Complete Every Rift Location and Reward in The Outer Worlds 2

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A key part of The Outer Worlds 2’s story involves the appearance of rifts scattered across the Arcadia system. As the story unfolds, you’ll discover these rifts pose a threat to the entire system—and possibly the galaxy. It’s a dangerous situation, but everyone is eager to seize control of the Rifts’ power. Survival of the fittest, after all.

On a smaller scale, Rifts are just as hazardous to individual characters. Approaching them too closely can result in being “vanished into the rift,” which quickly ends your game. For most of the game, your main interaction with them is to observe from afar, much like a member of the Glorious Dawn. It will be several hours before you gain the ability to open these Rifts yourself.

What Are Rift Anomalies?

Rifts are tears in space-time that can swallow you if you get too close. When you approach, it’s stated that you “vanish into the rift,” which is a very unsettling experience. This leads to an immediate game over, so it’s best to stay cautious.

There’s an achievement or trophy for the first time you experience this, marking a notable milestone. Until you unlock the Rift Modulator, you’ll need to ignore these anomalies. However, it’s important to note their locations as they are permanently marked on your map once discovered, so you can revisit them later when you’re ready to engage.

How To Interact With Rifts

To actually open and explore Rifts, you’ll need the Rift Modulator. Thankfully, this device is obtained during the main story, so missing it won’t be an issue. After completing certain events at Greater Tranquility Station, you’re free to choose your next main mission. It’s advisable to head to Praetor quickly to access the Rift Modulator.

When you arrive at Praetor, go to the Interstitial Reconfiguration Center to find the Rift Modulator. During your visit, you’ll get involved in some Protectorate interdepartmental drama, but that’s up to you to handle. Once you have the Modulator, you can return to previous Rifts to unlock their rewards.

Every Rift And What It Contains

There are Rifts on every planet in the game, plus a few other locations. Each one contains something unique—these aren’t just remnants of the Rifts themselves but actual weapons, enemy encounters, or platforms leading to new areas. Here’s a list of some notable Rifts:

Eden Rifts

On Eden, there are three Rifts:

Location	Reward
East of the Bridge of the Reverent, near the cliff’s edge	Summons a container with loot
South of the Bridge of the Reverent, after Gary is sucked into the Rift	Reappears holding the Gary armor set and the Matthew Singh Tossball Card
Inside the Crabble Spawning Grounds, southwest of the landing pad	Summons platforms leading to a container with loot

Dorado Rifts

Dorado features three Rifts with different functions:

Location	Reward
On the upper level near the broken tracks of the station	Creates platforms to climb a rock formation, leading to a container with the Feedback Cannon marksman rifle
At the end of the trenches to the east	Summons a floating container with three Advanced Decryption Keys
On the far west, among large metal structures	Platforms lead from one Rift to the next, culminating in a container with the Minigun, a unique weapon (reachable by climbing from nearby)

ACS Free Market Rift

There’s only one Rift here:

Location	Reward
Near the entrance, to the left of the landing pad	Summons a vending machine selling various items (discounted with Auntie’s Choice)

Praetor Rifts

Praetor has several, concentrated in three key areas:

Location	Reward
East of Central Control, within the Glorious Dawn camp	The Last Whisper shotgun, 650 bits, six Voltspore, plus enemies appearing when opened
Southwest lightning tower control station	No direct reward but grants access to the station (important for the Fiddling With Fulgurating Fulminations quest); climbable from nearby pipes if you don’t have the Rift Modulator yet
Inside the Interstitial Reconfiguration Center, in the Weapons Development room	The Armageddon weapon appears

Cloister Rifts

Cloister has four Rifts, including one part of the main story and a tutorial:

Location	Reward
In the center of the area beyond Laplace Garden, surrounded by NPCs	Materials and new dialogue options
In the EARL facility, southwest of the map	Enriched Rift Particulates recipe, used for crafting ammo
South of the area, through an underground tunnel	Rift Residue and the Gothic Helmet (Adrenalized Bloodsoaked)
On the bridge to the Archive, past Newton	Access to the Archive

Archive Rifts

Beneath the Archive, there’s one more Rift with unique rewards:

Location	Reward
In the Cloister Underlanes, inside a building	Reconstituted Drug Package needed for a quest, and the Ice Breaker shotgun

What Is Rift Residue Used For?

As you explore Rifts, you’ll notice you’re collecting Rift Residue. Its purpose is mainly as a crafting material. However, currently, there’s only one recipe that uses it—the Enriched Rift Particulates—which is used to create the ammo for the Big Bang weapon.

This powerful weapon can destroy almost anything it touches and is found in the EARL facility of Cloister. Since the recipe for this special ammo is located there, your supply of Rift Residue is somewhat finite. The Residue allows you to craft more ammunition for the Big Bang, but only in limited amounts.