Cyberpunk 2077 vs The Outer Worlds 2
Cyberpunk 2077 bets on atmosphere and narrative sprawl; The Outer Worlds 2 bets on tight writing and reactive companions.
Updated 11d ago
Fixed since 2.0 and worth it at $18 — Night City and the writing carry it, but the build variety is thinner than the skill tree pretends.
Obsidian writing is back at full peak — Outer Worlds 2 sharpens what the first game whispered, with companions and corporate satire that finally feel essential.
By the numbers
Prices checked Aug 7; they move faster than we refresh, so confirm on the store page.
Recent-review figures are Steam's own last-30-days window, read Aug 7.
| Measure | Cyberpunk 2077 | The Outer Worlds 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Value Cyberpunk 2077 wins on value | ||
| Price now | $17.99 −70% · Steam | $69.99 Steam |
| All-time low | $17.99 | $34.99 |
| Cost / hour | $0.69/hr $17.99 · 26 h main story | $3.78/hr $69.99 · 18 h main story |
| Off its low | At its low low was Jun 2026 | +100% low was Jun 2026 |
| Main story | 26 h | 18 h |
| Health Cyberpunk 2077 wins on player health | ||
| Steam reviews | 87% 968k reviews | 74% 9k reviews |
| Recent reviews | 95% 13k votes · vs 87% lifetime · improving | 64% 235 votes · vs 74% lifetime · souring |
| Peak players | 101,348 Jul 2026 · ↑ 16% MoM | 1,268 Jul 2026 · ↑ 20% MoM |
| Launch peak | 12% of Dec 2020 launch peak · as of Jul 2026 | — |
| All-time peak | 830,387 Dec 2020 | 18,187 Nov 2025 · now at 7% |
| Support | ||
| Last patch | 11 months ago | 3 weeks ago |
| Patch cadence | 0 in last 90 days | 2 in last 90 days |
| Steam Deck | Gold | Gold |
Shared scale — same months across the bottom, same player-count axis up the side, so the two lines are directly comparable. A shorter line means a younger game.
What players say
Patterns from long-haul reviewers, taken from each game's verdict. Not live sentiment — each side is dated below.
Cyberpunk 2077
Long-haul players credit Night City itself: 100-hour reviewers point to the density and the character writing as the reason they finished it twice.
Reviewers past 150 hours flag build sameness — different weapon specialisations end up playing alike, which flattens a second run.
from our July 2026 verdict
The Outer Worlds 2
The witty satire, memorable characters, and goofy tone keep players engaged for hundreds of hours.
Frequent fatal crashes and unstable saves after patches plague long-term playthroughs.
from our May 2026 verdict
Key differences
Which one is for you?
Pick Cyberpunk 2077 if
- You prioritize story and atmosphere over gameplay mechanics.
- You are willing to play on a mid-range PC despite possible crashes.
- You can buy Cyberpunk at a discount (around $18).
Pick The Outer Worlds 2 if
- You value sharp, reactive companion writing and corporate satire.
- You prefer zone-based maps with focused quest hubs over a sprawling open world.
- You love Obsidian's Fallout New Vegas style of narrative RPG.
Bottom line
Choose Cyberpunk 2077 for its atmospheric world and story if you can accept thin build variety; pick The Outer Worlds 2 for sharper writing and companions.