It looks like the end of the console-exclusive era is marching ever forward. On the one hand, more game studios are embracing simultaneous launch strategies, as was recently emphasized by both Square Enix and Ubisoft adopting multi-platform simultaneous launches for Fantasian Neo Dimension and Assas...
It may very well be, but the impetus in the article of Outer Worlds 2 and Square Enix/Ubisoft’s strategies seem to be the wrong way to draw that conclusion. Square Enix is pivoting because being Sony exclusive wasn’t working. Ubisoft has pretty much always done simultaneous launches, so I’m not sure why they’re even listed here. The first Outer Worlds was third party before Microsoft acquired Obsidian and was published by 2K, so who knows if any agreements had to be honored or were more expensive to break.
I believe for the first Outer Worlds it was multiplatform because it was published by Private Division (owned by 2K at the time), not Microsoft. Obsidian wasn’t owned by Microsoft yet when the game was being developed. Of course, it just makes businesses sense to release the sequel on PS5 too for more money from sales.