Abstract
Problem: What does day-to-day life look like for Tim Cain after returning to Obsidian Entertainment from retirement?
Approach: Tim presents a photo-and-video tour of his first months back at Obsidian, continuing his earlier "Scenes From My Life in Game Development" format.
Findings: The video covers his return on October 30, 2025, his new office setup, the Outer Worlds 2 launch party, his meal-prepping habit, and the squirrels that have adopted him at his apartment complex.
Key insight: Tim's return to game development is less about dramatic industry moments and more about the small, human details — walking to work, feeding squirrels, and eating suspiciously delicious "deep fried cy bits" at a launch party.
1. Returning to Obsidian
Tim arrived back at Obsidian on October 30, 2025. He lives close enough to walk to work, a deliberate choice because — like many of us — he hates commuting. On his walk, he occasionally encounters an advertising robot, which unsettles him after his experience with a robot vacuum at the Fallout TV show premiere hotel.
His new office features a large curved monitor that other employees apparently didn't want, plus a banner outside his door displaying pins for every Obsidian game he's shipped from start to finish. He also displays a Rainbow Obsidian Nights banner supporting LGBT employees and allies.
2. Milestones and Office Exploration
Having hit both his 1-year and 5-year anniversaries (with a 10-year milestone pending), Tim chose the "wizard career path" for his anniversary rewards — picking up dice and a wizard satchel. He also received a Moonman couch companion, which he took home and decorated for Christmas.
Wandering the office, he found several notable items:
- A trivia plaque showing company trivia contest winners
- A massive Outer Worlds mural painted across an entire wall
- A backlit plaque (resembling a TV) listing all Kickstarter contributors
- A stack of Outer Worlds-branded food products in the kitchen
- A scary mimic chest he wisely did not put his finger into
3. The Outer Worlds 2 Launch Party
Tim arrived back just before the Outer Worlds 2 launch party. Pre-party, he received a purple berry punch 5-hour energy and a Moonman cookie. The party itself featured themed food from the game:
- Crab witches — hot catered
- Deep fried cy bits — "suspiciously delicious"
- Meaty roll-ups — Tim ate one and genuinely does not know what the meat was
- Auntie's Choice Baracknid cocoons — described as an off-gray (or light green) color, but "super delicious"
He left the party with bubblegum cigarettes, another cookie, an Outer Worlds 2 glass, and inexplicably, a tattoo. There was also a hologram display (possibly for Bored Pockets) that looked much better in person than on camera.
4. Meal Prepping
Living near work inspired Tim to start meal prepping. He began making large batches of food — fried rice with chicken, mushrooms, and bacon; pasta with kielbasa; chicken ka aag with fried rice — then portioning leftovers into containers for easy reheating after work.
His essential meal prep companions: hot honey (not sponsored) and large bags of garlic, which he uses liberally in everything.
5. The Squirrels
Perhaps the most memorable part of the video: the squirrels at Tim's apartment complex have zero fear of humans and run right up to him. On a friend's advice, he started buying walnuts to feed them. This has escalated — the squirrels now follow him down the hallway into his building and toward his apartment. Tim finds this "creepy."
6. The Radiation King
A friend made Tim a working Radiation King radio replica. It sits in his house and actually plays music, though Tim can't demonstrate it on video because the preloaded songs would get him demonetized. He invites viewers to imagine Fallout music instead.
7. References
- Tim Cain. YouTube video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_smS4XBoTy0