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The soundtrack for 2019’s Outer Wilds drew considerable praise, and received a limited vinyl pressing in 2020
Vinyl versions of the soundtrack were exceptionally popular, selling out in under three hours. Records sold for $40 retail, and have resold for upwards of $500
Recently, vinyl producer iam8bit and publisher Annapurna Interactive have teased the possibility of a repressing. September 2022 marked the one-year anniversary of Outer Wilds’ DLC
Profit
This is the difference between the sale price and resell price. It does not take into account any costs associated with reselling. Things like shipping, storage fees, if applicable.
This extremely rare 2xLP video game soundtrack was released in 2020 as a collaboration between iam8bit and Annapurna Interactive.
It’s been three years since the release of Mobius Digital’s recursive masterpiece, Outer Wilds. Winning over players and critics alike, the game went on to become one of the highest regarded of the decade. In 2020, the award-winning soundtrack for Outer Wilds received a vinyl pressing, and was sold through manufacturer iam8bit. Two years later, these vinyl records are extremely rare, with only a few up for sale at a given time, and for very high prices. With the 4 year anniversary of the game’s release approaching, there has been speculation another release is just around the corner.
Growing from a student project to a full-fledged game over the course of seven years, 2019’s Outer Wilds is a special game. There are spaceships. There are marshmallows. There are cosmic horrors. And there are banjos.
Without delving too deep, Outer Wilds has a way of impacting people who play it. The tone of the game is a major part of this appeal. Described by developer Alex Beachum as “camping in space“, the game’s irreverence in dealing with lofty subjects like space travel and extraterrestrial contact are refreshing.
The soundtrack builds upon this tone heavily. The main theme is played by a banjo, for example, and various “campfire instruments” can be found throughout. Composer Andrew Prahlow gave a lengthy interview in 2020 about the music. He revealed that some of the recordings were done with weathered, slightly out-of-tune instruments to lend an amateurish charm to the songs.
Additionally, the music of the game is quite personal. Characters met throughout the game play a particular instrument, and the music they play weaves into both the gameplay and overarching narrative as the game plays on.
Outer Wilds soundtrack is inextricable from the game itself, and as people built a stronger connection to the game over time, so did they to its music.
Dubbed Signals From The Outer Wilds, June 2020 saw the release of a vinyl pressing of Outer Wilds soundtrack. These records were produced by the company iam8bit, which has a history working with indie developers on vinyl releases.
Vinyl records for video game soundtracks are not a new phenomenon, but in the case of Outer Wilds, it actually makes pretty good sense. The lo-fi, campfire tone of the music meshes well with the analog warmth of vinyl. Additionally, there are several quirks to vinyl that created opportunities for certain secrets and references to be inserted.
For example, the locked groove on Signals From The Outer Wilds. Locked grooves are a standard feature for vinyl records, and are used to keep the needle from leaving the vinyl. These are usually just silence, but provide an opportunity for a repeating melody.
Signals From The Outer Wilds features an endless loop of the Travelers’ instruments playing in harmony. This a remarkably poignant reflection one of the game’s main themes, and just one of the unique aspects of the album.
In addition to the two vinyl discs and remastered version of the music, Signals From The Outer Wilds also features a unique cover. The retro design gels with the music and overall tone of the game, and would not look out of place next to traditional albums.
The album was put up for sale on iam8bit.com on June 18, 2020, a little over a year after the release of the game. Retailing for $40, the vinyl sold out in under three hours, and people quickly rushed to social media to complain about missing out.
After the stock was depleted, the Outer Wilds vinyl did not restock. Manufacturer iam8bit has continued to tease the possibility of a restock, but that’s yet to materialize.
After selling out, interest for Signals From The Outer Wilds continued to rise. While we don’t have any production numbers, its likely they were quite low. Previous production runs from iam8bit were usually under 10,000, in some cases limited to the low thousands.
Fans of the game who missed out on the drop were quick to hound iam8bit for a restock, but this would be unlikely. Despite the popularity of the album, it has not been repressed or restocked in any meaningful numbers since 2020.
As time went on, a very small number of records have been listed for sale on online marketplaces like eBay and Facebook Marketplace. These listings typically don’t last long, and the vinyl resells for exceptionally high prices, usually approaching $600.
Collectors’ website discogs.com shows that 467 have registered they own a copy of Signals From The Outer Wilds, with just two listed for sale. Considering these factors, the likely conclusion is that very few copies of the vinyl were bought by resellers.
The vast majority of records were purchased at retail by collectors, who are hesitant to put them up for sale. The extreme scarcity of these albums on the aftermarket means when one does go up for sale, it sells high, and it sells quick.
While there’s nothing official just yet, a repressing of Signals From The Outer Wilds may be in the works. Since 2020, manufacture iam8bit has ran two separate Twitter polls for games that should receive a repress. Outer Wilds won both of these, receiving around 40% of the vote each time.
Obviously this isn’t anything too serious, but it does show that demand is definitely there, and its also clear that iam8bit is well aware of that demand. Additionally, interactions on social media with iam8bit concerning a potential repress often results in a teasing reply.
Composer Andrew Prahlow has made some remarks that may point towards a repress. When asked on his Instagram about a potential medley of songs between Outer Wilds and its DLC, Prahlow responded this may “happen sooner than you think”. Again, speculation, but the consistent teasing nature between Prahlow and iam8bit is notable.
It’s also possible that instead of a repressing of Signals, we may see an entirely new vinyl from iam8bit. Outer Wilds’ first and only DLC, Echoes of the Eye, released a little over a year ago, on September 28, 2021. Echoes of the Eye featured a major expansion to the soundtrack, receiving its own album release on Spotify and CDs.
Considering the vinyl for Outer Wilds released 13 months after the game, a similar strategy may be at play here. Prahlow and iam8bit might be preparing an entirely new vinyl pressing, featuring the songs of the DLC and possibly the main game. Considering the popularity of the soundtracks for both, and the rapid sales of Signals From The Outer Wilds, this is entirely possible.
In August of 2022, a deluxe version of Echoes of the Eye’s soundtrack was released: The Lost Reels. It includes all of the original songs from the DLC, as well as six bonus tracks, most of which are over five minutes in length. The album serves as a definite end to the music of Outer Wilds, and while it is available on several streaming platforms, it has not received a physical release.
Pure speculation sure, but if we’re going to see a new pressing of Outer Wilds vinyl, it may very well be The Lost Reels. With almost thirty songs and well over an hour of runtime, the music for Echoes of the Eye is every bit as expansive and touching as the base game.
When I finished writing the music for Echoes, these characters felt like friends that I’d never see again
As of February 2023, there has been no announcement on a future repressing of the Outer Wilds vinyl, or any further word on a vinyl version of the Echoes of the Eye’s soundtrack. It’s possible that they are still in the works, but there is no reason to take that as anything other than speculation (and maybe a little naïve hope).
If naïve hope is your thing though, there may still be a chance. May 28, 2023 marks 4 years since the release of Outer Wilds. With the development team firmly ruling out future DLC for the game, maybe they will look to some other method of celebrating its anniversary?
Then again, maybe not. We recommend keeping an eye on iam8bit and Mobius Digital’s socials during the upcoming months. If a new limited pressing of vinyl is announced, do not hesitate to buy. The interest for these albums is clear, and stock will disappear fast.
Update 3/16/2023:
A restock for the Outer Wilds vinyl has been confirmed. Limited sales for Signals From The Outer Wilds will go up on iam8bit’s site at 9 a.m. Pacific, March 20. The price will be $40. No further word on a Lost Reels vinyl.
A non-record flip for Record Store Day
Call that a Victory Royale!
