Beloved 2019 action-adventure-mystery Outer Wilds puts players into the vacuum-resistant boots of an astronaut from the planet Timber Hearth as they eagerly set off on their first intergalactic exploration. But, they soon find out that their journey to the stars will not be all fun and games: the galaxy has become caught in a 22-minute time loop, and it’s up to one intrepid little Hearthian to save the day – and everything they know and love.
Outer Wilds was a near-instant hit when it first debuted for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. Its success led to the game being nominated for – and winning – several awards, including Game of the Year at the British Academy Game Awards. Outer Wilds would later go on to receive an expansion, “Echoes of the Eye,” in 2021. In 2022, the game, including “Echoes of the Eye,” was made available for next-generation consoles, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.
Welcome to the Space Program! Become a new recruit in this award-winning open world mystery about a solar system trapped in an endless time loop. #OuterWilds: Archaeologist Edition from @A_i and @Mobius_Games is coming to #NintendoSwitch on Dec. 7! #IndieWorld pic.twitter.com/sQylGOUhIn
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) November 14, 2023
Gameplay features a mix of exploration and puzzle solving. Each loop, the player can choose to travel to one of several planets, including the cyclone-covered Giant’s Deep, the sand-choked Hourglass Twins, and Brittle Hollow, which is rapidly being sucked into a black hole at the planet’s center. Players must figure out the secrets of the Nomai, the galaxy’s long-lost former residents, to learn how the time loop works, how to end it, and how to stop the supernova that threatens to destroy everything.
Now, Outer Wilds will finally be receiving its long-awaited release on the Nintendo Switch. The Switch version of the game is titled “Archaeologist Edition,” and comes pre-bundled with “Echoes of the Eye.” A digital version of the game will be made available on December 7, 2023, with pre-orders starting today. Players who are interested in purchasing a physical version of The Outer Wilds for the Nintendo Switch will be able to do so at an unspecified date in 2024.
