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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesStart with Outlast (2013). It is the first release, introduces Mount Massive Asylum and journalist Miles Upshur, and establishes the series’ stealth-survival-horror language. For a first playthrough, use release order: Outlast → Outlast: Whistleblower → Outlast 2 → The Outlast Trials.
That sequence is different from the in-universe timeline. The Outlast Trials takes place in 1959, so it is chronologically earliest, while Whistleblower is a prequel to Outlast. Playing by release order gives you the reveals and context in the order the series originally presented them.
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The recommended Outlast order for a first playthrough
Release order is the clearest route for a new player because each game assumes you will discover the wider setting gradually. The first game establishes Mount Massive and Miles Upshur; the expansion then revisits the outbreak through another perspective; Outlast 2 moves to a different location and cast; and The Outlast Trials presents an earlier historical setting with a replay-oriented multiplayer structure.
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- Outlast — released September 4, 2013.
- Outlast: Whistleblower — released May 6, 2014.
- Outlast 2 — released April 25, 2017.
- The Outlast Trials — full release listed by Steam as March 5, 2024.
This is the order to choose if you care about first impressions, escalating context and avoiding a prequel’s deliberate answers to questions raised by the original.
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Why Outlast should come first
It is the series’ foundation
Red Barrels released Outlast on September 4, 2013. Its premise follows journalist Miles Upshur into Mount Massive Asylum after he receives an inside tip. That setting and protagonist form the reference point for the early series, making the first game the most natural introduction even if you eventually plan to play every entry.
The game also establishes the stealth-survival-horror approach that defines the original run of stories. You learn what an Outlast investigation feels like, how the series frames danger and discovery, and why Mount Massive matters before another entry adds its own perspective.
It gives later context its proper weight
Whistleblower assumes that Mount Massive and its outbreak are already familiar. Outlast 2 is more independent, but its status as a later mainline story makes more sense after you have experienced the original formula. Starting with the 2013 release therefore avoids asking a later game to serve as an introduction it was not designed to be.
What to play second: Outlast: Whistleblower
A prequel that works best after the original
Outlast: Whistleblower launched on May 6, 2014. Red Barrels describes it as a prequel starring Waylon Park, a software engineer and whistleblower. Steam identifies Waylon as the person who emailed journalists, including Miles, at the beginning of Outlast.
That connection creates the apparent ordering problem: if Waylon’s story leads into Miles’ arrival, why not play it first? For a first run, play it after Outlast. The expansion covers events behind the Mount Massive outbreak, so its revelations have more impact once you understand the original game’s situation. The prequel label describes chronology, not the best discovery order.
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What the expansion adds
Waylon’s viewpoint supplies additional Mount Massive context rather than replacing Miles’ story. Treat it as a companion chapter that deepens the first game’s setting. It is also a focused follow-up: you return to the same broad incident with a different central character instead of immediately switching to an unrelated location.
If you stop after Outlast, you can still understand the main narrative. If you want the fullest Mount Massive account, place Whistleblower directly afterward, while the setting and its unanswered questions are still fresh.
What to play third: Outlast 2
A separate story with a new investigation
Outlast 2 released on April 25, 2017. It follows journalists Blake and Lynn Langermann during an investigation in the Arizona desert. Red Barrels’ official description identifies Blake as a cameraman working with his wife, Lynn.
The change in location and cast is important when planning your order. This is the second mainline story, but it is not a continuation that requires you to master the first game’s controls before beginning. You can approach it as a new investigation with its own protagonists and atmosphere after finishing the Mount Massive pair.
Why it belongs after Whistleblower in the simple sequence
Putting Outlast 2 third keeps the two Mount Massive stories together. You experience the original incident through Miles, then see the surrounding events through Waylon, before moving to the Arizona desert and the Blake-and-Lynn storyline. That grouping makes the transition between locations intentional rather than interrupting the first setting with a separate mainline plot.
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Players who mainly want a different location can also choose Outlast 2 immediately after Outlast. The release-order recommendation is not a requirement for comprehension; it is the smoothest first-time pacing.
What to play last in release order: The Outlast Trials
The earliest setting is not the earliest recommended game
The Outlast Trials is set in 1959. Red Barrels’ current official description states, “It’s 1959,” and frames the game around Murkoff recruiting civilians as test subjects. Steam lists its full release as March 5, 2024.
Because 1959 predates the modern-era events of the other entries, it is the earliest game in story chronology. It is still better placed last for a first playthrough if your goal is to follow release history and experience the series’ evolution. Its premise and format are distinct from the first two narrative games, so opening with it can make the rest of the series feel like a move backward in both date and structure.
