GameTimeline

Release & story order

Outlast games in order

This Outlast games in order page covers Red Barrels’ camcorder horror from Outlast (2013) through The Outlast Trials—US release dates, Mount Massive continuity with Whistleblower, the separate Arizona nightmare of Outlast 2, and Trials as a 1950s Murkoff prequel. Release is ship history (Outlast → Whistleblower → Outlast 2 → Trials full launch). Story runs Trials’ Cold War experiments first, then Mount Massive (Outlast + parallel Whistleblower), then Outlast 2’s Knothite horror. Essentials covers the classic duo, Trials-only, or the full horror set. Neighbor fright shelves: Until Dawn, Silent Hill, and Resident Evil.

Updated September 2026

Pick your path:

Classic duo Modern Trials Full horror Full release list Story order

Where to start

Pick Classic duo for Outlast, Whistleblower, and Outlast 2, Modern Trials if you only want the co-op Murkoff prequel, or Full horror for every Release entry including Trials. Essentials keeps the checklist short; hide paths you are not running.

  • Solo scare first-timers → classic-duo before Trials co-op pressure
  • Friends night → modern-trials; add Outlast 1 later for camcorder roots
  • Completionists → full-horror in Release order, then revisit Story chronology

Release order

When Red Barrels shipped each Outlast chapter in the US—Outlast (September 4, 2013), Whistleblower DLC (May 6, 2014), Outlast 2 (April 25, 2017), and The Outlast Trials full 1.0 launch (March 5, 2024) after PC early access in May 2023. Whistleblower is listed as its own Release entry because players hunt it as a required Mount Massive chapter, not a tiny map pack.

  • Classic solo horror → Outlast, then Whistleblower, then Outlast 2
  • Co-op first → The Outlast Trials (full 1.0); return to 1+2 for camcorder roots
  • Mount Massive only → Outlast + Whistleblower; Outlast 2 is a new setting
  • Skip cost → skipping Whistleblower loses Waylon’s asylum half of Mount Massive
Story order tips

Fiction chronology: The Outlast Trials (1950s Murkoff brainwashing) → Mount Massive (Outlast with Whistleblower as a parallel asylum escape) → Outlast 2’s separate Arizona/Knothite nightmare still haunted by Murkoff’s fingerprints. Play order can still follow Release if you want the classic solo games before co-op Trials; Story puts Trials first only when you care about Murkoff history.

  • Murkoff chronology: Trials (1950s) → Outlast + Whistleblower → Outlast 2
  • Whistleblower runs parallel to Outlast’s Mount Massive night—play after or beside the base game
  • Outlast 2 is a new cast and rural setting—Murkoff links, not a direct Miles sequel
  • On Story order, later entries may be hidden—reveal when ready or use Show all spoilers

Timeline

0/4 played

When each game was released. Click a game for platforms, dates, and where it fits in your playthrough.

Release order

  1. Outlast

    Outlast

    PCPS4Xbox OneNintendo SwitchHorrorMainline

    Outlast (September 4, 2013, US PC; consoles later) drops investigative journalist Miles Upshur into Mount Massive Asylum with a camcorder and no combat—Red Barrels’ breakout hide-and-document horror that Whistleblower expands the same night.

    Overview
    Defenseless first-person stealth with night vision battery tension and found-footage presentation. Defined the series’ Murkoff corporate horror before co-op Trials existed.
    In-game setting
    Mount Massive present-day opener. Whistleblower covers a parallel escape the same night; Outlast 2 later leaves the asylum for Arizona. Story chronology places Trials decades earlier.
    Should you play it?
    Required classic start. Skip only for a Trials-only co-op night—you lose the camcorder Mount Massive origin and Whistleblower’s context.
    Release date
    US PC September 4, 2013; PS4/Xbox One and Switch ports followed in later years. Often sold in bundles with Whistleblower—prefer those editions.
  2. Outlast: Whistleblower

    Outlast: Whistleblower

    PCPS4Xbox OneNintendo SwitchHorrorExpansionExpansion

    Outlast: Whistleblower (May 6, 2014, US) is story DLC following software engineer Waylon Park through Mount Massive the same catastrophic night—treat it as a required companion chapter, not a disposable map pack.

