Overview
The world of Outbound is divided into four biomes. Players traverse them by driving the camper van through a seamless open world with no loading screens. Each biome has distinct terrain, native plants, available resources, and environmental conditions that affect energy production. Two biomes have been publicly revealed; the other two remain unannounced.
The Outdoors
The Outdoors is the starting biome. It features lush forests, open plains, wide wheat fields, and mountains. The biome has been playable since the alpha build in April 2025 and is the setting for the free Steam demo. It contains multiple landmarks including the Fire Lookout, Sunbeam Acres Farm, and Lilly's Windmill, along with 23 Signal Towers for unlocking blueprints.
The Coast
The Coast was added in the October 2025 beta build and revealed during the gamescom Xbox showcase. It features tropical shores, rocky cliffs, forests of gigantic redwood trees, sandy beaches with palm trees, and an old lighthouse. The coastal environment provides strong conditions for water generators and consistent wind energy from the sea breeze.
Unrevealed biomes
The developers have confirmed four biomes total but have not named or detailed the remaining two. Early marketing materials mentioned terrain ranging from "lush forests to arid deserts," but no specific biome names or confirmed details have been released beyond The Outdoors and The Coast.
Biome-specific resources
Each biome contains resources unique to that region. This design ensures no single area provides everything needed for full progression, making the act of driving to new biomes a gameplay necessity. Different biomes also favor different energy sources: areas with open sky favor solar, exposed elevations favor wind, and proximity to flowing water benefits water generators.