The Outlast Trials: initial playtests went poorly, developer says six-year development
GG Brief Editorial Desk · AI-assisted, source attributed
PC Gamer reports Red Barrels co-founder Philippe Morin told GameSpot that initial playtests for The Outlast Trials went poorly and that development took six years to produce a build ready for early access. Morin is quoted describing the process as "a f**king long time" and saying the team produced "a s**t-ton of prototypes," according to PC Gamer's article published 18 October 2026. PC Gamer attributes these remarks to Morin's recent interview with GameSpot. The report frames the extended development and many prototypes as part of preparing the game for early access.
- What happened: PC Gamer reports Red Barrels co-founder Philippe Morin told GameSpot that The Outlast Trials' initial playtests went poorly, development spanned six years, and the team made "a s**t-ton of prototypes."
- Why it matters: Morin said the extended development time was used to turn a vague co-op Outlast idea into something "ready to launch via early access," as PC Gamer relays from the GameSpot interview.
- Context: PC Gamer published the report on 18 October 2026 and attributes the quotes and characterisation of the development process to Morin's comments to GameSpot.
- What next: PC Gamer's article does not report any new release date, confirmed upcoming updates, or changes to The Outlast Trials' early access schedule; those details remain unconfirmed.
What changed
PC Gamer reports that Red Barrels co-founder Philippe Morin described The Outlast Trials' early development as difficult: initial playtests reportedly went poorly, development lasted six years, and the team cycled through many prototypes.
Availability
Morin is reported to have said the six-year process was aimed at producing a build "ready to launch via early access," but PC Gamer does not provide any specific release date or platform rollout in the article.
Timeline
The only temporal detail reported is Morin's statement that the project took six years to reach the point of being early-access-ready, as conveyed by PC Gamer from Morin's GameSpot interview.
Limits
The report and quotes come via PC Gamer's coverage of Morin's interview with GameSpot; PC Gamer's article (published 18 October 2026) does not confirm further development milestones, release dates, or future plans for The Outlast Trials.