Avowed is a brand new fantasy RPG from the folks over at Obsidian. From what we’ve seen so far, it looks very similar to Skyrim, but with a much brighter art-style.
Now that Avowed has been fully revealed, we know that we’ll have to wait until 2024 to get our hands on it. Exactly when in 2024 is still currently a bit of a mystery, but at least we do have some new gameplay to look through.
While we wait for more info on Avowed, hear everything that’s been revealed so far. That includes a look at gameplay, all of the latest trailers, and updates on the latest news from Xbox.
Avowed: cut to the chase
- What is it? A new first-person fantasy RPG from Obsidian Entertainment
- When can I play it? TBC 2024
- What can I play it on? Xbox Series X|S and PC
Avowed release date and platforms
Avowed will release some time in 2024. This is as much of a release date that has been given by Xbox and Obsidian so far. We do not currently know the exact date.
We do know however that Avowed will be an Xbox console exclusive. Given Microsoft’s previous release pattern, that means it’s coming to PC, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. As is standard for first-party games, it’ll also be coming to Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on day one.
Since Microsoft owns Obsidian, we shouldn’t expect to see the game come to PS5. Even though The Outer Worlds landed on both PlayStation and Xbox platforms, this was in development well before Obsidian’s acquisition by Microsoft was finalized and it’s very unlikely that Avowed will follow the same path.
Avowed story and setting
Avowed is a fantasy RPG. Set in Eora, the world of the Pillars of Eternity games, both games are developed by Obsidian but Avowed will take a first-person perspective, rather than POE’s isometric perspective. So, the game will feel quite different from its predecessors.
We expect fans of the POE games will be sure to recognize elements of the world. Pillars of Eternity largely focused on the nation of Dyrwood, though, which is slightly different to what’s on show this time around.
What’s also new here is that the POE games were very much PC-first experiences, even if both 2015’s Pillars of Eternity and 2018’s sequel Deadfire came to current-gen consoles a couple of years after their initial launch dates. Avowed being announced on an Xbox stream, for a launch across PC, Xbox, and Game Pass, confirms how different this is going to be. Expect a very controller-friendly RPG.
Based on its trailer, Avowed has drawn some comparisons with the Elder Scrolls series in terms of its appearance but Phil Spencer has said there are “distinct differences” between the games.
When asked on an IGN podcast if Avowed will play an Elder Scrolls role for Xbox, given the The Elder Scrolls 6 is quite a while off yet, Spencer responded:
“I think the games are very different, so maybe I struggle a little bit to say that’s our version of this, just knowing what [Obsidian studio head Feargus Urquhart] and the team are going off to do. But when I think about our lineup, and I think about that more core fantasy RPG setting, I think Avowed is gonna be an awesome entrance there.”
Either way, we’re excited to see what Obsidian brings to the table, even if it cleaves close to Skyrim in its combination of spell-aided combat and epic open-world quests.
Avowed gameplay
Thanks to the most recent Avowed trailer, we now have a pretty good idea as to what gameplay will be like once the game launches. Things look very similar to something like Skyrim in that it’s a mix of spell-casting and melee combat. You can mix and match magic, swords and even pistols to dispatch your enemies, which range from skeleton armies to giant infected bears.
One thing we do know is that you will be able to recruit companions while playing Avowed. These will follow you on quests and into battle. It’s unclear just how large the map is, but things do appear to be set up in a large open-world area. We’ll need to hear more before we can say for sure.
What we would like to know more about are the RPG mechanics. It’s currently unclear as to how much control players will have over things like character customization and skill trees. Given that this is being made by Obsidian however, expect a decent amount of options as far as building a character is concerned.
Avowed trailers
The latest trailer for Avowed was revealed during the Xbox Games Showcase 2023 event. It’s a much more gameplay-focused affair than the last one, and really helps set the tone for the game moving forward. Check it out below:
So far there have only been two trailers for Avowed. We advise fans to keep their eyes on the Xbox YouTube channel for any updates in the future.
Avowed latest news
Avowed shown off at Xbox Games Showcase 2023
After a couple of years of silence, Avowed was shown off once more at Xbox Games Showcase 2023. A new trailer gave us our best look at gameplay yet, and there were even companions and spell-casting to enjoy.