A different kind of Outlast experience
The Trials is built around cooperative or replayable play rather than a single, one-time investigation in the same style as the first two games. Its central idea is participation in Murkoff experiments as test subjects. That makes it the best fit for someone seeking multiplayer sessions or repeatable challenges, not necessarily for someone asking for the original story introduction.
Play it earlier only when its format is your priority. If you are choosing purely by what happened first in the fiction, place it at the beginning; if you are choosing the best first encounter with the franchise, keep it after the narrative entries.
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Release order versus story chronology
There are two valid meanings of “correct” order. Release order follows the dates players received the games. Story chronology follows the years and events inside the fiction. They produce different sequences.
| Order type | Sequence | Why choose it |
|---|---|---|
| Release order | Outlast → Whistleblower → Outlast 2 → The Outlast Trials | Preserves the original introduction, the expansion’s intended context, the later mainline setting and then the historical multiplayer prequel. |
| Story chronology | The Outlast Trials → Whistleblower → Outlast → Outlast 2 | Starts in 1959, then moves to the Mount Massive outbreak through Waylon’s prequel perspective and Miles’ story, before the later Arizona investigation. |
The chronology caveat around Whistleblower
The first three positions in the chronological sequence need a little care. Whistleblower is explicitly a prequel and covers events behind the Mount Massive outbreak. Steam’s description connects Waylon’s email to the beginning of Outlast, which is why Waylon’s story leads into Miles’ arrival. Even so, the expansion’s information is more legible after the original game on a first run.
Why Outlast 2 remains last in the timeline
Outlast 2 follows Blake and Lynn in the Arizona desert as a separate, later storyline. The available descriptions do not place it alongside the 1959 Trials scenario or inside the Mount Massive outbreak sequence, so it belongs after those entries when you are arranging games by the known story progression.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Choose an order based on the experience you want
You want the classic solo introduction
Choose Outlast first. It is the original release, the entry that introduces Mount Massive and Miles, and the clearest statement of the series’ initial design. Continue directly into Whistleblower if you want the related expansion while the first game is still fresh.
You want the complete Mount Massive sequence
Play Outlast followed by Whistleblower. This keeps the main investigation and Waylon’s prequel account together. Do not reverse them solely because Whistleblower is a prequel; doing so gives away context that the original release expected you to discover first.
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You want a new cast and location
Play Outlast 2 after the Mount Massive entries. Blake and Lynn’s Arizona investigation is the right next stop when you want a separate story rather than another viewpoint on the same outbreak.
You want multiplayer or replayability
Choose The Outlast Trials when cooperative or repeatable play matters more than release-order storytelling. Its Murkoff test-subject premise and 1959 setting make it a historical prequel, but its multiplayer structure makes it unlike the first two games.
You want the in-universe timeline
Use The Outlast Trials → Whistleblower → Outlast → Outlast 2. This is the chronology-first route, not the route recommended for protecting first-playthrough reveals.
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Three practical play plans
Best first-time plan
- Play Outlast to learn the original premise, setting and protagonist.
- Play Whistleblower immediately afterward for the connected prequel perspective.
- Move to Outlast 2 for the Blake-and-Lynn investigation in Arizona.
- Finish with The Outlast Trials when you are ready for the 1959 Murkoff experiments and multiplayer format.
Chronology-first plan
- Begin with The Outlast Trials because its scenario is dated to 1959.
- Play Whistleblower for Waylon Park’s pre-outbreak account.
- Play Outlast to experience Miles Upshur’s Mount Massive investigation.
- End with Outlast 2 and its separate Arizona story.
Use this route only if an internal timeline matters more to you than the order in which the series introduced its ideas.
Story-only plan
If you want the two mainline investigations and are not interested in a prequel expansion or multiplayer structure, play Outlast followed by Outlast 2. The second game has its own cast and location, so it can stand as a separate mainline story after the original.
Common ordering mistakes to avoid
- Starting with the prequel because it is chronologically first: Whistleblower is a prequel, but its context is stronger after Outlast.
- Treating The Outlast Trials as a direct replacement for Outlast: its 1959 setting and Murkoff test-subject format make it a different kind of entry.
- Assuming Outlast 2 must follow the Mount Massive plot: it follows Blake and Lynn in Arizona and has a separate setting and cast.
- Calling one sequence universally correct: release order is best for most first-time players, while chronology is valid for readers who prioritize the fictional timeline.
Final decision
For nearly every new player, choose Outlast → Whistleblower → Outlast 2 → The Outlast Trials. It introduces the franchise with Miles Upshur and Mount Massive, keeps the connected prequel in the right reveal window, then moves to the separate Blake-and-Lynn story before ending with the 1959, multiplayer-focused Trials.
Choose the chronology-first sequence only when you specifically want the earliest in-universe date: The Outlast Trials → Whistleblower → Outlast → Outlast 2. Both routes are coherent; they simply optimize for different goals.
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