Side Effects Guaranteed, the first of two story expansions for The Outer Worlds 2, launches on December 2 for $14.99, according to Xbox Wire. Obsidian Entertainment says part two follows in spring 2027, and the choices you make in part one will carry into it.

The expansion adds a new region called Elysium Valley, five new weapons, a higher level cap and a fresh radio station. Both Xbox and PlayStation published the announcement on November 10.

What is the story of Side Effects Guaranteed?

Your crew picks up a distress signal from a derelict ship, where the crew is in suspended animation and has been contaminated with something that causes explosive cell death. The captain’s video message sends you to Gordon Hazen, an agent of the Sub Rosa criminal organization.

Gordon sends you to Elysium Valley, a settlement of former Protectorate subjects who were forgotten by their leaders. A second Sub Rosa agent, Algernon Lankester, wants you to help him exploit those subjects instead. The fate of the settlers, the frozen agents and Sub Rosa itself is yours to decide, and the studio says every choice has consequences.

What is new in the gameplay?

Obsidian lists these additions:

  • Level cap raised from 30 to 36, with three more perks to pick and 15 brand new perks.
  • Four new flaws, including “Lethally Tolerant”, which raises your maximum toxicity but kills you instantly if you suffer a Toxicity Crash.
  • Five new weapons, including the Immobilizer, which removes gravity around its target, and the 1/6 Resolver, where every sixth bullet hits harder.
  • A creature damage weapon, a Tossball Stick and a new plasma weapon.
  • New armor and new outfits for each companion.
  • A Sub Rosa radio station with 20 new songs.
  • New enemies such as vicious canids and primal sprats.

Another flaw, “Must Have Been the Wind”, marks an assassination target. Killing it gives a 20% damage and speed buff until combat ends, but missing it or attacking anyone else gives a 10% debuff for 30 seconds.

Do you need to finish the game first?

No. The DLC events trigger right before the point of no return in the main game. If you would rather skip ahead, a new game option on the main menu starts you at the DLC with a pre-made level 27 character, and you assign the skill points and perks yourself.

A free update arrives on the same day for everyone. It lets you respec your character at any time, and a new custom game option changes how many skill points you earn per level.

How much does it cost?

The expansion costs $14.99 on its own, as listed by Xbox Wire. It is also included in the Premium Edition and the Premium Edition Upgrade of The Outer Worlds 2.

The Premium Edition lists at $99.99 and showed $79.99 on the Xbox page at the time of writing. It includes the base game, a pass for the 2 future story expansions, the Moon Man’s Corporate Appreciation Premium Prize Pack, and the digital artbook and original soundtrack. The announcements name no other regional prices, so check your own console store for local pricing.

Who should buy it?

Players who already finished the main story. The new region, weapons and perks suit a second build, and the respec option makes experimenting cheap.

Players who own the Premium Edition. The first expansion is already included, so you only need to download it on December 2.

Players who have not started yet. The Premium Edition bundles both expansions, which makes more sense than buying them one at a time if you plan to play them all.

Players who want to wait. Part two is not dated beyond spring 2027, and its story will build on your part one choices, so finishing everything together is also an option.

What is still unknown?

The sources do not give the length of the expansion, the price in countries other than the one shown, or the details of part two. Obsidian has not said what the second expansion will add beyond its spring 2027 window.

For your next step, read the original Xbox Wire and PlayStation Blog posts and check your console store on December 2 to see the price in your currency.