After 12 years, the prices of the original Outlast games are going down forever

Resident Evil 9 could be on the way. State of Decay 3 is also in the works. But while we wait for that next generation of horror games, now might be the time to finally take a visit to – or to revisit – Mount Massive Asylum and the Colorado Plateau. More than a decade since the original Outlast was released, developer Red Barrels has decided to cut the prices for all three of its original games. And this isn't just a temporary sale – from now on, Outlast, The Whistleblower, and Outlast 2 are going to be cheaper forever. At the same time, a new update for The Outlast Trials has just arrived. If you need more convincing, even now, some 12 years later, this remains one of the best-rated horror series on Steam.

I remember playing Outlast back in 2013. Initially, the handheld camera, found-footage style felt like a gimmick. But the more time I spent with Red Barrels' debut horror game, the more it felt like a cohesive, aesthetic whole. You rely on the camera to see in the dark, but it also serves as a strange psychological shield – so long as I'm looking through the viewfinder, I can't get hurt, right? It also puts you in the mind of your character. Miles is a reporter, investigating Mount Massive to try and find the truth about Murkoff's experiments. As well as running, hiding, and staying alive, even though Outlast doesn't demand it of you, you feel a responsibility to film and photograph every significant moment.

It's a smart sleight of videogame design. 12 years and more than 92,000 player reviews later, Outlast still has an approval rating of 96% on Steam. The Whistleblower DLC is also rated 96%, while Outlast 2 is similarly well-regarded at 91%. If you've never played the series before, or you want to go through them again, now is definitely the time.

Red Barrels has just slashed the prices of all three games, for good. Outlast 1 used to be $19.99. Now, it's down to $14.99 / £12.79. The Whistleblower used to run you $7.99, but can now be obtained for just $4.99 / £4.29. And lastly, Outlast 2, once $29.99, is available for $19.99 / £16.75. And remember, these are permanent price changes – this is how much these games cost now, forever.

But let's say you've already played the original Outlast series and you've been waiting to give Trials a turn. First of all, that's on sale right now, down 60% to $15.99 / £13.40 – you have until Monday June 9 to take advantage of that discount. Red Barrels has also just released the new Prime Time update for Season 3. It gives you a fresh, limited-time event, two more MK challenges, and access to additional rewards.

The pause menu has also been reworked for greater accessibility and intuitiveness, and Red Barrels has added a group finder option to The Outlast Trials' multiplayer waiting room, so you can find and pair up with your friends-list pals a lot more easily. If you want to give it a shot, you can get The Outlast Trials right here.

Otherwise, try some of the best survival games, or maybe the best multiplayer games on PC.

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