety or reinforcements
• Sixth floor: Made it to the elevator, so close to escape
• Seventh floor: The highest point, the furthest anyone got before falling

Protectorate Priorities

The presence of valuable equipment (Thunderstruck) and secured loot suggests the station had importance. Yet no reinforcements came. No rescue. Just soldiers dying at their posts while leadership abandoned them.

Thematic resonance: This mirrors The Outer Worlds 2’s broader critique of corporate/authoritarian systems—individuals are expendable, even those defending important facilities.

The Raptidon Infestation

How did wildlife overrun a military installation? What happened to let Raptidons breach defenses and claim the facility?

The quest never explicitly answers this, letting players piece it together through environmental clues and imagination. It’s effective environmental storytelling.

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Integration with Other Questlines

While standalone, ‘Who Else But Us’ connects to broader game themes:

Protectorate Operations: Understanding how the Protectorate treats its soldiers informs your choices in faction questlines. Do you support an organization that abandons its people?

Related quests exploring similar themes:

• A Noble History Quest – Protectorate ideology and propaganda
• Kaur vs Milverstreet Choice – Protectorate faction decisions

Equipment progression: Thunderstruck and the chest rewards fit into your broader gear progression. Consider how they integrate with your build goals.

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Trophy/Achievement Considerations

Potential achievement triggers:

• Collecting all IDs in Skycutter A102
• Claiming Thunderstruck
• Completing specific number of side quests

For comprehensive achievement hunting, see our complete achievement guide.

Missable status: Generally not missable—you can return to Skycutter A102 later if needed. However, confirm this based on story progression to avoid issues.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Related Guides & Resources

Quest Walkthroughs:

• A Noble History Quest
• Paradise Island Substation Repair
• Inez Graft Choice Guide

Combat & Builds:

• Best Starting Builds
• Complete Perks List
• Best Traits Tier List

Loot & Progression:

• Advanced Decryption Keys Guide
• How to Get More Weapon Slots
• Sell or Break Down Items

Character Building:

• All Backgrounds & Traits
• Flaws System Guide
• Negative Traits Guide

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Final Verdict: Is ‘Who Else But Us’ Worth Completing?

Absolutely yes, especially for melee builds.

Thunderstruck alone justifies the quest. A two-handed melee weapon that fires infinite shockwaves fundamentally changes how melee builds engage with combat. The ranged attack capability solves melee’s biggest weakness—getting kited by ranged enemies.

Even for non-melee builds, the Advanced Decryption Key and bits make this worthwhile. Plus, the environmental storytelling and vertical exploration provide a nice break from standard combat missions.

Time investment: 30-45 minutes depending on your combat efficiency and navigation skills Difficulty: Moderate—requires solid combat capability but no obscure skill checks Rewards: Excellent—unique legendary weapon plus valuable loot Replayability: Medium—once you know ID locations, subsequent runs are much faster

My recommendation: Complete this quest during your mid-game exploration phase, after you’ve invested enough skill points to handle the combat but before you’ve moved past the facility’s story relevance. Thunderstruck will serve you well through endgame if you build around it properly.

The Outer Worlds 2 rewards thorough exploration, and ‘Who Else But Us’ exemplifies this design philosophy. Don’t just follow quest markers—investigate facilities, read environmental clues, and claim the powerful gear waiting for attentive players.

Now get climbing. Thunderstruck awaits at the top of Skycutter A102.

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External Resources

Official Outer Worlds Information:

• The Outer Worlds 2 Official Site
• Xbox Game Page
• Steam Store Page
• Series Wikipedia Entry