In The Outer Worlds 2, the mysterious Exclusion Zone holds secrets, dangers, and now, a dilemma: should you open its gates to refugees seeking shelter? This guide dives into the choices, consequences, and moral crossroads that could change your game forever.
Should you move the refugees to the Exclusion Zone in The Outer Worlds 2?
Moving the refugees to the Exclusion Zone in The Outer Worlds 2 poses a moral and strategic dilemma. The area is dangerous and largely uninhabitable, but it offers a chance for the refugees to build a new life away from corporate control. Choosing this path can strengthen your reputation for compassion and independence but may also lead to resource shortages and conflicts later. On the other hand, refusing could seem harsh, yet it preserves stability and safety for your main settlements.
After tracking down all the necessary intel around Matriarch’s Mercy, speak to the Voice of the Displaced near the Exclusion Zone. Administrator Agarwal will show up and ask if you’re ready to proceed with the mediation, and then you’ll need to pick which side to discuss first.
Covering the Order or the refugee side first doesn’t matter, so pick whichever you like and discuss all the intel you found. In our experience, whether you fully complete the “Doctors Inside Borders” subquest has no bearing on what happens next, outside of getting an extra line of dialogue praising you for helping make things easier for the medics.
At the end of the presentation, you have three options:
- Let the refugees into the zone
- Keep the refugees from the zone
- Do nothing
What happens if you side with the Displaced?
The refugees move into the Exclusion Zone if you side with the Displaced, and you get bits, a Burst SMG, and slightly improved reputation with the Order of the Ascendant. After clearing the “Discrete Mathematics” quest at the N-Ray Range and returning to Matriarch’s Mercy, you’ll see that a rockfall occurred while you were gone. Giant stones fell from the cliff above onto the Exclusion Zone and killed several refugees. Agarwal and the Voice of the Displaced express regret over having ignored the Order’s predictions. However, no one blames you, and there’s no negative effect on the rest of the story.
What happens if you side with the Order?
Quite a lot less. You get a bigger reputation boost with the Order of the Ascendant, bits, and a unique armor set. The rocks fall after you’re done at the N-Ray Range anyway, but since the refugees weren’t allowed to move into the Exclusion Zone, they don’t die. Not from rocks, anyway. From a practical perspective, this is the better choice. You aren’t indirectly responsible for the instant deaths of a large group of people, you get paid for it, and the Order likes you more. Win-win.
What happens if you do nothing?
Nothing! Both parties are annoyed with you, and no change happens. It’s essentially the same as siding with the Order from a narrative perspective, except you don’t get bits, XP, or a reputation boost.
In our experience, your decision, or lack thereof, has no bearing on The Outer Worlds 2’s endings. There are dozens of permutations depending on what choices you make throughout the game, so it’s possible the topic comes up in some combination of choices or other. However, in what we saw, no mention of the refugees and their death (or survival) happens in the ending slides.
Which choice gives the best loot and rewards
The search results did not return relevant information specifically about the loot and rewards connected to the choice of letting refugees occupy the Exclusion Zone or siding with the Order in The Outer Worlds 2. However, based on available game guides and community sources known generally:
-
Letting refugees occupy the Exclusion Zone grants you a Burst SMG and some bits (currency).
-
Siding with the Order to deny access grants you the unique Supportive Scholar Cuirass armor, more bits, and a stronger faction reputation boost.
From this, siding with the Order gives the superior loot and rewards, including unique armor and better faction standing, compared to just a weapon and small currency from allowing refugees in.
Thus, the best loot and rewards come from denying the refugees access to the Exclusion Zone by siding with the Order.
Compare loot tables for each faction choice
The search results returned information primarily about faction systems and loot comparisons in games other than The Outer Worlds 2, such as New World and Last Epoch, but no direct loot table comparisons for the faction choice in The Outer Worlds 2 Exclusion Zone quest.
Based on known details for The Outer Worlds 2 from previous responses and common game knowledge:
| Choice | Key Loot/Rewards | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Let Refugees Occupy Exclusion Zone | Burst SMG weapon, some bits | Refugees suffer casualties later; moderate rewards |
| Deny Refugees (Side with Order) | Unique Supportive Scholar Cuirass armor, more bits, faction reputation boost | Refugees evacuated safely; better rewards overall |
In essence, the loot table for the Order side includes unique armor with useful stats alongside more currency and faction reputation. The refugee side grants a weapon (Burst SMG) plus bits, but no unique armor or reputation boost.
Therefore, the faction choice with the best loot table and rewards is to deny the refugees access to the Exclusion Zone by siding with the Order.
