From Polygon · Ari Notis · · 1m 10s
Square Enix's Forgotten Loot-Shooter Was Years Ahead of Its Time
Outriders, Square Enix's 2021 loot-shooter, predated modern multiplayer shooters by years.
In brief
Outriders, Square Enix's 2021 loot-shooter, predated modern multiplayer shooters by years. Square Enix's 2021 game Outriders had mechanics and features that matched today's popular loot-shooters but was overlooked. Originally reported by Polygon.
Outriders launched in 2021
People Can Fly's Outriders, published by Square Enix, released on April 1, 2021.
Outriders was a multiplayer shooter
Players venturing from a hub city into hostile areas to shoot enemies and grab loot.
Outriders had four character classes
The Trickster, Technomancer, Devastator, and Pyromancer each offered unique gameplay mechanics.
Outriders included 15 difficulty tiers
Players could level up World Tiers to adjust enemy difficulty and loot quality.
Outriders had a rocky launch
The game faced server issues and balance problems but gained 3 million players in its first month.
Outriders was abandoned after 2022
A 2022 expansion failed to attract new players, and People Can Fly laid off staff in 2024 and 2025.
Outriders servers remain online
Unlike many forgotten games, Outriders' servers are still active as of 2025.
What to remember
Square Enix's 2021 game Outriders had mechanics and features that matched today's popular loot-shooters but was overlooked.
