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Overview
Outbound is developed by Square Glade Games. The project grew directly out of the success of the studio's first game, Above Snakes, and followed a transparent development path with backer access at every stage.
Timeline
Date | Event |
|---|---|
2023 | Concept emerges after the success of Above Snakes (60,000+ copies sold in six months, published by Crytivo) |
February 2024 | Outbound publicly revealed |
August 13, 2024 | Kickstarter campaign launches with EUR 30,000 goal. Funds in under two hours |
September 12, 2024 | Kickstarter ends at EUR 265,679 from 5,197 backers (885% of goal). All 10 stretch goals unlocked |
April 2025 | Alpha build (v0.5.5) launches for backers |
2025 | Wins gamescom CommUnity Choice Award |
October 2025 | Beta build (v0.7.6) launches for backers with The Coast biome |
February 17, 2026 | Free demo released on Steam, Nintendo Switch 2, and Nintendo Switch |
Q2 2026 | Planned full release on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, and Switch 2 |
Kickstarter stretch goals
All ten stretch goals were unlocked during the 30-day campaign:
Upgrade Units
Camping (outdoor decorations and bonfires)
Cozy Kites (kite flying activity)
Fishing (mini-game)
Beekeeping (colony management)
Modular Sofas (mix-and-match furniture pieces)
A Companion (the dog companion, community-requested)
More Mini Games (tire inflation and other activities)
Building Plus (expanded building options)
Character Editor (appearance customization)
Physical editions
Silver Lining Interactive handles physical distribution. The Standard Edition ($29.99-$49.99 depending on platform) includes the game, a School Bus Adventures DLC, and a digital soundtrack. The Collector's Edition ($69.99-$89.99) adds a game-accurate road map, acrylic standee, four enamel pins, two fabric patches, six postcards, and a collector's box. The Nintendo Switch 2 edition is a full cartridge release.
Demo reception
The February 2026 Steam demo received "Very Positive" reviews (82-85% positive). Players praised the art style, cozy atmosphere, crafting loop, and co-op multiplayer. Criticism focused on the van's slow driving speed, the world feeling small, days passing too quickly, and a crafting system some found shallow. The game surpassed 1.1 million Steam wishlists. Geographic breakdown of wishlists: US (16.6%), Germany (8%), China (7.8%), Russia (7.2%), Japan (5.1%), Brazil (4.9%), Turkey (4.3%).
Engine
Outbound is built in Unity using the Universal Render Pipeline. The low-poly art style is a deliberate artistic choice. Tobi has said the approach involves "flat colors and minimal shading" that he describes as "surprisingly simple." The inspiration came partly from an animated advertisement and partly from the natural scenery of driving through a field of wind turbines.