The first Outlast game is officially ten years old

While not exactly front and center of the AAA sphere, Outlast is a pillar of the horror community. With Outlast Trials out recently, the series is enjoying its lengthy run, and developer Red Barrels is celebrating the first game’s tenth anniversary.

In a recent Twitter post, Red Barrels reminisces about their short 2011 trailer thrown together in hopes of attracting investors. Outlast would eventually launch on September 4, 2013, which makes it ten years old. Doesn’t time fly?

It’s been 10 years since the release of #Outlast! Back in 2011 we started to work on a trailer to pitch to investors. Here’s a glimpse of the early days of that trailer! 🎞️ Do you remember the first time you played Outlast? Tell us about it in the replies! pic.twitter.com/zuRCjC9SF2

— Red Barrels (@TheRedBarrels) September 4, 2023

As for the pitch trailer, it sells what this horrifying experience would eventually encapsulate, and evidently, it worked.

Back when we were so young

Now that we’re three games in (four, if you count standalone DLC Whistleblower), it’ll be interesting to see where Red Barrels takes things next. The series is known for its terrifying night-vision aesthetic, disturbing themes, and enough gore to make Tarantino faint. While it follows in the footsteps of Amnesia: The Dark Descent, Outlast released at a time when horror was going through something of an identity crisis.

Now, the genre is fit to burst with plenty of indie and mainstream titles to choose from. The early access release of Outlast Trials is doing well on Steam, although it does lean into co-operative play.

Many of you will no doubt recall your first time creeping around the asylum in the first installment. For some of you, the very idea that the game is now a decade old will be the true terror.