It’s no surprise that, out of all the RPGs it has in development, Microsoft choseStarfieldto lead its recent Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase. Bethesda’s name is in the title, after all, so it only makes sense to giveStarfieldtop billing. It also helps that the likes ofFableandAvoweddon’t have clear release dates, unlikeStarfield,which has a healthy early 2023 release window in its sights. Nevertheless, it would’ve been nice to seeAvowedat the showcase, even though Obsidian Entertainment had plenty to discuss during the show.Avowedhas eluded fans ever since it was announced, and updates are long overdue.
However, althoughAvoweditself didn’t appear at the showcase, Obsidian’s involvement may generally be good news for the fantasy RPG. Because Obsidian Entertainment confirmed that it will fully release two of its games by the end of this year, it seems likely thatAvowedtruly is drawing nearer. The studio has had a lot on its plate lately, but if two significant projects are essentially complete, then Obsidian is probably ready to start devoting more resources toAvowed.ThePillars of Eternitysuccessormay have smoother sailing ahead of it once Obsidian’s 2022 games are out of the way.
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Obsidian Entertainment’s 2022 Games
During theXbox and Bethesda Games Showcase, Obsidian Entertainment confirmed thatGroundedwill properly release in 2022. Technically the game has been playable through early access since 2020, but the new release date suggests that Obsidian is happy with the game’s state and ready to wrap up its core development. The studio definitely has a lot to be proud of;Grounded’s various updates have added lots of new content to the backyard and made the game a more well-rounded survival experience. That said,Groundedhas clearly been a major undertaking in the last few years, so it may have been something of a roadblock forAvowed.
Obsidian also intends to releasePentimentthis year. Leaks in late 2021 suggested that Obsidian was working on a dialogue-driven adventure game calledPentiment, and the showcase proved that the rumors were true. It revealed thatPentimentis a medieval murder mystery gamewith a charming aesthetic inspired by the artwork found in real manuscripts and woodcuts from the Middle Ages.Pentiment,which is directed by Josh Sawyer ofFallout: New Vegasfame, seems like a smaller undertaking than Obsidian’s other ongoing projects, but it surely diverted some resources away fromAvowednonetheless.
Avowed Has More Room to Breathe
Although the studio may have post-launch expansions in mind forPentimentandGrounded,odds are good that Obsidian will free up talent, time, and funds once these games have released. Those resources can hopefully be funneled intoAvowedin order to ensure its final months or years of development are as smooth as possible. WhileGroundedandPentimentare remarkable projects,Obsidian is chiefly known for its ability to craft RPGs, and so it’s under a lot of pressure to makeAvowedexcellent. These 2022 releases create a good opportunity to strengthenAvowed’s development process and achieve maximum polish before it releases.
Avowedstill has competition within Obsidian for attention, of course.The Outer Worlds 2is also in development, but sinceAvowedwas announced about a year before theOuter Worldssequel, there’s a good chance thatAvowedwill take priority for the time being. As long asGroundedandPentimentdon’t need to get delayed, the end of 2022 should mean big things forAvowed,even if the game is still far from release. With the help of additional resources gained from these games, maybeAvowedcan manage to release by the end of 2023 after all. Even with Bethesda’sStarfieldon the horizon, Xbox-using RPG fans would certainly love another Obsidian title.
Avowedis in development for PC and Xbox Series X/S.
