Developing The Outlast Trials proved to be a lengthy and challenging endeavor for Red Barrels, taking six years from initial concept to its early access launch. Philippe Morin, co-founder of the studio, described the process as involving "a fucking long time" and "a shit-ton of prototypes."
Morin explained that the development team initially pursued ambitious goals, attempting to make the game highly systemic and randomized to achieve infinite replayability. However, this approach led the team to "come back to something that maybe added less replayability, but definitely felt more like Outlast."
According to the report, a seemingly complete build was ready within four years of development. Despite this progress, subsequent playtests revealed significant issues, prompting the developers to return to the drawing board and rework the game extensively.
The Outlast Trials has since evolved into a live service game, attracting a consistent player base. However, the game's development has not been without recent controversy, as players have expressed mixed reactions to the implementation of AI-generated imagery. Furthermore, the success of The Outlast Trials has reportedly led to Outlast 3 being placed on hold.