Obsidian Entertainment recently revealed at the Xbox Games Showcase that The Outer Worlds 2 is coming out on October 29. But as part of the in-depth showcase, we got a look at what we might see in the game. Actually, there was a whole segment on it, so we saw a lot, but we want to talk about one specific point.
It seems like Auntie Cleo, a satirical corporate mascot from the first game, will make an appearance in this sequel. And from what we’ve seen so far, it seems like Auntie Cleo as an antagonist is the closest we’re going to get to one of the most iconic villains in video gaming history. Borderlands 2‘s Handsome Jack.
The Outer Worlds 2 might give us a new villain just like Handsome Jack
In The Outer Worlds, Auntie Cleo was in the background, more like a figurehead of corporate excess and capitalist satire. But in the sequel, she’s front and center. This time, she leads a megacorporation formed by the merger of her company and Spacer’s Choice.
You heard it, Auntie Cleo’s Incorporated negotiated a hostile merger with Spacer’s Choice—here to spread unfettered trade and self-betterment across the galaxy.
I serve my purpose here by selling a promise to our colonists: Auntie’s Choice is the ✨BEST✨ choice. pic.twitter.com/wm4du1Tahk
— The Outer Worlds (@OuterWorlds) June 10, 2025
Obsidian has given this newly empowered entity the name Auntie’s Choice. It is now targeting Arcadia, a resource-rich colony, under the guise of “liberating resources… for profit.” Her cheery tone, ironic slogans, and enthusiasm for corporate domination feel ripped from the same crazy cloth as Handsome Jack’s.
Cleo even casually drops references to brainwashing technology, which feels lifted straight out of Jack’s playbook. But it’s not just about lines and slogans. What made Jack so terrifying was how believable he was. Jack isn’t some big, bad guy from mythology; he was your boss, your manipulative ex, or the guy who fired your dad to meet quarterly earnings.
Handsome Jack ruined the Borderlands franchise because they can never invent a character that sticks his lines so well while not being cringe pic.twitter.com/AaWq2ymd3c
— Rock solid (@ShitpostRock) May 31, 2024
The more we learned about Jack, especially through his relationship with his daughter Angel, the more monstrous and human he became. And that kind of thing is exactly what makes a villain memorable. If Obsidian can pull off a character arc for Cleo in The Outer Worlds 2, we may finally have a villain who stands beside Jack in the villain hall of fame.
We might even see this development in the gameplay
As for Jack himself, as great as he is, we know he’s not returning anytime soon. Not even in Borderlands 4. And let’s be honest, fans are hungry for that kind of villain again. Someone who isn’t just bad for the sake of it, but bad in a way that stings because it feels real. Auntie Cleo might not be the run-of-the-mill villain that we expect her to be.
Of course, not all of this will just be a part of the story. From what we know, we will be able to interact with factions in new ways and possibly even side with Cleo to help her. The game will let us decide if we want to be the hero, the villain, or something in between. But what will be the best choice?
Of course, the final verdict will depend on how much depth Obsidian gives Cleo throughout the game. Handsome Jack wasn’t great just because he had good lines. He was great because the game peeled back his layers until you weren’t just angry at him, you understood him.
Kind of like a Thanos moment if you think about it. We’ll have to wait and play the game for ourselves to find out what happens.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
