Summary
Obsidian Entertainment’s highly anticipated fantasy RPG,Avowed, is nearly here, aiming to offer fans of the developer’s past work something unique and yet familiar. Set in the same universe as Obsidian’sPillars of Eternityseries,Avowedtakes players to theLiving Lands of Eora, where they have been sent by the Aedyr Empire to investigate a mysterious plague known as the Dream Scourge. Based on what has been revealed so far,Avowedis chock-full of content for players to discover, including an expansive world, new characters to befriend, a robust combat system, and more.
Avowedmight have been originally set for release this year, near the end of 2024, but now that it has been moved to early next year, there is plenty in store for fans of the highly anticipated fantasy RPG in 2025. Not only willAvowedbe offering gameplay elements that are unique to the Obsidian brand, but there is plenty of reason to believe that its legacy will continue on throughout the year, in light of the developer’s history with post-launch content. That being said, Obsidian has yet to confirm whetherAvowedwill receive substantial post-launch support apart from regular updates and any fixes that are necessary for the game to perform well.
Avowed Is Slated for a February 2025 Release
Avowed Is Launching on July 26, 2025 Alongside Many Other Big Titles
Avowedwas initially slated for a Fall 2024 release but was delayed, with Obsidian revealing its intentions were to provide players with some “breathing room” amidst a crowded release schedule. Ironically,Avowed’s new release date of February 18, 2025puts it right in the middle of one of the most crowded release windows in gaming history, meaning perhaps avoiding the shadow of other highly anticipated titles just wasn’t in the cards for Obsidian’s upcoming RPG. That being said, there is still time between now and February 18 for Obsidian to changeAvowed’s release date once again, by either moving it up or delaying it.
Warhorse Studios’Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2was recently moved up a week, likely in an attempt to get ahead of the busy release schedule, though the developer never explicitly stated the reasoning for the change.
AmongFebruary 2025’s most notable releasesareKingdom Come: Deliverance 2on February 4,Civilization 7on February 11,Assassin’s Creed Shadowson February 14,Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaiion February 21, andMonster Hunter Wildson February 28. In defense ofAvowed’s new release date, the game could have enough to stand out in the crowd, given how unique its fantasy, almostFable-like setting is in comparison to the rest of February 2025’s games. However, being an RPG, it may still have bothKingdom Come: Deliverance 2andLike a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaiito deal with.
Avowed’s Combat and Exploration Are Unique for an Obsidian Title
Fortunately,Avowedisn’t a typical RPG experience for Obsidian, as it innovates on the most fundamental elements of the developer’s portfolio with some unique methods for enhancing player engagement and agency. Firstly,Avowed’s roots and settingdistinguish it from Obsidian’s more recent success,The Outer Worlds, since it is a first-person take on the fantasy world established byPillars of Eternity.
However,Avowed’s combatis also a step in a different direction for the developer, with a more flexible system than past Obsidian games that allows players to mix and match weapons and magic across both hands, offering combinations like wielding an axe in one hand and casting spells with a grimoire in the other. Ultimately,Avowed’s combat system allows for more diverse playstyles than have ever been present in an Obsidian game, emphasizing an unprecedented amount of player agency for the developer.
Fortunately,Avowedisn’t a typical RPG experience for Obsidian, as it innovates on the most fundamental elements of the developer’s portfolio with some unique methods for enhancing player engagement and agency.
Avowed’s quests and explorationare also unique for the developer, both of which also rely heavily on the choices that players make and expect players to make as many of their own choices as possible.Avowed’s world features interconnected open areas for players to explore, all of which have been intentionally designed, not just to encourage exploration, but to encourage players to feel safe engaging with the world at their own pace and in the way they see fit.Avowed’s quests couple with exploration in this way, letting players approach almost every quest in multiple ways.
Avowed Could See Post-Launch Content Added at a Later Date
While news of post-launch content forAvowedhasn’t been disclosed by Obsidian just yet, it’s possible to speculate on what could be coming to the game after its February 18 release next year, based on the developer’s history with post-launch content. Obsidian Entertainment has a strong track record of supporting its games with substantial post-launch content, so the same could very well be true forAvowed. For example,The Outer Worldswas expanded after its release with two significant DLCs,Peril on Gorgon and Murder on Eridanos, both of which introduced new storylines, quests, areas, and characters.
Obsidian’sPillars of Eternityseries, whichAvowedis rooted in, also received substantial post-launch support. The firstPillars of Eternity, for instance, received a two-part expansion, The White March, which added new regions, quests, companions, and an increased level cap to the base game.Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfirereceived similar support, with multiple post-launch DLCs that introduced a plethora of new content to the base game. Needless to say, in light of Obsidian’s history with post-launch content,Avowedmay be receiving the same level of support, though it’s important to remember that has yet to be confirmed.
WithAvowedlaunching so early in 2025, there is plenty of time left in the year for it to receive post-launch content, should Obsidian decide to go that route.
For now,Avowedcontinues marching on toward its highlycompetitive 2025 release window, with firm plans to set itself apart, no matter which other games it shares that launch window with. With plenty of unique RPG elements and a distinctive take on Obsidian’sPillars of Eternityformula, it could be enough to stand out in the crowd and begin a new tale for the developer. Whether or notAvowedavoids the shadow of other big titles in February 2025, its emphasis on player agency and fantasy adventure may still ensure its spot on the list of 2025’s greatest achievements.