    Overview
    Parallel protagonist campaign inside the same asylum outbreak, filling Murkoff whistleblower context Miles only glimpses. Still pure solo camcorder horror—no combat weapons.
    In-game setting
    Fiction overlaps Outlast’s Mount Massive night from Waylon’s side. Play after the base game for full asylum closure before jumping to Outlast 2’s new state.
    Should you play it?
    Essentials for Mount Massive completion. Skip only if you accept a half-told asylum story; do not substitute Trials co-op for this solo chapter.
    Release date
    US May 6, 2014 on PC; console releases aligned with Outlast ports. Requires Outlast; frequently bundled as Outlast: Whistleblower Bundle.
  3. Outlast 2

    Outlast 2

    PCPS4Xbox OneNintendo SwitchHorrorMainline

    Outlast 2 (April 25, 2017, US) moves camcorders to rural Arizona—cameraman Blake Langermann vs Knoth’s cult, visions, and Murkoff’s longer shadow. New cast and setting; not a direct Miles Upshur sequel inside the asylum.

    Overview
    Outdoor traversal, school-flashback interludes, and cult horror stretch the hide-and-record formula beyond hospital corridors. Still defenseless first-person tension.
    In-game setting
    Separate Arizona nightmare after Mount Massive. Murkoff connective tissue rewards Outlast/Whistleblower veterans without requiring Trials first on Release order.
    Should you play it?
    Play after Mount Massive for classic-duo Essentials. Soft-skip only if Trials co-op is your sole interest—you miss the second solo mainline scare.
    Release date
    US April 25, 2017 on PC, PS4, and Xbox One; Switch later. Standalone purchase—does not include the first game’s DLC.
  4. The Outlast Trials

    The Outlast Trials

    PCPS4PS5Xbox OneXbox Series X/SHorrorMainlineCo-op

    The Outlast Trials full release (March 5, 2024, US multiplat) is Murkoff’s 1950s reagent co-op horror—PC early access began May 18, 2023, but this page uses the 1.0 console/PC launch as the Release date. Prequel experiments, not a sequel to Blake’s Arizona night.

    Overview
    Co-op (and solo-capable) trial maps with loadouts, seasonal content, and Cold War brainwashing fantasy. Biggest structural swing from the solo camcorder duology.
    In-game setting
    Earliest Murkoff fiction on Story tab; Release endpoint after Outlast 2. Documents and vibes enrich Mount Massive later without replacing Whistleblower.
    Should you play it?
    Modern Essentials if you want friends-in-horror. Play anytime relative to 1+2 for scares; play Story-first only when Murkoff chronology matters more than classic solo onboarding.
    Release date
    Full 1.0: March 5, 2024 on PC, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series. Early Access PC: May 18, 2023—treat EA as history, not a second Release row.

FAQ

Where to start, Whistleblower placement, Outlast 2 links, Trials early access vs 1.0, and solo vs co-op.

Release order

Solo horror: Outlast → Whistleblower → Outlast 2 (classic-duo Essentials).

Co-op night: The Outlast Trials 1.0, then optionally the camcorder games for roots.

Neighbor scares: Until Dawn, Silent Hill, Resident Evil.

Story & Murkoff

Fiction: 1950s Murkoff experiments—Story tab first.

Release: full 1.0 on March 5, 2024 after PC early access (May 18, 2023).

Play Trials anytime for co-op scares; play it first on Story only when you want Murkoff history before Mount Massive.

DLC & platforms

Yes if you want the full Mount Massive story. Whistleblower is Waylon Park’s parallel escape during the same asylum night as Outlast. Buy a bundle when you can; skipping it leaves Murkoff’s whistleblower half unfinished.

Optional & related

More timelines

Other release-order and story-order guides on this site.