Off-grid caravan sim Outbound looks like a cute way to pretend I could live like that

I love the idea of cosy living, which is why it was that Tiny Living update that dragged me back into The Sims 4 for a few years there. The issue of course, is that in real life, if forced to live in a space the size of the interior of a camper van, I would pile things on every surface within about 12 hours. Chaos would reign. I would hate it. But I don't hate the idea of it, which is why i enjoy things like Outbound, which is a game about living in a camper van.

In something of a refreshing difference, Outbound is set in a utopian future, albeit one where you either can't or won't buy a conventional house still. You start with an empty, vintage VW-looking camper van and then make it into a lovely home by crafting and scavenging and building what are surely structurally unsound upper floors on top of said vehicle. This all takes place in a colourful, friendly-looking 3D world that reminds me a bit of Among Trees. There will allegedly be different biomes but the assets so far tend toward the foresty.

Outbound - Official Reveal Trailer

Outbound seems like the intersection of some of guides ed Ollie's interests (he likes building terrifying chains of automated machines in survival games) and my interests (I like pretending to grow plants :]). In Outbound you have to build a moving base and use automation for some processes, and plug in to renewable sources of energy, but you also grow mushrooms and decorate. Hooray! The release date is still TBA, but you can check out the Steam store page.

I could do it, I have a drivers license and I guess could buy a campervan. But I need regular medication that I can't easily get on the move. I like showers. I don't actually like mushrooms. I like have tat. And so on. Because so many of us like the idea of not having a job and waking in the morning to drink tea in a chunky knit sweater on the stoop of our van, chewing a fresh ear of corn, and yet do not actually like the idea, the living off-grid fantasy is monetiseable enough that there are off-grid grifters, as examined by YouTuber Maggie Mae Fish.

That was perhaps a depressing tangent. Outbound is not itself a harmful form of that fantasy - in fact it looks kinda neat for a video game, right? Out some time. Steam page. Have at it.